Duan Yu's Breakdown

"You think just because you say it didn't happen, that makes it true? Have you asked your mother? I, Li Hao, always stand by my word. I've never told a lie." Li Hao was unhappy. He was famous throughout the jianghu as an honest young gentleman. Was Duan Yu trying to ruin his reputation?

"Bullshit! My mother would never do anything so disgraceful!" Duan Yu was worked up now. Getting his head chopped off would only leave a scar the size of a bowl.

But you were still smearing my mother's good name before you killed me. That was going too far.

"Fine. Since you put it that way, let's go over this. Your father, Duan Zhengchun—doesn't he like fooling around with women, flirting with young girls, married women, and widows?" Li Hao asked outright.

"No." Family scandals weren't meant to be aired in public. If they were, his father would beat him to death.

"Heh. You think I don't know all the dirty secrets of your family? Zhong Ling's mother, Gan Baobao, had a thing with your father, didn't she? Your father also loved picking on honest people, letting Zhong Wanchou raise his daughter while sneaking around with Gan Baobao behind his back. Dare you say that's not true?" Li Hao showed no mercy, revealing a secret Duan Yu knew.

"How do you know about that?" Duan Yu was dumbfounded.

He knew about Duan Zhengchun and Gan Baobao. When Zhong Wanchou and the others were discussing how to kill Duan Zhengchun in the main hall, Duan Zhengchun was busy making love to Gan Baobao in her bedroom.

Duan Yu himself had been locked in a secret chamber with Zhong Ling. He'd heard his father and Gan Baobao talking, as well as the sounds that came afterward.

The moment Duan Yu spoke, everyone present looked at Li Hao differently.

So the Second Young Master had been telling the truth! He even knew such secret things. Could he have some connection to Tianji Pavilion, the most mysterious organization in the jianghu?

"You should know I'm not lying about that, right? Then you must know all about the relationship between your Wanmei's teacher and mother, Qin Hongmian, the Asura Blade, and your father, too." Li Hao threw out another bombshell, leaving Duan Yu reeling.

"Stop talking! You're a devil. How do you know all this?" Duan Yu was on the verge of breaking down.

"Dao Baifeng was the daughter of the Baiyi Tribe's chieftain. She hated nothing more than a man taking multiple wives and concubines. Your father broke her heart by falling in love with one woman after another. She had every right to get back at Duan Zhengchun, didn't she?" Li Hao said with a grin.

"That's right." A Bi, A Zhu, and Yi Lin hurriedly nodded.

They were around the same age, so it was only natural that they loved gossip. Even Ning Zhongze and Lin Shiyin looked very interested.

Dao Baifeng thought the same way. She figured she was the Baiyi Tribe's most beautiful woman, and getting revenge on Duan Zhengchun with some handsome man would be letting him off too easily. She had to find someone of the lowest status imaginable. So she found a beggar whose legs were crippled, whose face was disfigured, and whose body was covered in oozing, poisonous sores.

"It was a good thing she was so strong-willed. Someone else might not have been able to bring herself to do it!" Li Hao said with a solemn expression.

Strictly speaking, Dao Baifeng had been ruthless. Most women, if they were going to cheat, would at least pick someone they could stand to look at. They wouldn't even spare a beggar a glance.

"You're lying..." Duan Yu could barely speak. By now, he believed Li Hao almost completely.

"Didn't your mother, Dao Baifeng, go off to become a Taoist nun and cultivate with her hair unshorn as soon as you were born? Don't you know why she did it? She was a princess and couldn't divorce your father. Otherwise... tsk, tsk."

The son of a beggar! A Zhu and A Bi looked at Duan Yu differently. The nobles really knew how to get around. What a mess!

"Duan Yu, if your father, Duan Zhengchun, finds out his only son is a beggar's child, what do you think he'll do? Send troops to kill me and avenge you, or send out all his experts to wipe you off the family register?" Li Hao asked.

System: Your tongue is vicious. How are you expecting anyone to answer a question like that?

Duan Yu wore a speechless expression, his face saying he had no idea. If Duan Zhengchun learned that he was a beggar's son, he certainly wouldn't let him off. He'd probably give him a strip of white silk to hang himself with, or have him drink a cup of poisoned wine.

Either way, his father wouldn't let him live to inherit the throne of Dali.

"Xiao Hei, have you got the firewood ready? We're going to burn the sword manual for Mr. Murong." Li Hao called out to Xiao Hei, who came scampering in through the doorway.

"Everything's ready. We're just waiting for you to bring everyone over, young master," Xiao Hei said excitedly.

He'd been following the young master for a long time and had turned over a new leaf, becoming a good person. Still, every now and then, he missed the old days of killing and looting.

"Young Master Li, could we talk?" At the summit behind Canhe Manor, in front of Murong Bo's grave, Duan Yu suddenly spoke up just as Yan Shun was about to cut him down.

"Talk? What is there to talk about? It'd be simpler to just cut you down. A Zhu is making me a feast herself to welcome me." Li Hao crooked his mouth in a mocking smile.

"Let's be frank. I do believe what you said. If I'm not a member of the Duan family, then I don't need to keep its secrets or throw my life away for it. All you want is the Six Meridian Divine Sword manual. I can write it down and teach it to you. Whether you keep it to study or burn it is none of my business. How about it?" Duan Yu looked up and spoke calmly.

"Do you think I care about the Six Meridian Divine Sword manual?" Li Hao pointed a finger. A sharp sword qi shot out and pierced a tree a hundred paces away.

The tree was so big that a person couldn't wrap their arms around it.

"Shangyang Sword? How can you know the Duan family's Six Meridian Divine Sword?" Duan Yu was stunned. His only bargaining chip seemed worthless now.

"Heh. Shangyang Sword? Take a look at this." Li Hao gave a cold laugh.

Li Hao's fingers flew as he shot out one sharp blast of sword qi after another. The tree was riddled with holes in an instant. It barely lasted a few moments before splitting down the middle and crashing to the ground.

Tree: I can't thank you enough.

"Shaoshang Sword, Zhongchong Sword, Guanchong Sword, Shaochong Sword, Shaoze Sword... This is impossible. Even the five Duan family elders at Tianlong Temple can't perform the complete Six Meridian Divine Sword formation. How can you use it? Are you also a member of the Duan family? That would make sense. If you weren't, how would you know so many of the Duan family's secrets?" Duan Yu's face twisted in anguish. He felt utterly helpless, too. He probably wouldn't be able to get his revenge after all.

Li Hao might be a genius the Duan family had secretly raised.

"I'm in full agreement with the young prince. Even the five eminent monks of Tianlong Temple, together with Duan Zhengming, can't perform the complete Six Meridian Divine Sword formation. Young Hero Li truly lives up to his title of Young Master of Three Absolutes. His swordsmanship is peerless in the world," Jiumozhi said, palms pressed together.

He was now thoroughly impressed by Li Hao's abilities. The man was a true genius of Martial Arts!

Give him a little more time, and he might become the next Sword Demon, Dugu Qiubai—a legend of the jianghu.