Chapter 97: Yu Luosha

The fog grew thicker, and colder.

The three people were still standing just like that.

Yu Liancheng stood in the middle, while Gusong and Kuzhu remained like a pair of pincers, clamping Yu Liancheng between them.

Only, this pair of pincers was dripping blood.

Dripping Gusong's blood, dripping Kuzhu's blood.

Gusong's and Kuzhu's swords were no longer in their own hands.

Gusong's sword was thrust into Kuzhu's chest.

Kuzhu's sword was thrust into Cold Plum's chest.

The swords had entered through their chests and emerged from their backs.

Their eyes still held expressions of astonishment, as if they still could not believe all of this was real.

Yu Liancheng said indifferently, "Although I have no sword in my palm, fortunately you have them; it just so happens there are two, and it just so happens there is one for each of you."

"You..." Before the words were finished, Gusong had already collapsed, collapsing heavily.

Kuzhu was slightly better off; he had not been struck in a vital spot, and he had managed to protect his heart meridian with True Qi in time, so he would not die immediately.

He wanted to speak, but could only cough.

Yu Liancheng glanced at him indifferently and said, "You wanted to study the flaws in my martial arts through Xue'er, yet you did not know that I have long known the flaws in your sword techniques clearly, even more clearly than you yourselves."

This sentence was not false at all.

He had seen the "Three Friends of Winter" strike when he was at the Rakshasa Cult, and not just a few times, so he had long since seen the flaws in their sword techniques.

Before entering the pass, although he knew the flaws in the three men's swords, he lacked experience in fighting them and did not have the certainty of victory.

As for now, as long as there was even the slightest flaw in their sword techniques.

He could win with a single strike, kill with a single strike.

What's more, their flaws were not limited to just one.

Kuzhu roared wildly and pulled out his sword.

As the sword tip was pulled from his chest, fresh blood also spurted out like an arrow.

Yu Liancheng did not move.

The fresh blood splashed before him and fell like raindrops; by the time the sword tip reached him, it had already drooped.

Kuzhu collapsed.

Yet he was like a ten-thousand-year-old withered bamboo on the peak of a cold mountain, possessing an extremely tenacious vitality; his chest was actually still breathing slightly, and he had not yet died.

Or perhaps, was this Yu Liancheng intentionally holding back?

Because he still had words to say.

Some words can be spoken to oneself, but some words require an audience.

Yu Liancheng glanced at him indifferently and said, "Have you noticed that the Flying Sky Jade Tiger is not actually formidable? Whether in schemes or martial arts, he is far inferior to my cheap father, yet he is able to stand on equal footing with the Rakshasa Gate."

Kuzhu of course could not answer; even breathing felt difficult.

So Yu Liancheng continued, "Because all of this was his intention from the start. When an organization becomes too vast, internal conflicts will arise. And the simplest way to reconcile these conflicts is undoubtedly to set up an external enemy."

He, naturally, is Yu Luosha.

The Black Tiger Hall is the external enemy that was set up.

"Let me tell you another secret. Do you know why Yu Luosha hasn't sent anyone to find me?" Yu Liancheng smiled slightly. "Because I am not his biological son; he does not care whether I live or die. Or rather, it is better if I am dead."

"He is already very old, so it is time to consider the matter of the next Sect Leader. But he cannot be certain whether you people will be loyal to his descendants after he dies. Even the purest gold will have impurities, let alone people."

"These impurities are hard to distinguish, unless you wait until you have no misgivings about him; otherwise, they will never reveal their true colors. It is just a pity that for a person like him, dying is truly not easy, but faking death is very simple."

Kuzhu's eyes suddenly widened, widened very wide.

Not only because of Yu Liancheng's words, but also because of a figure that had suddenly appeared in the thick fog.

A faint figure, seemingly even fainter than the fog, more illusory than the fog, and more elusive.

Even if one saw this person appear with one's own eyes, it would be hard to believe he truly emerged from the earth. Even knowing for certain he was not a Ghost or a spirit, it was hard to imagine he was truly a person.

Kuzhu's eyes were wide, twitching incessantly, not knowing if it was from fear or pain. Suddenly, he stopped twitching, he stopped moving, and his breath had completely dissipated.

In reality, if he had received proper help, he might not have necessarily died.

But because he saw this person—this person who was neither human nor ghost—he completely collapsed, entirely fell apart.

He was actually scared to death, alive.

"Faking death is a very ancient scheme; it has survived until now simply because it is always effective." This person's voice was also drifting and ethereal, as if it had merged into the fog, just like the person himself.

"You finally came." Seeing the newcomer, Yu Liancheng did not show a single expression of being moved, as if he had long expected the other party would appear.

Or perhaps, the reason Yu Liancheng took action against Gusong and Kuzhu was for this very person.

After all, when dueling with such an expert, one cannot afford a single mistake.

"Nine heavens and ten earths, all Gods and all Demons. The Jade of the West, eternal in heaven and earth." This person chanted long: "I did not expect that you, who in my eyes have always been like a wastrel, would actually have such ability."

The fog was grayish-white, and he was also grayish-white; with smoke and mist permeating, he looked hazy and indistinct, as if he could disappear at any moment.

Yu Liancheng said, "Isn't this because you have never truly paid attention to me? Otherwise, with your discernment, how could you not have discovered the clues?"

Yu Luosha's voice was cold as he said, "True, I was indeed negligent in this matter. But I still do not understand: although your martial arts could deceive me, why do you know so many secrets?"

He seemed to be looking at Yu Liancheng, and Yu Liancheng was also looking at him, seeing his eyes.

No one could describe what kind of eyes those were.

His eyes were of course on his face, but his face had dissolved into the fog; although his eyes had light, this light also seemed to have merged with the fog.

Although Yu Liancheng saw his eyes, it was as if they were just a patch of fog.

A scene like the one before him, Yu Liancheng had only seen on one person.

—Wu Ming.

As long as Wu Ming is willing, he seems capable of blending into any environment; even if he stands right before one's eyes, others would be completely unable to notice him.

Yu Luosha seems to be slightly inferior, yet he appears to have stepped into some sort of wondrous realm.

Yu Liancheng replied indifferently: "I just have a slightly better memory."

"A slightly better memory?" Yu Luosha clearly did not quite understand what he meant.

Yu Liancheng, however, no longer answered this question, his eyes merely looking at Yu Luosha like blades and swords: "I am truly very grateful to you, because if not for you, I would never have been able to learn this martial arts prowess."

Yu Luosha, however, said indifferently: "There is no need for that; I merely treated you as a chess piece. And with your martial arts talent, even without the 'Great Brightness Scripture', you would still be able to cultivate an extraordinary level of martial arts."

Yu Liancheng's eyes narrowed, and he said: "So... are you prepared to make your move?"