Chapter 140: The Unnamed Three Styles

Ruan Fengshan sat on a tall, wide chair, his face gloomy, not saying a word.

Luan Jingfu sat there, recounting the matter to the two of them.

Duan Rong was still relatively calm, but Lu Feng's complexion had already become very ugly.

The other party dared to strike against the Yuanshun Escort Agency, so their strength was certainly not weak; wouldn't sending them to deliver the gold be the same as sending them to their deaths?

Duan Rong swept his gaze across Luan Jingfu's face without a flicker of emotion; he could figure out with his toes that this kind of cannon fodder task was definitely something Luan Jingfu had dragged him into.

"Manager..." Lu Feng's face turned pale, still wanting to plead with Ruan Fengshan.

But Luan Jingfu cut off his words directly, saying: "Lu Feng! As the saying goes, soldiers are raised for a thousand days to be used for a single moment! The young master is in trouble today, and I hope you two can share some of the burden for the Manager!"

Seeing Luan Jingfu like this, Lu Feng mumbled and didn't know what to say.

"Alright! You two may go down." Ruan Fengshan suddenly spoke: "Do not leave the Escort Agency! Arrive at the Chaos Burial Mound in the Southern Suburbs at the hour of the rabbit tomorrow morning."

Duan Rong cupped his hands slightly and turned to leave. Their status was low, and they had no qualifications to bargain at all.

Just as Duan Rong turned around, he discovered that Lu Feng was still standing there in a daze, so he reached out and tapped Lu Feng's shoulder. Only then did Lu Feng snap out of it; he cupped his hands slightly and followed Duan Rong out.

"Duan Rong, what should we do? Is this asking us to deliver gold? This is just asking us to throw our lives away!" As soon as they left the Gathering Justice Hall, Lu Feng immediately whispered to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong looked at Lu Feng, who had a face full of resentment and fear like a disgruntled wife, and said: "Your life is only a life to you; to others, it is worthless. Pull yourself together; fear will only make you die faster!"

Just as Duan Rong and Lu Feng left the Gathering Justice Hall, they saw Sun Huang leading men to escort Xu Shouxian toward the flower hall in the Back Courtyard. Xu Shouxian's face was cold and arrogant, looking just like an unyielding scholar about to head to the execution ground.

Xiao Zongting followed behind. He saw Duan Rong, his eyes flickered, and he said: "Duan Rong, wait for me in my courtyard; I have something to tell you in a moment."

Duan Rong cupped his hands and said: "Yes, Xiao Lao!"

After Xiao Zongting and the others walked past, Duan Rong glanced at Lu Feng, who still had a look of fear in his eyes, and then lifted his feet to leave.

"Duan Rong!" Lu Feng shouted, then chased after Duan Rong.

Duan Rong turned his head, glared at him, and said: "Don't follow me! Find a way to survive on your own!"

After Duan Rong finished speaking, he turned and strode away, thinking to himself: I am a mud bodhisattva crossing the river myself, how could I possibly carry you, this dead weight?

Watching Duan Rong's back, Lu Feng glared at him with venomous resentment and cursed: "Go to hell! Everyone is cannon fodder; you don't know how to work together, yet you still put on such airs!"

Even while cursing, Lu Feng's heart was even more afraid. Duan Rong was at least at the Inner Breath Realm Second Layer, so his chances of survival were far greater than his own. He was only at the Entry Realm; how could he handle this?

When Duan Rong walked into Xiao Zongting's courtyard, Zhu Xiaoqi was hanging up a freshly washed blanket on the clothesline by the wall.

As soon as Zhu Xiaoqi saw Duan Rong enter, her eyes curved into crescents, and she said: "Simpleton, when did you get back? Where is my young lady? Didn't she go on the escort mission with you?"

As soon as Zhu Xiaoqi saw Duan Rong, she fired off a string of questions like a machine gun.

But Duan Rong's mood was heavy at this moment. He only answered that he had just returned, then looked at Zhu Xiaoqi and asked: "Xiao Qi, is there anything to eat? I'm a bit hungry."

Zhu Xiaoqi also saw that Duan Rong seemed to have something on his mind, as he had been solemn since he entered. She wiped her wet hands on the corner of her clothes and said: "There are still some pancakes heated from noon; I'll get them for you."

Duan Rong gave a hum and nodded.

Zhu Xiaoqi put the pancakes that had been heated at noon onto a plate, brought them to the Stone Table, and also took some pickled radishes and fermented bean curd.

Duan Rong spread some fermented bean curd on a pancake, rolled up some pickled radishes, and ate with great relish.

"Slow down, be careful not to choke..." Zhu Xiaoqi poured a cup of tea for Duan Rong and handed it to him.

Duan Rong ate the whole plate of pancakes and drank a cup of hot tea, feeling a warm sensation in his stomach. Zhu Xiaoqi looked at Duan Rong's face and asked: "What is it? Did the escort mission not go smoothly?"

Duan Rong sighed and did not answer. Zhu Xiaoqi couldn't help anyway, and speaking of it would only be in vain and make her worry.

Seeing that Duan Rong clearly had something on his mind but was unwilling to tell her, obviously distancing himself from her, Zhu Xiaoqi felt a bit hurt. She hugged the ceramic jars containing the pickled radishes and fermented bean curd, picked up the empty plate, and turned toward the kitchen. "Forget it if you won't say!"

Just as Zhu Xiaoqi reached the kitchen door, Xiao Zongting walked in limping. Seeing Zhu Xiaoqi, he asked: "Where is Duan Rong?"

"He's sitting at the Stone Table in the Inner Courtyard." Zhu Xiaoqi answered, then slipped into the kitchen.

Xiao Zongting walked to the Inner Courtyard and sure enough saw Duan Rong. As soon as Duan Rong saw Xiao Zongting, he immediately stood up.

"Wait for me here." Xiao Zongting said, then limped into the room, walked straight to Xiao Baijiao's boudoir, and grasped the Broken Blade Broadsword inside the room in his hand.

With the blade in hand, a familiar feeling suddenly surged through Xiao Zongting's entire body like an electric current!

Xiao Zongting had not expected that he would have such a feeling upon grasping this Broken Blade Broadsword again. It seemed like the illusion of a reunion with a loved one. Xiao Zongting looked at the blade in his hand, his eyes filled with yearning, and muttered: "Old friend, you've missed me, haven't you?"

Xiao Zongting took the Broken Blade Broadsword, walked into the courtyard, looked at Duan Rong, and said: "I will teach you three styles of the Nameless Blade Technique; how much you can comprehend depends on your own aptitude and fortune!"

Duan Rong's eyes brightened instantly; he knew that what Xiao Zongting was teaching him now was certainly no ordinary item!

Seeing Duan Rong's focused gaze, Xiao Zongting shouted: "Watch carefully! This is the first style!"

Although Xiao Zongting had a lame leg and his martial arts were already ruined, when he performed the routine, there was an inherent rhythm to it.

It was just like Beethoven, who, despite being deaf, could still write the Ninth Symphony; Xiao Zongting had been obsessed with martial arts his whole life, and he was too familiar with the way martial arts operated.

These Unnamed Three Styles were created by Xiao Zongting himself. He had never shown them to anyone, not even Xiao Yu, because these three styles were incomplete; he had not yet finished them completely.

The first style was very short, even just a few simple movements, and at first glance, it seemed a bit disjointed.

But Duan Rong already had a preliminary understanding of martial arts by this time, especially after devouring many blade techniques, and gradually, he had some of his own thoughts.

These few simple movements of the first style were more like the most essential Origin Style after the blade technique had been stripped away layer by layer.

Just as basic particles constitute the complex world, different Origin Styles, intertwined and fused, constitute blade techniques.

"The second style!"

Duan Rong had not yet finished digesting the first style, and Xiao Zongting had already begun to perform the second style.

Duan Rong gradually saw the knack of it; although the second style was on the same level as the first, both being Origin Styles.

But the first style was offense, while the second style was defense.

Just like basic particles, there are protons, neutrons, and electrons. Origin Styles also have different categories.

"This is the third style!"

Duan Rong's eyes brightened; the third style was a combination of offense and defense.

(End of chapter)