Chapter 142: The Eve of Waiting and the Duel

Night.

The long, long night.

The west wind is bleak and killing, the earth is desolate.

Guo Songyang is not sleeping; he carries a lantern in his hand, pacing the forest floor around the long pavilion, his expression earnest and grave.

A duel between experts is closely related to the level of their martial arts, but it also has a close connection to the surrounding environment.

Heavenly timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony—not one can be missing.

For example, the geological soil; with different soil, the effect when executing light-body techniques is different.

Perhaps it is only a slight difference.

But in a duel between experts, many times it is just that slight difference.

Or take wind direction, for instance; if at a critical moment, a grain of sand is blown into the eyes, perhaps it is only a blink, but it can be fatal.

Guo Songyang paced this patch of forest several times before finally standing still in one position.

He looked at the waning moon on the horizon, nodded, and a trace of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

This place is sheltered from the wind, the soil quality is good, it faces away from the sun... it can almost be called the best position for a duel.

If he had stood here from the beginning, the winning percentage of this battle would undoubtedly have increased by a notch.

"Yu Liancheng."

Guo Songyang seems to be murmuring.

A bright light flashes in his eyes, and his face is filled with astonishing fighting spirit.

The Sword Dao is lonely; it is hard to find an opponent.

Since "Tianshan Xueyingzi" went into seclusion, he has been ranked fourth in the Weapon Manual with the "Songyang Iron Sword," and can be called the World's Number One Swordsman.

This ranking is very high.

Yet it is not considered too high.

He still has people he can challenge, so he is not too lonely.

But Tianji Laoren plays among the human world, like a divine dragon that shows its head but never its tail.

Shangguan Jinhong has also hidden his tracks to organize the Money Gang.

Li Xunhuan was wounded by love and went far beyond the pass ten years ago.

Opponents are hard to find.

What's more, none of them are swordsmen; none are the most satisfying, most ideal opponents in Guo Songyang's heart.

For these ten years, it has been cold at the heights; how lonely it is.

Fortunately, in these ten years, he still had a few moments of pleasure.

The pleasure of defeating an opponent.

There are not many people who can be his opponent.

Xie Tianling, the sect leader of Diancang, counts as one; this person is known as the "Number One Swordsman of the South," having roamed invincible his whole life without a single defeat, until he challenged Guo Songyang—three challenges.

Three challenges, and also three defeats; every time he was defeated, he was convinced and submissive.

Every time he defeated such an expert with great reputation, high martial arts, and great power, Guo Songyang would always feel a sense of satisfaction and pleasure.

But after the brief satisfaction and pleasure, there is an indescribable emptiness.

And this kind of emptiness has become increasingly difficult to satisfy.

After defeating Xie Tianling for the third time, the emptiness and loneliness were even greater than the satisfaction and pleasure.

Fortunately, Yu Liancheng appeared.

If his sword technique is truly as high as the legends say, then even if he dies at his hands, he should have no complaints or regrets.

Clang!

The sword leaves its sheath.

The sword dances wildly.

Sword light fills the sky; tree leaves are knocked down by the Sword Qi, and soon they are stirred into powder by the Sword Qi.

The next day.

Early morning.

The autumn wind is cold and crisp.

The dew on the grass looks far more crystalline and bright in the dawn light than pearls.

Guo Songyang, dressed in black, has been waiting for a long time.

He is like a stone statue in the morning mist, as if he could stand like this forever.

In reality, Guo Songyang did not stay in the forest the whole time.

He returned to Baoding City, found the best inn, rested well for the night, and ate a good breakfast before coming to the place of the duel.

Only after letting the spirit and body obtain complete relaxation and rest can one bring out the strongest power of the sword in one's hand; he understood this principle long ago.

Yet Guo Songyang's heart has not calmed down.

He is excited.

Incomparable excitement.

After defeating Xie Tianling three times in a row, he can finally be liberated from the endless emptiness.

Regardless of winning or losing, he can obtain unprecedented satisfaction and stimulation.

Of course, if he can win, that is naturally the best.

Every swordsman looks forward to the glory and splendor of the moment of victory.

Even if, after the victory, there is only endless emptiness and loneliness.

As the morning sun just began to rise, Yu Liancheng, also dressed in black, walked over from the distance.

He seemed forever so cynical, forever so leisurely and indifferent.

It was as if he were not a swordsman coming for a decisive battle, but a young nobleman out for a spring excursion.

Guo Songyang said expressionlessly, "You have come?"

Yu Liancheng nodded with a smile and said, "I have come."

"Is this your sword?"

Guo Songyang looked at the Duoqing Sword in Yu Liancheng's hand; it was unremarkable and ordinary, yet it was enough to make any expert in the world tremble with fear.

Yu Liancheng nodded again: "The sword is called 'Duoqing'; when the sword is drawn, life ends and feelings turn to void. No matter who faces this sword, they should always be a little careful."

Guo Songyang said slowly: "A sharp sword is inherently a weapon of death. I have practiced swordsmanship since I was a youth, for over thirty years now. The number of people I have killed is truly not small, and I myself could die under a sword at any time or place. If you can kill me with your sword, I will only feel honored."

"Very good. As a swordsman, if you can have such thoughts, you are already a qualified swordsman." Yu Liancheng nodded, his gaze turning to Guo Songyang's black sword: "I heard you use a heavy sword?"

Guo Songyang nodded and said: "That is correct. I heard that you also use a heavy sword."

Yu Liancheng nodded.

Guo Songyang's eyes brightened further, and he said: "Good."

Yu Liancheng said: "Indeed, very good."

After saying these words, both men closed their mouths; both had fixed their gazes on the other's hands, yet neither was the first to strike.

Time seemed to have frozen upon the two of them.

"Grandfather, who do you think will win?"

On a hillside not far away, a girl with a large braid and an old man smoking a pipe were watching this scene, the only two spectators to this duel that was supposed to shake the martial arts world.

These two were naturally Tianji Laoren Sun Baifa and his granddaughter Sun Xiaohong.

Sun Baifa puffed on his dry pipe and exhaled a smoke ring: "Although both of them are top-tier swordsmen with far-reaching reputations, if you ask this old man with dim eyes, Guo Songyang's chance of winning is truly very small."

Sun Xiaohong pouted: "Guo Songyang has long been the number one swordsman of the Central Plains and is ranked fourth in the Weapon Manual. Now that many years have passed, his swordsmanship has naturally reached a higher level; it is not certain that he cannot defeat Yu Liancheng."

Sun Baifa merely puffed on his pipe and did not answer further.

In reality, Sun Xiaohong also understood in her heart that Guo Songyang's chance of winning was very low.

After all, more than half a year ago, the number one in the Weapon Manual, Tianji Laoren, had been at a disadvantage in his exchange with Yu Liancheng, and the third-ranked Little Li Flying Dagger had also been wounded at Yu Liancheng's hands.

Not to mention the fourth-ranked "Songyang Iron Sword".

But precisely because of this, Sun Xiaohong could not stand Yu Liancheng's always indifferent demeanor and hoped someone would deflate his arrogance.

After a while, Sun Xiaohong asked again in confusion: "Grandfather, why are they not attacking?"

Sun Baifa said: "Guo Songyang is waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to draw his sword."

Sun Xiaohong said: "Does he not have an opportunity now?"

"Not even the slightest opportunity," Sun Baifa said. "Yu Liancheng is currently 'empty' in his entirety. If a person becomes 'empty,' and you thrust a sword at them, you will naturally also strike at emptiness. In these past six months, Yu Liancheng has not wasted his time at the Shaolin Temple."

Sun Xiaohong said: "But no matter what, he will still reveal a flaw."

"As long as one is human, one will reveal flaws," Sun Baifa said. "But this flaw is truly very hard to find."

Sun Xiaohong frowned and said: "Since Guo Songyang cannot attack, why can't Yu Liancheng attack? Could it be that Guo Songyang is also without flaws and is also ethereal?"

"No," Sun Baifa shook his head. "Yu Liancheng also uses a heavy sword; he wants to see Guo Songyang's swordsmanship. If he were to strike first, I fear Guo Songyang would be defeated very quickly, and naturally, he would not be able to witness the brilliance of the 'Songyang Iron Sword'."

Sun Xiaohong pouted and said: "Grandfather, what you say is becoming more and more mysterious. I don't believe Yu Liancheng is that powerful."

Sun Baifa sighed: "But he is indeed very powerful, very extraordinary."

Yu Liancheng looked at the tense Guo Songyang and smiled slightly: "The weather is fine and the scenery is nice; why must we stand here like pillars? Even if we are to duel, we should properly enjoy life."

Guo Songyang was silent for a moment and said: "Good."

And so they began to walk.

Once Yu Liancheng began to walk, that state of etherealness became very difficult to maintain.

He was as if an immortal from the heavens, slowly descending to the human world.

And with every step Guo Songyang took, he left a shallow footprint; the depth and distance of each footprint were different.

But he was adjusting.

The depth of the footprints and the distance between them were gradually becoming uniform.

Seemingly careless in his steps, he was actually adjusting in secret. When his Internal Force was driven to the extreme and the coordination of his body and limbs reached its peak, he would certainly strike.

By that time, his spirit, True Qi, and physical body would all be fused into one with his sword.

When he thrusts his sword, it will surely be indestructible and unstoppable.