Chapter 80

Miyamoto Musashi's corpse swayed all night on the city gate tower.

As dawn just broke, the county city gate was packed with onlookers. Everyone craned their necks, pointing and whispering at the slowly turning corpse in the cold wind.

"Have you heard? That's a grandmaster of the Japanese!" "Serves them right! Let them be arrogant! Now they've hit a tough spot, huh?" "Keep it down, don't let the little devils hear..."

Several puppet troops stood far away, faces as white as paper, wanting to step forward but daring not to; they could only stare helplessly at their once-revered grandmaster hanging there like a torn sack.

On the city gate, the six large characters "Japanese Grandmaster's End" were written crookedly yet strikingly conspicuous.

This news spread like it had grown legs, reaching all of Kwantung within half a day.

In the Kwantung Army Command Headquarters, Shanben the Commander smashed his teacup to pieces.

"Bah! Utter disgrace! This is a humiliation the Imperial Army has never known!"

The staff officers all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe. Everyone understood that Miyamoto Musashi was not only a military man but also the face of Japanese martial arts in Manchuria; his death was not just a military loss but also threw away the face of Japanese martial arts.

"Have you found out who did it?" Shanben suppressed his anger, his voice cold enough to freeze a person.

"It, it's a Chinese called 'Evil Ghost,' reportedly a Transformation Realm master..." a staff officer reported tremblingly.

"Transformation Realm?" Shanben snapped his head up, face full of disbelief, "A Transformation Realm Chinese killing a Grandmaster Miyamoto? Miyamoto claimed to be Japan's strongest karate practitioner—this is simply a huge joke!"

The meeting room fell silent. These Japanese officers mostly came from samurai families and understood martial arts well; Transformation Realm and Grandmaster differ by a major realm, so logically they could not fight.

"Immediately notify the domestic martial world," Shanben mused for a moment, "say that Grandmaster Miyamoto Musashi of the Perfect Style died loyal to the Emperor. Send the news back, especially to let those old-timers know."

The staff officer hesitated: "Commander (Honorable), will this..."

"Bah, do as I say!" Shanben cut him off, "Let those old-timers who boast of being invincible under heaven see what kind of tough spot they've encountered in China. I want to see who still dares to look down on this land thereafter."

Sure enough, when the news reached Japan, the entire martial world exploded.

Tokyo, in an old-style dojo, several white-haired elders sat in a circle. These few are titans of the Japanese martial world, rarely gathering so completely.

"Miyamoto actually..." an elder in a karate uniform sighed, "I recall he said before leaving that he would let the Chinese see true Japanese martial arts."

"Transformation Realm master?" another kendo master frowned tightly, "Miyamoto is a Grandmaster; how could he fall to a Transformation Realm? This makes no sense."

"We must send someone!" an irritable aikido grandmaster slammed the table, "This grudge cannot go unanswered! Otherwise, where will the face of Japanese martial arts go?"

"Don't act rashly." the eldest seated at the head spoke slowly, "To kill Miyamoto is no ordinary person; rashly going would be like using a meat bun to beat a dog."

The dojo fell silent. These grandmasters, though arrogant, are not stupid; they know Miyamoto's level, and whoever could kill him is certainly not someone any of them could defeat in a duel.

"What then? Can we just let it go?" the aikido grandmaster was unwilling.

The eldest pondered long: "First send a few to scout. Remember, absolutely no rash action. What we face may not be ordinary people."

While the Japanese martial world was in turmoil, Chongqing also received the news.

In the Military Statistics Bureau office, Dai Li held the telegram, his brows knotted.

"Evil Ghost? The one who killed many Japanese masters in Beiping?" he asked his adjutant.

"Yes, Bureau Chief, I hear he has already joined the Communists and is now with the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army."

Dai Li snorted coldly: "What a waste of talent. If only he could serve the Party and the state..."

"Bureau Chief, should we send someone to contact him? After all, such a master..."

"No need." Dai Li waved his hand, "Since he has turned red, he is an enemy. Order: monitor his movements closely; if necessary... we can directly eliminate him."

The adjutant nodded understandingly: "And what about the movements on the Japanese martial side?"

"Let them fight like dogs." Dai Li showed a faint cold smile, "Best they both lose. Remember, our enemies are not just the Japanese but also the Communists."

At the same time, in a cave dwelling in Yan'an, Chairman Mao held the just-received telegram, a rare smile on his face.

"Good! Well done! This Evil Ghost comrade truly brings glory to us!"

Zhou Zong also nodded with a smile: "Chairman, this is indeed great news. It not only struck a blow to Japanese morale but also boosted the nation's anti-Japanese confidence."

"Yes, especially for those martial artists still watching." Mao lit a cigarette, "What does this show? It shows the Chinese people cannot be insulted! Chinese kung fu cannot be bullied!"

"The Northeast Bureau requests instruction: may this comrade be assigned to organize a special martial arts team to specially train rear-area work team members?" Zhou Zong asked.

"This idea is good!" Mao slapped his thigh, "Let the Japanese devils know we Chinese are not easy to bully! Notify the Northeast Bureau, fully support this comrade's work—personnel and material, you handle it yourself!"

When the news reached the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army camp, Li Ping'an was teaching soldiers boxing.

Zhou Zhengwei came running excitedly: "Comrade Li, good news! Yan'an has praised us! Chairman Mao specially instructed us to organize a special martial arts team!"

The soldiers all gathered around, faces breaking into smiles.

Li Ping'an, however, remained calm: "Thanks for the organization's trust. But the most urgent now is to guard against Japanese retaliation."

He spoke rightly. Miyamoto Musashi's death was like a huge stone thrown into water, the waves it stirred growing larger and larger.

Not long after, a special Japanese squad quietly sneaked into Northeast. They wore no uniforms, all in black tight clothing, moving soundlessly, each with sharp eyes—clearly martial artists.

The squad leader was Nakamura, a kendo master known domestically as "Demon Sword."

"Miyamoto was too careless." Nakamura looked at the intelligence, coldly saying, "He actually fell to a Transformation Realm."

The deputy whispered: "Nakamura (Honorable), the domestic order is to scout first, act rashly not..."

Nakamura snorted coldly: "Scout? I want to avenge Miyamoto and regain face for Japanese martial arts!"

That night, this special squad attacked an Anti-Japanese United Army contact point. Unlike regular Japanese troops, they struck lethally, every move deadly—obviously all martial artists.

Fortunately, the contact point's comrades had received advance warning and withdrawn, but the traps they left were easily solved by the attackers.

"It seems the Japanese have sent real masters." Li Ping'an heard the report, his face solemn.

Yang Squad Leader spat: "Afraid of a ball! Come one, kill one; come two, kill a pair!"

Li Ping'an shook his head: "These are different. From how they broke the traps, they're all old hands, not ordinary soldiers."

Zhou Zhengwei frowned: "What then? Should we just avoid the spotlight?"

"No." Li Ping'an's eyes flashed with a sharp light, "They're coming for me; I cannot implicate my comrades. It's time to take the initiative and meet them."

The next day, Li Ping'an left the camp alone. No one knew where he went, only leaving a line: return within three days.

Meanwhile, Nakamura's squad was scouting the mountains for Anti-Japanese United Army traces. They moved swiftly and soundlessly, weaving through the forests like ghosts.

"Nakamura (Honorable), a mountain cave ahead shows signs of habitation." a teammate came to report.

Nakamura's eyes narrowed: "Search!"

The squad immediately surrounded the cave. But just as they were about to go in, a voice drifted from behind them:

"Are you looking for me?"

Nakamura whipped his head around, only to see a young man who had appeared behind them at some point, leisurely leaning against a tree.

"Evil Ghost?" Nakamura's pupils constricted.

Li Ping'an smiled faintly: "I heard you came all the way from Japan just to find me? That's a long trip, you've worked hard."

Nakamura gripped his knife tightly: "Was it you who killed Miyamoto?"

"Aggressors deserve to die." Li Ping'an shrugged: "You came all this way; you're not just here to spar, are you?"

"Damn it!" Nakamura shouted angrily, drew his sword, "I will avenge Miyamoto!"

The squad members behind him also drew their weapons, surrounding Li Ping'an in the middle.

Li Ping'an, however, wasn't panicked at all; instead he smiled: "You Japanese just like to bully the few with many, huh? Well, this saves me the trouble of hunting you down one by one."

Nakamura snorted coldly: "Just trying to sound tough! Today is your death day!"

Before his words even fell, he lunged at Li Ping'an like lightning, his blade flashing like a silk ribbon!

This strike was both fast and fierce, revealing extraordinary swordsmanship. An ordinary expert wouldn't even have time to react.

But Li Ping'an merely shifted his body slightly, letting that fierce strike miss. At the same time, his right hand shot out like a spirit snake, tapping Nakamura's wrist.

With a "clang," Nakamura's sword almost flew from his hand.

"How is that possible?" Nakamura paled, stumbling back several steps.

Li Ping'an still stood where he was, as if he hadn't moved at all: "Is that all you've got? It seems the Japanese martial world is nothing special."

Nakamura's face turned deathly pale as he roared: "Form up!"

The surrounding Japanese warriors immediately shifted their feet, forming a strange formation that encircled Li Ping'an. Killing intent instantly spread, even startling the birds in the forest to flee.

Li Ping'an finally wiped the smile from his face, his eyes turning sharp: "Now this is getting interesting."

The battle was on the verge of erupting.