Chapter 28: Your Sword Has Been Practiced Wrong

Zhao Ti and the others followed Ma Wude to the gate of Jianhu Palace, where Zuo Zimu, the sect leader of the East Sect of the Boundless Sword, came out to greet them.

After the usual exchange of pleasantries and the customary jianghu back-slapping, they entered the martial arts hall and took their seats.

Zhao Ti had originally planned to slip away on his own at some opportunity, letting Zhou Dong and the other two follow the route he had given them afterward to find him.

The three of them walking together would alert the Boundless Sword people; once they searched the whole mountain, the plan would fall to the lower grade. The Langhuan Fudi wasn't going anywhere, so there was no need to do things too sloppily.

But along the way Duan Yu kept chattering in his ear, and once inside the palace he clung even closer, asking this and that—all about the scenery and affairs of the Great Song side.

Zhao Ti was getting a headache. He planned to use the excuse of "stepping out for a moment" to leave Jianhu Palace, but the fellow grabbed his arm and said, "Brother Zhao, come along, come along."

Duan · True · Dogskin Plaster · Annoying · Yu!

Zhao Ti could certainly have broken free by force, but Duan Yu was a bigmouth by nature; once he got back, who knew how he'd make a fuss and wildly exaggerate everything.

So Zhao Ti kept a dark face the entire time, sitting motionless in a chair in the martial arts hall, while Duan Yu pressed close beside him, as if afraid he'd leave, arm linked in arm, chatting away.

Only when the martial contest began did things quiet down a little, which made Zhao Ti inwardly breathe a sigh of relief, and he again mulled over how to seize a chance to slip away.

The two sects' contest proceeded, blow and counterblow, sword-light chillingly cold; Zhao Ti watched and frowned.

It was his first time watching jianghu sect disciples compete; it was different from the brawls of the Tokyo gangs, and also quite unlike sparring with the guards and martial instructors at the manor.

As he watched, a touch of disappointment rose in his heart—they weren't as formidable as he'd imagined. Perhaps the Boundless Sword's inherited martial arts themselves weren't all that brilliant; in any case, they didn't catch his eye.

Every contestant used a sword; setting aside whether the moves were exquisite or not, in his eyes there was only one word: slow!

They were really too slow. He had practiced a swift sword style since childhood; although his speed couldn't possibly match the shadow-like, drifting form of the Sunflower Manual, it was certainly much faster than these Boundless Sword disciples.

Then events unfolded as he remembered: when the East Sect's Gong Guangjie of the Boundless Sword faced a disciple of the Xi Sect, he used the "Stumbling Step"—his long sword swung out as if with excessive force, his body swayed slightly, looking as though about to fall.

Duan Yu suddenly let out a "pfft" of laughter, then realized he had lost his composure and hurriedly slapped a hand over his mouth.

Zhao Ti sighed inwardly.

Sure enough, the Xi Sect disciple swung a palm out, striking toward the opponent's back. Gong Guangjie stepped aside to dodge, the long sword in his hand suddenly sweeping in a circle, and with a shout of "Got you!" he stabbed the Xi Sect disciple in the left thigh, and the match came to an end.

Best of five, three wins; thus the East Sect won again. Xi Sect sect leader Xin Shuangqing's face grew extremely ugly. For the next five years, it would still be the East Sect residing in Jianhu Palace, able to study the Boundless Jade Wall, while the Xi Sect could only go back and diligently train their martial arts, waiting for the next contest.

Zuo Zimu's face was all aglow, and after exchanging a few words of showing off with Xin Shuangqing, his gaze suddenly turned to Duan Yu.

Zhao Ti sat beside him with eyes slightly closed, too lazy to listen, until Zuo Zimu stirred up his disciples to spar with Duan Yu. Gong Guangjie, failing to invite Duan Yu from the field, walked over, slapped Duan Yu across the face, then advanced with his sword, reaching out to grab Duan Yu by the collar—at which point the steel sword on Zhao Ti's back, its tip pointed at Gong Guangjie, was less than a foot away.

Zhao Ti couldn't help raising an eyebrow slightly; behind him, Zhou Dong and Su Da shouted together: "How dare you!" and stepped forward to shield Zhao Ti.

Everyone in the martial arts hall was stunned, their gazes all drawn over.

Ma Wude's face had already turned the color of pork liver. Duan Yu being slapped, and the plea failing, had already cost him all face; now if the other group he'd brought also caused trouble, he immediately stood up and said: "Brother Zhou…"

He knew Zhou Dong's martial skill, so naturally it wasn't like Duan Yu, a frail scholar; but the present situation left no room for fighting—after all, they were in the other sect's territory, and however things went, they'd be at a disadvantage.

Gong Guangjie paused at this point and withdrew his hand. Duan Yu patted his chest: "What's so good about fighting and killing? Losing hurts, and you die. Put down the steel sword—wouldn't it be better to study the scriptures and learn Buddhism like me?"

"Shut up!" Gong Guangjie glared fiercely at him, his gaze flickering as he looked at Zhou Dong and Su Da.

Zhao Ti gave a light cough: "Guangzu, you two, step aside."

The two men obeyed and stepped back slightly. Zhao Ti turned his face slightly toward Ma Wude and said: "Brother Ma Wu, this place is boring; we'll be leaving first."

Ma Wude said: "Yes, yes, I'll see Brother Zhao off." So saying, he was about to rise.

Over there, Zuo Zimu said: "Wait a moment, Brother Ma Wu—is this friend of yours also of the same background as that bookworm surnamed Duan?"

Ma Wude couldn't bring himself to lie, and only said: "Indeed he's not a disciple or relative, just traveling with an old friend."

Zuo Zimu said: "Why did you rebuke my disciple? Are you in league with that surnamed Duan? Wanting to lend a hand? Then why didn't you step forward earlier, sitting there putting on airs?"

Zhou Dong snorted: "Your disciple doesn't even deserve it. Just now he held his sword in a backhand grip and pointed it at our Young Master—how could we not rebuke him!"

Zuo Zimu said: "So delicate—what jianghu are you walking in? In the jianghu, martial skill talks. Otherwise, just like that surnamed Duan, getting beaten is a beating for nothing."

The martial arts hall was crowded, almost all local jianghu guests, leaders of various sects; hearing this, they couldn't help but burst into laughter. Ma Wude immediately felt he had no face left to show, and raised a hand to cover his old face.

Zhou Dong, seeing this, said coldly: "Then I'll have a match with him."

Zuo Zimu said: "Your Young Master, could it be that he also doesn't know martial arts? In that case, there's no need to fight. Just have your underling come out—what ability does he have? Just have him apologize to my disciple and that'll be that."

Su Da angrily said: "It was the two of us who rebuked your blind disciple—how dare you demand our Young Master apologize? Come on, come on, let me exchange a couple of moves with you old fellow."

Gong Guangjie had already stepped back at this point, waving his long sword, and said angrily: "And what are you, to dare spar with my master!"

Su Da was about to speak when Zhao Ti from behind said: "Ask him how he wants to fight."

Su Da said: "How do you want to fight?"

Zuo Zimu gave a cold laugh: "Can't even speak for yourself, needing an underling to pass words—such grand airs. Just defeat my disciple, and I'll take back what I just said, and have him apologize to you!"

"Just him?" Zhao Ti pointed at Gong Guangjie, the corners of his mouth lifting, and shook his head.

"You pretty-boy, you look down on me?" Gong Guangjie flew into a rage on hearing this.

Zhao Ti blinked and looked at Duan Yu: "Brother Duan, he called you a pretty-boy."

Duan Yu shook his head: "No, no, I'm only wearing a blue robe, that's why my face looks fair. Brother Zhao is wearing a white robe, actually even fairer—he's talking about you, Brother Zhao."

"Then what do you want?" Zuo Zimu, seeing that Zhao Ti's words were like child's play, not taking him seriously in the slightest, said with a dark expression.

"If the disciple is defeated, the disciple apologizes. What if the master is defeated?" Zhao Ti said lightly.

The great hall fell instantly silent; everyone looked at Zhao Ti, including a round-faced, big-eyed girl hidden sitting up on the hall beam, holding a dozen or so foot-long little snakes in her hand, who looked at Zhao Ti with a surprised gaze.

"You mean you also want to spar with me?" Zuo Zimu suddenly turned his face toward Ma Wude: "Brother Ma Wu, this person—could he be someone you brought to wreck my Jianhu Palace's arena?"

Ma Wude thought, you've said everything already; today his face was completely lost.

Seeing him not speak, Zuo Zimu said: "Shameless boasting—first beat my disciple, then we'll talk."

Zhao Ti smiled: "Then that's a promise? Bring me a sword, and I'll teach your disciple how to use a sword. His sword has been practiced wrong, yet he doesn't even know it."

"Brat talking nonsense!" Zuo Zimu said angrily: "Give him a sword. I want to see what skill he has!"

At this moment a female disciple of the Xi Sect scampered over and handed him a sword, earning a glare from Xin Shuangqing; the disciple stuck out her tongue and hurriedly ran back.

Zhao Ti flicked the blade with a bent finger, nodded, and said: "Passable. Come on."

Gong Guangjie ahead said: "Get out here onto the field!"

Zhao Ti smiled and shook his head: "No need to stand for the match. Your sword has been practiced wrong—I can beat you sitting down."

Gong Guangjie flew into a rage at these words, let out a roar, and charged forward with his sword.

(Dear readers, I earnestly beg everyone to keep reading to the latest chapter — follow-through reading is far too important. Without it there are no recommendations, no exposure. I beg everyone to read through to the latest chapter every day. I beg you all.)