The Challenge

"Talking about the jianghu, telling tales of the jianghu... Since I've brought up the new Weapon Ranking, I can't leave out the major events involving the masters of those weapons!"

The little old man gazed at the piles of copper coins and silver pieces before him, his wrinkled face blooming with smiles. "As it happens, something big recently took place near our Qingshi County. Have any of you heard of the Five Elements Cloud Qi Sword? They say its blade is etched with five-colored cloud patterns, brilliant with light, and that strange phenomena accompany every time it's drawn. The previous Great Swordsman became the universally recognized number one in swordsmanship thanks to this very sword!"

"Of course we've heard of it! The sixth-ranked divine weapon!"

The other martial artists rolled their eyes. "Quit keeping us in suspense. Get on with it!"

"Very well!"

The storyteller waited a little longer. Seeing that no one else was going to toss him a tip, he finally continued at an unhurried pace. "The current master of the Five Elements Cloud Qi Sword has emerged. Somehow, she got on the wrong side of the Demon Sect, and Old Monster Wan Du of the Demon Sect challenged her to a duel atop Tiandu Peak!"

"Old Monster Wan Du is the master of Wan Du Dao, one of the Demon Sect's Six Paths. His poison arts are said to be earth-shattering, and he even created the path of Qi poison. His methods are ever-changing, and he can kill without leaving a trace. They say that those who fight him often lose their lives in a daze before they've even exchanged blows!"

"So the news really is true. We have to go see the duel at Tiandu Peak. I missed the battle between the Blood Drinking Blade