Chapter Thirty-Eight: Consideration

It was the end of August, with the autumn sun high in the sky and a cool breeze blowing.

In the courtyard, on the blue bricks, Duàn Yì, with his upper body bare, held the Ten Refinements Sword. The sword light flashed as he practiced the Songshan Swordplay, drenched in sweat, focused and diligent.

Although he was young, his physique was well-proportioned and strong. His muscles were streamlined, with no excess fat, exuding explosive power like a leopard.

In terms of technique, his swordplay was sometimes grand and sweeping, sometimes fierce and swift, with a varied style. He executed all seventeen forms of the Songshan Swordplay as if they were flowing water, clearly having grasped its essence.

Especially since Duàn Yì had recently learned the King Yue's Divine Arrow movement technique from Granny An, its combination with the Songshan Swordplay brought a unique profoundness.

He used his footwork to drive his swordplay, and his swordplay to temper his physical body. With his body filled with vital energy, it further propelled his internal energy cultivation forward.

This set of effective training methods was something Duàn Yì had discovered with the help of the Tower of Hidden Martial Arts, his golden finger.

"The path of Qi cultivation requires perseverance to achieve greatness; one cannot be hasty.

To become stronger quickly now, I must follow the path of the Hua Shan Sword Sect, practicing my swordplay until it reaches a high level of skill and power."

Just as Duàn Yì was immersed in his training, Bai Xī Wén's voice suddenly reached his ears, asking him to come to the reception hall as there was something to discuss. He stopped his swordplay, feeling a sense of doubt.

Ever since the incident two days ago where Ruan Dong was killed, Duàn Yì had been confined by Bai Xī Wén, not leaving the residence. Apart from meals, he had been solely focused on practicing his sword and Qi.

Unless absolutely necessary, Bai Xī Wén rarely disturbed him. However, the urgent and somewhat annoyed tone of Bai Xī Wén's voice just now indicated that something unexpected had happened.

After wiping away his sweat and putting on his clothes, Duàn Yì tidied his appearance and, holding the Ten Refinements Sword, hurried to the reception hall. There, he saw Liu Zhiwei of the Golden Cauldron Sect, whom he had met two days prior.

The man was still full of authority, seated firmly on a wooden chair. Beside him was a piece of white jade the size of a fist, its luster brilliant and its texture excellent, likely worth a considerable sum.

Upon seeing Duàn Yì enter, Bai Xī Wén first nodded approvingly. He possessed extraordinary talent and was diligent, truly a promising material. Then, with a gloomy expression and some exasperation, he said to Liu Zhiwei, "I cannot make a decision for him regarding the matter you just mentioned. He is here now, you can ask him yourself."

Duàn Yì was a bit bewildered, not understanding what the two of them were up to.

Then, he saw Liu Zhiwei smile at him and carefully explain the Ruan family's demands, naturally also conveying Qu Dongliu's thoughts.

"So, the Ruan family believes I bear some responsibility for Ruan Dong's death, and they want to find a master to duel me. If I win, this grievance will be settled. If I lose, I must present the killer's head at Ruan Dong's memorial tablet and kowtow nine times, as well as cut off my right hand as compensation. Is that correct?"

Duàn Yì didn't know how to feel, finding it both infuriating and amusing, but mostly helpless.

From beginning to end, he had been passively reacting. If Ruan Dong hadn't courted death by insisting on a duel with him, none of this would have happened.

Now that the person was dead, their relatives were holding him responsible. This logic was completely unreasonable, yet it also made sense, as emotions are often beyond rational control.

"That's right. You are not a member of my Golden Cauldron Sect, and the Ruan family has a close relationship with our sect. We must consider his demands.

Of course, you can choose not to agree. With Junior Brother Bai protecting you, no one can force you. However, you will no longer be able to live on the mountain. This is the sect leader's instruction."

After a pause, Liu Zhiwei glanced at Bai Xī Wén, whose expression was grim, and then turned his gaze back to Duàn Yì.

"I advise you to agree. Perhaps you can win, and you'll also receive a treasure known as Cold Jade."

Duàn Yì looked at Bai Xī Wén, who remained silent, his expression unreadable. His thoughts raced as he considered his current predicament.

Once Qu Dongliu issued an order, Bai Xī Wén could not openly defy it. Therefore, if he truly refused, he might be able to leave safely under Bai Xī Wén's protection.

But what about after descending the mountain? Bai Xī Wén couldn't protect him forever.

Since the Ruan family could find a master to duel him, they could certainly find an assassin to deal with him. For someone whose martial arts were far from complete, this would undoubtedly be a threat, a life-or-death one.

Then, should he descend the mountain and directly eliminate the Ruan family elder? Send him and Ruan Dong to reunite in the netherworld? Settle the score?

Perhaps by being prepared and catching the other side off guard, this approach might succeed, but the consequences would be even more terrifying than the former.

If he killed Ruan Xiang, the perpetrator would almost certainly be identified as him. Duàn Yì would be officially wanted by Great Xia, ostracized by the righteous path, and his life would be in constant peril.

If he got lucky, he might become a powerful figure in the underworld and have a chance to rise again. If he was unlucky, he would likely die in some obscure corner, without even anyone to collect his body.

And if he accepted, although the odds of winning were not high, he might not necessarily lose. Moreover, besides resolving the matter completely, he would also gain a piece of Cold Jade that would greatly aid his cultivation.

After much deliberation, Duàn Yì couldn't make a decision and finally asked cautiously, "Does Vice Sect Leader Liu know the background of the master who will be dueling me?"

If it was a sure-lose situation, he would simply go down the mountain. But if there was a chance of winning, he might as well take a gamble.

"Rest assured, with Junior Brother Bai's connections, we would not let you engage in a duel you couldn't possibly win.

The person the Ruan family found is named Lin Bohui. He is only eighteen years old and skilled in a set of Bixie Swordplay. Since his debut, he has only defeated seven swordsmen from Wei Prefecture, but he is not a particularly formidable opponent. With your sword talent, you might not be weaker than him."

Liu Zhiwei deliberately downplayed Lin Bohui's martial arts, but the words "Bixie Swordplay" struck Duàn Yì's heart like a heavy blow, leaving him feeling dry-mouthed and his limbs numb.

"Bixie Swordplay? Damn it, someone actually practices such an evil martial art?"

Duàn Yì's expression remained unchanged, but his heart felt heavy.

Besides the inheritor of this swordplay, there was probably no one in the world who understood its terrifying nature better than he did.

The Lin family's seventy-two forms of Bixie Swordplay originated from one of the great eunuch arts, the Sunflower Manual. The phrase "dominate the martial arts world, wield the blade and castrate oneself" was so domineering, and it gave rise to a peculiar father-in-law and son-in-law pair, Yue Buqun and Lin Pingzhi, making it quite famous.

In terms of power, this martial art was invincible in "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer." If judged solely by swordplay, it was among the top two or three, second only to the Nine Swords of Dugu, and superior to the Five Mountains Swordplay.

Take the Songshan Swordplay that Duàn Yì learned, for instance. While it could be considered superior, it was still a notch below Bixie Swordplay, a difference in true hierarchy.

Not to mention that once one practiced this martial art and crossed the most difficult hurdle, the path ahead would be smooth sailing. Cultivation would become vigorous and progressive, allowing one to undergo a complete transformation in a very short period and become a master.

An example of this is Lin Pingzhi. His martial arts were mediocre, but after practicing Bixie Swordplay, he was able to consecutively defeat experts like Yu Canghai and Mu Gengfeng, demonstrating its miraculous nature.

Come to think of it, Zuo Lengchan, one of the three grandmasters of the righteous path, was blinded by Bixie Swordplay.

Duàn Yì was, at best, an incomplete, low-tier version of Zuo Lengchan. He truly had no confidence facing a descendant of the Bixie Swordplay.

Seeing Duàn Yì ponder for a long time without speaking, Liu Zhiwei, unaware of his thoughts, assumed he was still considering and said, "I met this Lin Bohui once at the Ruan family's. His internal martial arts cultivation isn't profound; he's only at the first level of Qi Nourishing.

Furthermore, I heard he's a lecherous man who frequents pleasure districts and doesn't practice his swordplay diligently. Duàn Yì, you don't need to worry too much."

Liu Zhiwei wanted to strengthen Duàn Yì's resolve to fight so that the Ruan family's affairs could be resolved sooner, easing his own concerns.

Unexpectedly, these words sounded utterly confusing to Duàn Yì. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes and ask curiously, "This person is lecherous and frequents pleasure districts? Vice Sect Leader Liu, are you perhaps trying to trick me?"

A eunuch visiting a brothel was an enormous joke.

Could it be that this Lin Bohui was doing this to cover his tracks? Or was this person not practicing the Bixie Swordplay at all, but was merely a charlatan?

"Why would I lie to you? This is indeed the case. It's said that before and after every major battle, this person spends the night in a brothel. His energy is incredibly vigorous, and he's even been nicknamed the Pink Swordsman by busybodies."

A sudden thought struck Duàn Yì. His expression turned serious as he looked at Liu Zhiwei and cupped his fists, saying, "Sect Leader Liu, please tell me all the information you have about this person in detail. Perhaps I can accept this challenge."

Seeking a favor, Duàn Yì didn't even address Liu Zhiwei as Vice Sect Leader, directly calling him Sect Leader. He just hoped the other party could provide more useful information for his reference.