Chapter 141: Shangguan Jinhong, Jing Wuming (Two-in-one, bonus chapter for Helmsman Mao Xiaoxia)

The sky was dim, and there was a long pavilion outside Baoding City.

A dim yellow lantern hung in the long pavilion, and two people were inside, both dressed in black.

The younger one was sitting on a stone stool, with a pot of wine and two wine cups set before him. The other, an older middle-aged man, stood behind him with a long sword on his back, his expression solemn.

These two were naturally Yu Liancheng and Guo Songyang.

There were not many people who could make the "Six Absolute Mad Guest" and the "Songyang Iron Sword" wait.

Even Guo Songyang himself felt quite curious.

Who exactly were they waiting for?

Very soon, two points of light appeared on the road in the distance.

Those were two lanterns.

The lanterns were golden yellow, held high on thin bamboo poles.

Not only were there two lanterns in front, but there were also two lanterns behind, separated by about three zhang.

And between the front lanterns and the back lanterns, there were two more people.

Both men were very tall and wore golden yellow robes. The man in front had a very long robe that almost covered his feet, yet it did not flutter at all as he walked. He was empty-handed and carried no weapons.

The man behind had a very short robe that only reached his knees, but a sword was tucked into his belt.

When Guo Songyang saw the man behind, his brows furrowed slightly.

Because this man had his sword tucked on the right side, with the hilt facing left.

This man used a Left-handed Sword.

Guo Songyang naturally knew that the sword technique of a Left-handed Sword user must be the opposite of others, and the moves must be more vicious and treacherous, making them harder to deal with.

Moreover, once the sword was unsheathed, the strike would be fast.

This was the experience of someone who had roamed the Edo for many years; he could tell at a glance.

At the same time, Guo Songyang discovered another thing.

Although these two walked slowly, their strides were long, and they looked no different from ordinary people walking, but in reality, their paces were identical.

Every step the man behind took landed exactly in the footprint the man in front had just left, as if he were that man's shadow, never making a mistake.

Guo Songyang's expression became even more solemn.

He had already recognized that these two were the legendary Shangguan Jinhong and Jing Wuming.

Shangguan Jinhong was ranked second in the Weapon Manual, so his martial arts cultivation went without saying.

And the name Jing Wuming had spread rapidly across the world with the rise of the "Money Gang"; he was a swordsman with extremely brilliant sword techniques, using a Left-handed Sword!

Shangguan Jinhong alone was already one of the top experts in the martial arts world; with the addition of Jing Wuming, who in the world could be their match?

What's more, the way these two walked was already coordinated so wonderfully that there was clearly an inexplicable, strange tacit understanding between their minds. If the two joined forces to fight an enemy, the coordination between their moves would surely be even more miraculous.

Shangguan Jinhong had already noticed the long pavilion, noticed Yu Liancheng, and noticed Guo Songyang.

He stood by the side of the road, and after a moment, he slowly turned, slowly walked onto the long pavilion, and stood quietly before Yu Liancheng.

And no matter where Shangguan Jinhong went, Jing Wuming would follow by his side, never leaving an inch.

The four high-held lanterns also moved over, surrounding the four sides of the long pavilion.

Shangguan Jinhong looked up, and his gaze finally met Yu Liancheng's gaze.

Sparks!

As their gazes clashed, it was as if a string of sparks had been ignited.

A string of silent, invisible sparks.

Although they could not be seen, Jing Wuming, Guo Songyang, and the four Money Gang members holding the lanterns could clearly feel them.

At this moment, the Qi of both men changed.

Shangguan Jinhong's entire being seemed to transform into countless demonic hands reaching out from hell, capable of seizing anyone's soul.

Yet Yu Liancheng was like a high mountain and dangerous peak spanning the horizon, sufficient to completely suppress and subdue all demons and ghosts.

Guo Songyang also looked at Jing Wuming.

If Jing Wuming was Shangguan Jinhong's shadow, did that make him, Guo Songyang, Yu Liancheng's shadow?

Before Guo Songyang could think further, he had already seen Jing Wuming's eyes.

Shangguan Jinhong's eyes were already terrifying enough, but the most terrifying thing was Jing Wuming's eyes.

No matter who was looked at by these eyes, they would feel very uncomfortable inside, very stifled—stifled to the point of suffocation, even wanting to vomit.

Because these were not human eyes at all, nor were they the eyes of a wild beast.

These were the eyes of a dead man.

He ignored all emotions, all life—even his own life.

When fighting such a person, he would definitely not care about his own life.

Once there was an opportunity, he would not hesitate to use a move that would lead to mutual destruction.

But the fighting spirit on Guo Songyang's face burned even brighter; being able to fight such a person was not necessarily an uninteresting thing.

Yu Liancheng poured himself a cup of wine and drank it before smiling slightly: "You have come."

Shangguan Jinhong said: "Yes."

Yu Liancheng said: "I only hoped you would not come."

Shangguan Jinhong said: "Why?"

Yu Liancheng said: "Because even if you have come, you must leave immediately."

Shangguan Jinhong took a breath and said word by word: "What if I do not leave?"

Yu Liancheng looked at him indifferently and said: "You will definitely leave, because you are Shangguan Jinhong."

Shangguan Jinhong's hand suddenly clenched tightly: "What if I do not leave?"

It was the same words, but once spoken, the earth and the firmament seemed to become filled with murderous intent and chill. The dim lanterns also seemed to lose their color because of this sentence.

Yu Liancheng said indifferently, "You will certainly leave, because you are Shangguan Jinhong."

His words were the same as before, but as soon as they were spoken, it was as if an invisible giant hand had brushed away all the chill and murderous intent, and everything between heaven and earth seemed to regain its color and light.

"However, since you have come, I still have wine here, so I would like to invite you to have a drink." Yu Liancheng slapped the table, and an empty wine cup on the table suddenly flew spinning toward Shangguan Jinhong.

Shangguan Jinhong reached out and grabbed it, catching the wine cup; his hand was very steady, as steady as Mount Tai, just like the man himself—he must be absolutely certain of success in everything he does.

No wine splashed out of the cup.

Because there was no wine at all.

Yu Liancheng took the wine pot, tilted its body, and the wine poured down toward the cup placed on the table.

The wine turned into a silver thread, pouring into the wine cup with a splashing sound.

Soon, the wine cup was full.

But Yu Liancheng did not stop, continuing to pour the wine.

Yet the overflowing wine did not spill outward; the excess wine seemed to be bound by a force, turning into a stream of wine that shot toward the cup in Shangguan Jinhong's hand.

"Those who accomplish great things had best drink less wine," Shangguan Jinhong said coldly.

And the wine in his cup suddenly swirled, also turning into a stream of wine that knocked open the lid of the wine pot in Yu Liancheng's hand, and the wine flew into it.

The sky was dim, and the lamplight was murky.

And a marvelous scene appeared within the long pavilion.

Yu Liancheng tilted the wine pot, pouring wine toward the cup on the table.

The wine in the cup on the table turned into a stream of wine and shot toward the cup in Shangguan Jinhong's hand.

The wine in Shangguan Jinhong's cup swirled and shot back toward the wine pot.

One wine pot, two wine cups, and three streams of wine thus formed a cycle, an Endless Life, as if it would last forever.

Guo Songyang's palms were already slick with sweat.

He could naturally see that both men, whether in the depth of their True Qi or their control over it, had reached a realm unimaginable to ordinary people.

He could also see that these two were engaged in a heart-stopping duel.

Now, both Yu Liancheng and Shangguan Jinhong looked as if they had been struck by an acupuncture point, motionless.

But in reality, it was more perilous than fighting with the sharpest blades.

This duel was not only related to True Qi, but also involved a contest of concentration, endurance, and physical strength.

This was a long-drawn-out duel.

Time passed bit by bit.

The sky grew darker and darker.

But the marvelous cycle between the wine cups, the wine pot, and the wine streams did not stop for a moment, nor did a single drop of wine spill to the ground.

The two of them remained, one standing and one sitting, as if they could continue like this until the end of the world.

As time passed, the muscles on Shangguan Jinhong's forehead twitched, and Yu Liancheng's expression grew increasingly solemn; the wine streams controlled by their True Qi seemed to waver and become unstable.

A quarter of an hour passed, and there was already cold sweat on Shangguan Jinhong's forehead.

Although Yu Liancheng's expression was solemn, he himself remained as steady as Mount Tai.

Another quarter of an hour passed, and Shangguan Jinhong felt the wine cup in his hand becoming heavy, his arm growing sore.

But Yu Liancheng, holding the wine pot, was still able to remain steady and motionless.

A wine pot is much heavier than a wine cup; although holding it for a moment is nothing, as True Qi and physical strength are consumed and time passes, the object in one's hand becomes heavier and heavier.

"It seems this fellow's hard-body cultivation has indeed reached a very profound level."

Shangguan Jinhong had already made his calculations, and the hand holding the wine cup suddenly pulled back.

With this withdrawal, the previously Endless Life cycle of wine should have been broken.

Yet the wine stream that had been shooting toward his cup bent in mid-air, following the previous route to pour back into the wine pot, as if there were still an invisible cup in mid-air.

"Good, good, good, a fine method." Shangguan Jinhong's eyes narrowed; Yu Liancheng clearly still had strength in reserve, and his reactions were fast. This was indeed an opponent worth dealing with at full strength.

He suddenly drank the full cup of wine in one gulp and stared at the empty cup: "In twenty years, this is the first time I have drunk wine."

Those who accomplish great things must never be the least bit careless.

Everything must be "steady."

This was his style of doing things, and also the reason why the twin rings in his hands could be nearly invincible under heaven.

Wine can disturb the heart and the nature, so he almost never drank.

"Perhaps it will also be the last time you drink wine." Yu Liancheng had already poured the wine stream into the pot; his tone was flat, yet filled with a faint murderous intent.

Shangguan Jinhong sneered: "Perhaps it will also be the last time you drink wine."

The wine cup had been crushed into porcelain powder by him, drifting away in the wind.

After saying this, he turned to leave.

His whole life he had valued the word "steady," and he would never do anything unless he was absolutely certain of success.

Moreover, Guo Songyang and Yu Liancheng were both top-tier experts under heaven; even if he and Jing Wuming joined forces, they would have at most a sixty percent chance of winning.

This certainty was not enough to make him strike.

"Wait." Yu Liancheng suddenly spoke.

Shangguan Jinhong turned his head back; his gaze was as gloomy and terrifying as ever, as sharp and steady as ever.

Yu Liancheng glanced at him indifferently: "I invited you to drink the wine, but I did not invite you to crush my cup into powder?"

"And so?"

"So you must pay for it."

"How much compensation?"

"Thirty thousand taels of silver, not a penny more, and not a penny less," Yu Liancheng said.

"Thirty thousand taels of silver?" Shangguan Jinhong sneered. "You are quite the expert at making money. Thirty thousand taels for a single cup; even my Money Gang must bow down in defeat."

Yu Liancheng drank his wine and said leisurely, "A porcelain cup is indeed not worth much, but that cup is the only wine cup that Gang Leader Shangguan has used in twenty years. For a cup like this, selling it to a bootlicker who wants to curry favor with the Money Gang, thirty thousand taels is not too much."

Shangguan Jinhong's gaze sharpened, and he suddenly laughed out loud: "Good, good, good. Put that way, thirty thousand taels is indeed not much. But if I refuse to pay, what will you do?"

"Regarding my own property, I will naturally defend it with my life," Yu Liancheng said. "But I know you will definitely pay."

"Oh?"

Yu Liancheng said, "Because there are two experts in Baoding City: Heavenly Secret Rod and Little Li Flying Dagger. Even if you and Jing Wuming could defeat me and Guo Songyang, how much True Qi and stamina would you have left? Are you certain you wouldn't run into them? Are you certain you wouldn't die at their hands?"

Shangguan Jinhong was indeed silenced.

After a long while, he waved his hand.

Immediately, a man in yellow robes carrying a lantern presented Yu Liancheng with silver notes worth thirty thousand taels.

Shangguan Jinhong took one more deep look at Yu Liancheng.

He turned and left.

Jing Wuming followed closely behind him.

"Walk slowly, I won't see you out," Yu Liancheng chuckled.

Shangguan Jinhong seemed to pause for a moment, but soon the group disappeared into the vast darkness.

"There is a share for you in these thirty thousand taels; you can take ten thousand," Yu Liancheng glanced at Guo Songyang.

"No need," Guo Songyang said. "You knew Shangguan Jinhong and the others would pass through this place?"

"An old man told me," Yu Liancheng said.

"Tianji Laoren?" Guo Songyang's eyes began to flicker with cold light again.

Yu Liancheng nodded.

Guo Songyang said, "Where is he?"

Yu Liancheng said, "He is just an old man now."

"As long as he is still in the Edo for one day, he is the number one on the Weapon Manual, Tianji Laoren," Guo Songyang said coldly.

"True," Yu Liancheng shrugged and said, "But without his personal consent, I naturally cannot reveal his whereabouts at will."

Guo Songyang was silent for a long time: "If the two of us had attacked together just now, perhaps we could have kept Shangguan Jinhong and Jing Wuming here."

Yu Liancheng nodded: "True."

Guo Songyang said, "But you didn't make a move."

"Because the real main course is always saved for last, to be savored slowly," Yu Liancheng laughed. "Besides, you are not a qualified shadow or sidekick; I cannot fully trust you."

Guo Songyang snorted coldly: "I will never be anyone's shadow or sidekick."

"So, you are definitely not the one to enjoy the glory of victory with me."

Guo Songyang said, "What about our duel?"

Yu Liancheng had already risen to his feet, hands behind his back, and strode away into the dark night.

"Tomorrow morning, right here, I will gift you a crushing defeat."

Once the words were spoken, his entire person had completely merged with the darkness, and he was nowhere to be seen.

……

PS: I have placed two different endings for the fight with Li Xunhuan in the work-related section; consider them parallel side stories.

-------------------- Side Note --------------------

Recommending a work by a group friend; if you are interested in this type, you can take a look.

Work Title: Huanyingxuliyingxionglianmeng

Chen Chu gained the ability to send videos to the League of Legends Metaverse.

The Metaverse culture is brilliant, with countless kingdoms, nurturing many powerful heroes.

The videos he pushed caused a huge stir in the Metaverse.

Popularity rankings for top-lane heroes, the most beautiful female heroes in the entire league, power rankings for the twin cities before the conflict arrived...

After posting videos multiple times, he received a reward to travel to the League universe,

Let's see how he uses the video editing system to find his final destination in this magnificent world...