Chapter 39: Pen and Ink

Seeing the eager looks in the three men's eyes, Xiang Wentian reached directly into his bosom and pulled out a scroll, which revealed a piece of wild cursive calligraphy with strokes like dragons and snakes.

Danqingsheng asked in surprise, "Eh, eh, eh."

He said "eh" three times in a row.

The words, and at this moment, Tubi Weng had already rushed over.

He walked closer to look, his eyes staring wide in excitement, and said with a trembling voice, "This... this is an authentic work!

It really is... really is the Tang Dynasty... Tang Dynasty Zhang Xu's 'Shuaiyi Tie', fake, it cannot be fake."

One could see the cursive script on the scroll was bold and unrestrained, just like a martial arts master unfolding their light-body technique, leaping high and crouching low; although the movements were swift, they did not lose their elegant style.

Xiang Wentian did not wait for Tubi Weng to finish looking before he rolled up the scroll and put it back into his bundle.

Tubi Weng was stunned, and only after a long while did he say, "I have the twenty-eight moves of the Stone Drum Acupoint-Striking Brush Technique!

Shall we trade?"

This person was obsessed with calligraphy and actually wanted to use his own prized martial art as an exchange.

Who would have known that Xiang Wentian shook his head and said, "No."

He pointed at Lu Li and said, "This brother of mine has come to pay respects to the sword; he does not seek fame, nor does he seek wealth, he only seeks to verify the martial arts of the world.

As long as anyone in Meizhuang can surpass his sword technique, we will hand over these zithers, chess sets, calligraphy, and paintings.

And regardless of victory or defeat in today's sword duel, if a single word of this leaks out, my brother and I shall be destroyed by heaven and earth."

Upon hearing this, the three men's eyes immediately lit up.

These three, including the Huangzhonggong who had not yet appeared, were all obsessed people.

And Xiang Wentian and Ren Yingying had grasped this characteristic, using the things they liked most to lure them, and then using the method of a sword duel to rescue Ren Woxing.

And in Lu Li's heart, the landscapes of the Four Mountains were swords, but zithers, chess, calligraphy, painting, wind, flowers, snow, and moon were also swords!

As for rescuing Ren Woxing, that was just an interlude.

Besides, who said that after saving him, one could not kill him? Since he wanted to test the world with his sword, how could he let go of a great demon like Ren Woxing? What Ren Yingying, Xiang Wentian, and the others did not know was that the reason Lu Li helped rescue Ren Woxing was because he intended to kill Ren Woxing with his own hands!

Danqingsheng roared, "Good!

Come with me to the courtyard."

Having said that, he turned and walked into the manor.

One could see that Meizhuang was elegant and secluded, with courtyards that were spacious yet did not lose their refinement.

Danqingsheng took a sword and was about to be the first to strike, but was stopped by Heibaizi.

"Fourth Brother, wait.

Today's wager is for us in Meizhuang to surpass Brother Lu.

Ding Jian also knows how to use a sword, so it is not necessary for you to strike personally."

It turned out that Heibaizi was skilled at chess and was also meticulous in his thinking.

He wanted his servant Ding Jian to strike first to test him; even if he lost, it would not damage the reputation of Meizhuang.

Lu Li smiled and said, "Senior's title is One Word Electric Sword, and it reminds me of a person who uses a sword.

His philosophy is to concentrate on one point and reach the pinnacle; I wonder what Senior's sword technique is like."

Ding Jian had originally seen that Lu Li was very young and had intended to look down on him.

But upon hearing Lu Li's casual remark of 'concentrate on one point and reach the pinnacle', he found that these eight characters actually contained the true meaning of Sword Dao, and it fit his own Sword Dao quite well, so he immediately became respectful.

It was even possible that his future Sword Dao could advance a step further.

This could be called a teacher of one word.

Ding Jian held his long sword horizontally and said in a deep voice, "Please."

As the long sword swung horizontally, with a soft 'chi' sound, a long flash of electric light streaked across everyone's eyes.

The One Word Electric Sword, every time the sword was drawn, it was like lightning across the sky, making people feel heart-pounding and soul-stirring at the sight, swift and peerless.

At this moment, as he displayed his sword technique, in an instant, the whole room was filled with electric light, dazzling to the eyes.

A flash of joy crossed Lu Li's eyes; he had not expected that a servant of Meizhuang could have such attainments in swordsmanship!

In the blink of an eye, Ding Jian struck thirteen times, resulting in thirteen flashes of electric light.

But in truth, from the very first strike, Lu Li had seen the flaws in his sword technique; if he wanted to break it, he only needed one strike.

However, Lu Li had been observing; he was looking at more martial arts in the world,

to enrich himself.

Until after the thirteen strikes, Lu Li had already understood his sword technique and no longer needed to watch.

He struck out with his sword, and a plain, unremarkable sword light flashed by; the lightning stopped abruptly.

In the flash of a spark, the tip of Lu Li's sword tapped on Ding Jian's wrist, piercing a red dot.

Ding Jian was stunned, cold sweat pouring down; he knew that Lu Li had held back, otherwise he would have already lost his life.

"Many thanks to Young Hero Lu for showing mercy."

Lu Li cupped his hands and said, "You let me win."

Seeing that Lu Li had defeated Ding Jian with a single strike, everyone was immediately shocked.

One must know that although Ding Jian had retired from the jianghu for a long time, his practice of sword technique had not stopped.

If he were to return to the jianghu, he would certainly be a master who would shake the region!

Seeing that Lu Li's swordsmanship was exquisite and that he had spared Ding Jian's life, Danqingsheng and the others developed a good impression of him.

"Good brother!

Let me come and test your sword technique."

Danqingsheng was the first to take a step forward.

Danqingsheng stepped forward, and one could see that his sword was as black as ink, but the tip of the sword was blunt.

"Brother, be careful. This sword technique of mine is called the Splashing Ink and Draping Hemp Sword."

Danqingsheng let out a loud shout and brandished his long sword.

He had a wild and uninhibited personality; as he brandished his ink-colored long sword, it was like splashed ink, transforming into a sky full of ink shadows, the long sword hacking and slashing with immense complexity, and he unleashed a move, "White Rainbow Pierces the Sun."

Following that, "Spring Breeze and Willow."

Then changing to "Soaring Dragon and Rising Phoenix."

The three sword moves were executed in one continuous breath.

His body moved with the ink, and the final sword move, "Jade Dragon Hangs Upside Down,"

came crashing down upon his opponent's head.

Facing this sword, Lu Li felt as if he were standing upon rice paper, surrounded by an ink painting.

"Interesting, interesting."

Joy grew on Lu Li's face; he felt that the martial arts here at Plum Manor took a unique path and possessed a charm of their own, making it the perfect place to enrich himself.

While he was amidst the ink, his long sword suddenly left its sheath.

Within the mass of ink, a mountain stance of Mount Tai suddenly emerged; that sky full of ink shadows actually transformed into an ink-wash landscape painting!

Suddenly, the ink-wash landscape crashed down, forcing Danqingsheng to retreat several steps, shake his head, and admit defeat.

Lu Li flicked his long sword, actually keeping the ink-wash mountain stance lingering upon the blade.

Although he had lost the bout, his eyes were bright as he looked at the ink on Lu Li's sword and laughed aloud: "Good!

Truly a fine work."

His open-mindedness was indeed admirable.

"Everyone, do not hold back; whatever other methods you have, use them all together."

Lu Li revealed a wild demeanor and said in a loud voice.

Those present were all shocked to see this scene.

Heibaizi and Tubi Weng had always known the level of their fourth brother's sword technique; seeing him push the Splashing Ink and Draping Hemp Sword to its limit and still be defeated by Lu Li's sword technique, their hearts were even more shaken.

And the fact that Lu Li could incorporate Danqingsheng's splashing ink style into his own after a single exchange made his level of sword mastery even more astonishing.

Tubi Weng could no longer restrain himself; he brandished his bald brush and attacked.

As soon as his bald brush touched Lu Li's ink-colored Sword Intent, it was as if it had dipped into ink, drinking its fill.

The next moment, Tubi Weng began to write as if possessed.

His brushwork was unrestrained and flowing, every stroke filled with extraordinary power; it was precisely the "Poem of General Pei."

However, Lu Li seemed to be indulging in the landscape, ignoring him completely.

No matter how many thousands of troops and horses Tubi Weng conjured, he could not gain the slightest advantage.

Tubi Weng finished half the calligraphy but made no progress, so he immediately let out a loud shout.

His brushwork changed abruptly, the power concentrated in the tip, the strokes heavy and dignified, yet the edges sharp and prominent, with a bold and rugged style; it was actually the "Inscription of Mount Bameng" written by the great general Zhang Fei of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period.

After one change came another, as he wrote the cursive script from the "Autobiography of Huaisu," crisscrossing and drifting, flowing without restriction.

But even after changing several styles of brushwork, he remained trapped within the landscape.

Suddenly, the ink-colored Sword Intent spread out like ink bleeding on rice paper, and Tubi Weng had already leaped off the paper.

Lu Li said loudly: "Many thanks to the senior for inscribing this sword."

Lu Li flicked his long sword, suddenly shattering several wine jars in the courtyard.

The splashing wine landed on the wall, forming a landscape painting and calligraphy.

Tubi Weng and Danqingsheng stared blankly at the wall, becoming more pleased the longer they looked.

They felt that although they had lost, they had contributed to this painting and calligraphy, which was no less impressive than those handed down through the ages.