That very night after accepting the challenge, Fang Wang slipped into the Li residence. Relying on the Breathless Natural Skill and Shadowless Steps, he moved like a ghost, searching for the green-robed girl's whereabouts.
Before long, Fang Wang found the room where the green-robed girl was staying. After White Clad Startling Swan accepted the challenge, Li Honggang had withdrawn the cultivators guarding the room. There was not even anyone patrolling the Li residence.
Standing before the window, Fang Wang peered through a crack. The green-robed girl was meditating on the bed, and she did not look as though she had suffered much.
Fang Wang immediately sent her a voice transmission. "Miss Qing, are you well? Do not speak. Just nod or shake your head."
At his words, the green-robed girl's body trembled, and she nodded.
"Were you poisoned?"
The green-robed girl shook her head.
Fang Wang swept the room with his Spiritual Sense. After confirming there was no danger, he told the green-robed girl to follow him.
Once the green-robed girl stepped out of the room, he scooped her up and swiftly departed. Relying on his movement technique, he went unnoticed by everyone in the Li residence. Li Honggang had already entered seclusion and paid even less attention to what was happening outside.
Under cover of night, Fang Wang brought the green-robed girl out of Haixia City. Only after escorting her for a hundred li did he stop and say, "You should head back on your own from here."
After landing, the green-robed girl asked in surprise, "You are not going back with me? Are you really going to answer the challenge?"
That afternoon, Li Honggang had found her and told her that White Clad Startling Swan had accepted the challenge. It had worried her all day. When Fang Wang found her, she had thought they could flee at once, but she had not expected him to return.
"Yes. Only after saving you can I face Li Honggang without any burden," Fang Wang answered.
The journey had gone smoothly, without any pursuers from the Li residence. This showed that Li Honggang truly was open and upright. Since that was so, Fang Wang had to answer the challenge.
Perhaps Li Honggang had tacitly allowed him to rescue the green-robed girl so easily in the first place.
"But... Li Honggang is a great cultivator of the Spirit Pill Realm. Why contend with him?" the green-robed girl asked anxiously. Fang Hanyu had told her that Fang Wang had entered the Taiyuan Sect at the same time as him.
Fang Wang smiled. "Since I have accepted the challenge, how can I refuse to fight? Everyone knows that White Clad Startling Swan is a disciple of the Taiyuan Sect. What I represent is no longer merely myself, but the Taiyuan Sect."
Since he intended to contend with Lu Yuanjun for the position of Senior Disciple, Fang Wang had to gain prestige. And what was the simplest way to gain prestige? One battle record after another!
Others might not know who White Clad Startling Swan was, but Fang Wang believed that Guang Qiuxian and Yang Yuanzi certainly did.
Besides...
Fang Wang was extremely confident!
This was no longer a battle of hatred, but a contest of spirit and reputation!
One day, the name White Clad Startling Swan would become bound to Fang Wang. Before that happened, he would make White Clad Startling Swan a name that Taiyuan Sect disciples worshipped.
Hearing this, the green-robed girl fell silent.
"Miss Qing, hurry back, lest your clansmen worry," Fang Wang urged.
The green-robed girl stamped her foot and huffed. "What Miss Qing? I have a name! My name is Qing Wan'er. Call me Wan'er from now on!"
With that, she turned and darted into the forest, swiftly vanishing into the night.
Fang Wang smiled and gave it no further thought before turning back toward Haixia City.
Twenty days were neither long nor short. Fang Wang remained in seclusion within the Gu Family residence, making it inconvenient for Gu Li to disturb him.
Gradually, more and more cultivators arrived in Haixia City, all having heard of the battle between White Clad Startling Swan and Li Honggang.
White Clad Startling Swan had killed Li Hongshuang and risen to fame, while Li Honggang was a Spirit Pill Realm cultivator. To most lower-level cultivators, he was a great figure.
A duel at the Spirit Pill Realm was rarely seen. How could Rogue Cultivators and the younger generation of Aristocratic Clans resist coming to witness the excitement?
The night before the decisive battle.
Fang Wang stepped out of his room and found Gu Li. The two sat facing each other at a table.
"Miss Gu, after tomorrow's viewing ends, you should return to the Taiyuan Sect. I still have matters to attend to and will not be able to return for some time," Fang Wang said.
He had guessed that Gu Li had come because of him. Even if he was merely indulging in wishful thinking, he still needed to make things clear to prevent Gu Li from waiting endlessly.
Gu Li furrowed her brow and asked, "Is it because of that clansman of yours? Is he badly injured?"
"Yes, he still needs several months to recuperate."
"Do you need my help?"
"Thank you for your kindness, Miss Gu, but there is no need to trouble yourself. He is already recovering. It is simply inconvenient to reveal where he is."
Fang Wang showed an apologetic expression. The Fang residence had yet to reach the Fang Realm and had not grown strong enough. He truly did not dare invite Gu Li into the Fang Realm.
Gu Li softly asked, "Then you must win. I will be watching you."
Fang Wang smiled. "Of course. I have never lost."
Candlelight flickered within the room, while a bright moon hung high beyond the window. Looking at Fang Wang's smile, Gu Li's gaze grew dazed. For some reason, she thought his smile looked so very good.
Fang Wang was very curious about the Jihao Sect, so he asked Gu Li about its history. Gu Li did not hide anything and told him everything she knew.
That night, the two spoke pleasantly. Gu Li felt that she had grown closer to him.
The moon set, and the sun rose.
As the rising sun's dawn light swept over Haixia City, the city had already become lively.
For today, White Clad Startling Swan would come to answer Li Honggang's challenge!
More and more cultivators hurried to the southern city gate in advance, afraid of missing the spectacle.
With less than half an hour remaining until noon, the area before the southern city gate and the city walls were packed solid. Gu Li had also come. Standing atop the wall with a light veil over her face, her beautiful eyes rested on a figure below.
Li Honggang!
This Spirit Pill Realm cultivator sat cross-legged atop the hilt of his saber, while his long blade stood embedded in the earth. Though he remained motionless, an imposing force was gathering around him, steadily climbing higher.
"What terrifying saber intent!"
"Could that be the legendary Scorching Sun Killing Blade from the Crimson Sun Sect?"
"I never expected that after leaving the Crimson Sun Sect for so many years, Li Honggang's saber intent would have grown to such a degree."
"I wonder whether White Clad Startling Swan will come."
The cultivators discussed among themselves. Li Honggang's stance clearly showed that he intended to fight to the death, making the spectators anticipate the coming battle even more.
A commotion rose behind Gu Li. She turned to look and saw a burly old man ascending the city wall amid the crowd of cultivators. He wore a large black robe and a purple crown. His left hand rested behind his waist, while his right hand rolled two iron balls, faint arcs of lightning flickering around them.
The Lord of Haixia City, Tang Chengfeng!
At the sight of him, many cultivators nearby bowed in greeting, their faces full of eagerness and fawning smiles.
Gu Li silently stepped away, keeping her distance from Tang Chengfeng.
Tang Chengfeng walked to the edge of the wall and looked down at Li Honggang. He smiled and said, "It seems Li Honggang intends to fight to the death. That has made me see him in a new light. The Li Family truly lives up to its thousand-year reputation."
A woman in white beside him asked curiously, "Father, do you think he can win?"
"How would I know? I have yet to meet White Clad Startling Swan."
Tang Chengfeng sighed. Like the cultivators around him, he was most curious about White Clad Startling Swan.
The Thirty-two Startling Swan Swords...
The Taiyuan Sect had first produced a Lu Yuanjun, and now another White Clad Startling Swan had emerged. Its rising momentum was already impossible to stop!
Tang Chengfeng felt that the coming battle would become a turning point for the cultivation world, which was why he had personally come to watch.
The cultivators atop the city wall and before the gate were all discussing White Clad Startling Swan and guessing at his identity. Lu Yuanjun's name was mentioned repeatedly.
Many people believed that White Clad Startling Swan was Lu Yuanjun!
Time flowed away second by second.
Noon soon arrived!
Li Honggang, seated cross-legged on the saber hilt, suddenly opened his eyes. Tang Chengfeng on the city wall narrowed his eyes as well. The two looked toward the horizon at the same time.
Whoosh—
A piercing sound tore through the air. The thousands of cultivators around the southern city gate turned their heads to look, while some even rode Flying Swords into the sky to watch the battle.
A white rainbow streaked in from the horizon at incredible speed, stopping in midair a hundred zhang from the southern city gate. Every eye fell upon it.
As the white light faded, a figure in flowing white robes emerged beneath the sunlight. He stood tall and straight, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. A Flying Sword supported his feet, and a conical hat covered his head, making him seem like an immortal banished from heaven.
"White Clad Startling Swan!"
Someone cried out. The vast majority of cultivators stared fervently at the white-clad figure.
Before all those watching eyes, White Clad Startling Swan slowly raised his head. Beneath the conical hat, he wore a fox mask, making him all the more mysterious.
The newcomer was Fang Wang!
Fang Wang slowly drew the Qing Jun Sword with his right hand. Standing proudly in midair, he looked down at Li Honggang and said, "One battle to settle our karma?"
Li Honggang slowly rose to his feet atop the saber hilt. His robe billowed violently as he lifted his eyes to stare at Fang Wang and said coldly, "Settle life and death, end karma!"
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