Introduction to the work: A short story of pure martial arts, Godly Sword Unnamed 4
Once again, I declare that this article is just an appetizer and has nothing to do with "Xuán Mén". Readers of "Xuán Mén" can ignore it.
Su Yuexian said with increasing enthusiasm, her eyebrows slightly raised: "I, Su Yuexian, will marry a man who has power and prestige, as well as excellent martial arts skills. Brother Li, my father, Huang Daren, told me to tell you that from now on, if you leave the Yan Wang Fu and serve under the Crown Prince, high-ranking positions and wealth will be easily attainable. Alas, the Yan King is just a king, but the Crown Prince is going to be the future Emperor! You must think carefully."
Two Dogs was not born foolish, and upon hearing this, he suddenly realized and muttered: "So that's how it is. But I only know how to kill pigs, what does the Crown Prince want me to do?" He thought for a moment and said "I'm very good at fighting with knives, many skilled martial artists can't beat me. Could it be that the Crown Prince saw this skill of mine? He sent someone to assassinate King Yan, could he also want me to go?"
Su Yuexian was thinking to herself, and she slightly squirmed in his arms. Smelling the strong masculine scent on Er Gou's body, she gradually felt her emotions become confused and disordered, her bones feeling weak and her muscles soft. She coquettishly said: "Li Gege, it's late at night, aren't you going to sleep yet? It's cold and dark outside, I'm scared, tonight I won't leave." Er Gou hadn't yet come back to his senses, saying: "What?" Suddenly he heard a soft humming noise, and lowering his head to look, he saw Su Yuexian with a red face, her eyes flowing like waves, speaking in a charming voice: "Good brother, you...". As she spoke, she sat up straight, undid her belt, and slowly took off her clothes. The lamplight illuminated her skin, which was as white as snow, smooth and fragrant, all the curves and contours of her body were fully visible.
Li Ergou's soul flew away, his face turned red and he was stunned like a wooden chicken. Su Yuexian gently stretched out her jade arm to hook around his neck, and said in a soft voice: "Good brother, tonight is a good time, let's..." As she spoke, she reached out to untie his belt. Ergou panicked, hurriedly grasped the hem of his garment. But for some reason, his arms felt weak and powerless, and in the chaos, Su Yuexian had already taken off his outer clothes.
At the critical moment, something suddenly fell out of Er Gou's arms with a "slap". Su Yuexian picked it up and took a look, but it was two shoe soles. The hemp thread was thick and the needlework was fine. Su Yuexian casually threw them under the bed and wanted to lean against Er Gou again. Suddenly, she saw Er Gou's eyes staring blankly, and he let out a loud cry, struggling to get out of bed, picking up the shoe soles and holding them in front of his eyes, with a bewildered expression as if struck by lightning.
It turned out that the shoe sole was made by Er Niu herself. Upon seeing the object, memories of Er Niu's voice and smile suddenly flooded his mind. For a moment, Li Er Gou shuddered as if drenched in cold water, instantly casting all thoughts of romance to the clouds. He shook his head to clear his mind, tucked away the shoe sole, and chased after Su Yue Xian, who was rolling and crawling out the door. After running for a while, they met several house servants. Li Er Gou asked for directions and, without bidding farewell to Huang Zi Cheng, rushed out of the gate.
Back at the mansion, it was already three. Er Gou tidied up slightly and lay down to sleep. But the events of these days lingered in his mind, causing him to feel anxious and restless, tossing and turning. He thought to himself that on one hand, there was Yan Wang's generous favor and trust, while on the other hand, there was the Crown Prince's efforts to win him over. Offending either side would not do. Moreover, the two sides were openly and secretly vying for power, with their strengths and weaknesses clearly visible. He himself was just a butcher, stuck in between like a lone boat on a stormy sea, treading on thin ice, afraid that if he made even the slightest mistake, he would die without a place to bury his body.
After much deliberation, he finally made up his mind. It was already past four o'clock when Er Gou got out of bed and looked out the window at the bright moonlight, feeling a surge of melancholy. He reached into his pocket and touched the soles of his shoes, thinking wistfully of his hometown. "Alas," he sighed to himself, "everyone says being an official is great, but I find it exhausting and frustrating. I wonder if my mother's illness has improved, and what Er Niang is doing." Suddenly, he had an epiphany: "I'm so stupid! Why should I stay in the capital and be unhappy? What do I care about Prince Yan or the Crown Prince? I'm just a country bumpkin; why get entangled with them? It's better to leave them far behind!" But then he thought, "Wait, will they let me go? That steward is always following me around like a shadow; how can I shake him off?" He changed his mind again: "Forget it! My legs are my own; who cares what anyone else thinks? If they want to fight, I'm not afraid! Ha! Tonight, under the cover of darkness, I'll make a break for it and go home to live a peaceful life with Mother!"
Having made up his mind, Er Gou felt a sense of relief wash over him, as if he had put down a heavy burden. He slipped out of the house and quietly entered the kitchen, where he found some servant's clothes to change into. He also smeared some soot on his face, and when he looked in the mirror, he was transformed into the image of the pig butcher from that day. With his disguise complete, Er Gou took out dozens of gold ingots - all gifts from the officials who had come to pay their respects - wrapped them in a coarse cloth bundle, slung it over his shoulder, and set off on his journey.
At this moment, a dark cloud happened to cover the moon. Er Gou sneaked into the garden behind the wall, looked around in all directions, fortunately no one was there, so he climbed over the wall by holding onto a big tree, and after landing, he recognized the direction and rushed straight to the city gate. At about five o'clock, Li Er Gou arrived at the west city gate. The soldiers guarding the city thought he looked rustic and wouldn't recognize him as the commander of the Brocade Guard. After asking two questions, they let him out of the city gate. Er Gou strode forward with big steps, gradually leaving behind the place of right and wrong in the capital.
The next day, the sky was clear, and Er Gou walked tiredly. Just as they met a horse-drawn carriage on the road, he spent two taels of silver to hire it, ordering the driver to head towards Hangzhou. For several days, the carriage headed south. The interior was spacious and bright, and Er Gou sat comfortably. Along the way, the sky was clear and the wind was gentle, with flowers blooming and willows green. To the left, clouds lay on the hills, while to the right, orioles sang in the lush forests - all were the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan. Before he knew it, they arrived in Suzhou, where he heard the soft dialect of Wu, saw the luxurious prosperity, and found that the streets were filled with familiar scenes.
The horse carriage left Suzhou and followed the official road to Xishan. It was noon at this time, with bright sunshine and floating clouds in the sky, shining on the mountains and valleys where smoke and water vapor rose. After a long drive, the horse carriage passed by a roadside tea stall, and Er Gou and the coachman stopped to drink tea and quench their thirst.
After drinking two cups of tea, the sun was slightly slanted, the sweltering heat gradually dissipated, and the clouds rose and surged in all directions. A rainbow suddenly appeared across the sky. Li Er Gou was so excited that he picked up his teacup and walked to a high place. Looking far into the distance, he saw lush green mountains, and looking closer, he saw sparkling water. Taking advantage of the gentle breeze, Li Er Gou felt refreshed and clear-headed, thinking to himself "It turns out that the countryside scenery is also very beautiful, why didn't I notice it before? Alas, this time after returning home, I will never go out again. I'll just live with my mother, and also marry Er Niang over!" As soon as he thought of this, Li Er Gou's heart was filled with longing, and he immediately wanted to return to the tea stall and ask the carman to hurry up and get on the road.
Just as he turned around, he suddenly saw a person standing five zhang away with his back to him. The man was wearing white clothes and wooden clogs, with a long sword slung over his shoulder. The sunlight shone on his body, making it seem like a golden mountain with colorful clouds. Er Gou felt a slight sense of surprise and quickened his pace as he walked forward. The man slowly turned around and bowed deeply to Er Gou, saying: "Brother Li, you're doing well? I've been waiting for you for a long time!" After speaking, he raised his head, revealing a nose like a hanging gallbladder, lips like a knife cut, and a melancholic and lonely expression between his eyebrows. However, in his eyes, there was a hint of vigorous and heroic spirit - it was none other than the Japanese swordsman, Liu Sheng Zheng!
Li Erdou was shocked and said, "You're waiting for me? What are you waiting for?" As he looked around, he saw that behind Liu Sheng were many people: monks, Taoist priests, nuns, thieves, knights-errant, all sorts of people, each holding a weapon and standing several zhang away. Some of them seemed eager to try their luck, baring their teeth and glaring at Liu Sheng as if they wanted to rush forward and fight, but then hesitated and retreated, fearful and uncertain.
The two dogs' faces turned pale, and they stuttered: "What are those people? Are they all with you?" Liu Sheng didn't turn his head and said: "Those petty people, even if they gather like ants or bees, what's there to worry about? They're all here to find me for revenge." As he spoke, he grabbed Er Gou's hand and smiled: "Brother Li, please come with me. Liu Sheng has some questions and wants to ask you in person." Hand in hand with Er Gou, they walked together, while those people followed from a distance.
Two men returned to the teahouse, found a clean seat and sat down opposite each other. The tea master placed two tea bowls on the table, just about to brew tea. Liu shook his head to stop him, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silk pouch, smiled and said: "This is Longjing from our country, shaped like a sparrow's tongue, with a dark color." He poured some tea and sighed: "Martial arts are declining day by day. Practitioners like Wang Ba Tian, Liu Chun Hou, and the likes of Wax Candle, cling to the powerful and wealthy, indulging in riches and honors, resulting in neglecting their martial arts practice; then there's She Qi Shui, Du Yu He and others who get entangled in Jianghu grudges and sentimental emotions, making them act strangely, pretending to be something they're not, losing the true nature of a martial artist. As for Su Jian Nan and those with only empty fame, it's not even worth mentioning."
The two dogs listened in confusion, only nodding vaguely. Liu Sheng said: "Wudang Sect's Tai Xu Dao Zhang, Shaolin Sect's Liao Kong Dashi, these seniors are indeed refined and noble scholars. Unfortunately, they are too pedantic, their views on martial arts are conservative and cannot surpass those of the past. Even if they practice diligently for many years with a secret manual, it is still difficult to comprehend the highest realm of martial arts." Speaking of this, Liu Sheng's eyebrows relaxed, and he said with joy: "I started practicing swordplay at the age of five. At ten, I entered the deep mountains and forests alone, in a place without human habitation, to cultivate my sword skills. Every day, I befriended tigers and leopards, picked wild fruits for food, and single-mindedly practiced swordplay with an untroubled mind. Twelve years later, I finally grasped the ultimate principle of the sword path: that is 'eyes without swords, heart with swords', as long as the intention of the sword remains in the heart, even if the hands hold a sword without any moves, one can still defeat the enemy and gain victory."
Li Er Gou listened patiently, rubbed his head and smiled: "Yes, yes, you're right." Liu Sheng's eyes were piercing as he stared at Li Er Gou: "'The heart has a sword, but the hand has no moves' is a principle that I spent twelve years to understand. Brother Li's knife skills are amazing, so he must have unique insights into martial arts too. But I think Brother Li doesn't seem like a Jianghu person, his words are dull and tasteless, could it be that he's intentionally hiding his true intentions? I hope Brother Li will take pity on me for coming from afar and won't mind teaching me one or two things."
Li Er Gou listened to him talk for half a day, seemingly without any intention of fighting, wanting to bid farewell and continue on his journey, yet afraid that Liu Sheng would obstruct him. In his dilemma, he couldn't help but feel annoyed in his heart, his whole body feeling stifled, and he drank cup after cup of tea. At this moment, seeing Liu Sheng ask him a question, he had no way to respond, so he pretended to drink tea, picking up the bowl and tilting his head back "gulp gulp gulp" drinking loudly. Liu Sheng saw this and was surprised, asking: "Brother Li, why are you drinking tea like this? Don't you understand the art of tea tasting?" Er Gou glared at him and said: "I'm thirsty so I want to drink, is there some kind of etiquette for drinking water too?"
"Drinking tea is a refined and elegant thing. It's not about the painting, but about appreciating the painting; it's not about the poem, but about reciting the poem. How can this fragrant tea be hastily gulped down? One must savor it slowly and carefully to appreciate its subtleties." As he spoke, he held the teacup with both hands, brought it to his nose to sniff, took a small sip, then puckered his lips, closed his eyes, and let out a gentle sigh, his expression one of serene intoxication.
Li the Second Dog said in a coarse voice, "I'm a country bumpkin, what do I know about appreciating paintings and reciting poetry? All I know is that tea is for quenching thirst. If you can only smell it with your nose and lick it with your tongue, what's the use of that? Tea that can't quench thirst, how can it be called good tea?" Liu Sheng slightly furrowed his brow. Li the Second Dog had been drifting in the rivers and lakes and official circles for these days, enduring troubles and hardships, and a bellyful of words had been pent up for a long time, all of which came pouring out now: "For example, you all say my martial arts skills are high, my knife techniques are good. Actually, I don't know any martial arts. I can wield a knife a bit, but it's all from killing pigs in my daily life."
Two dogs tilted their heads and drank the tea water in the bowl, then said: "I don't understand, what's the point of practicing martial arts? I can make a living by killing pigs. The more pigs I kill every day, the better I do my job, and the more money I can earn. The boss is happy, the customers like it, and my mother can eat well and wear clothes. As long as I think about these things, I feel that being a butcher is a good profession! Every day I kill, year after year, all I think about is how to kill quickly, how to kill well, how to cut the meat cleanly, and every day I ponder the methods of killing pigs and cutting meat.
Yue Shi seemed to be deep in thought, slowly chewing on the words of the two dogs, and then listened as he said: "But I'm not blindly speculating, killing pigs is for eating meat, it's for selling money to support a family. But what about you practicing martial arts? Is it for killing people? Or is it for becoming bandits? You've been in the mountains for twelve years, and although you haven't earned a single penny, at least you haven't harmed anyone, so that's good. I look at people like Su Lao Ye, She Qi Shui, Liu Bang Zhuang these martial arts masters, if they didn't rely on their martial arts to bully others, perhaps they wouldn't even be able to support themselves. Useless martial arts are just a waste of practice, but what use is there in practicing martial arts that harm people?"
Yagyu Munenori was stunned, only to realize that the two dogs' words were veiled with a sharp edge. For years, he had only known how to practice martial arts and compete in matches, single-mindedly wanting to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, but never thinking: what kind of practical benefits can martial arts bring to oneself and those around? At this moment, he was suddenly asked by the two dogs, and immediately felt lost and unable to answer.
At this time, Tea Doctor poured water from the teapot and interjected with a smile: "This young man's words are reasonable. As the saying goes, 'poor and rich martial arts'. If it weren't for the years of war, what would be the use of practicing martial arts? It's just those rich family children who have nothing to do after eating their fill, so they spend all day dancing with swords and sticks. Alas, I have a nephew who was originally a scholar, but after reading about the heroic exploits in books, he became infatuated and went to Henan Shaolin Temple to learn martial arts. After returning home, he only knew how to bully his neighbors, steal, rob, and sell, doing all sorts of evil things. Later, he injured his collarbone while fighting with someone and was disabled from practicing martial arts. Now, he doesn't know how to manage the family business and is idle, eating without working, alas!
The Tea Master sighed and suddenly took three or four steps back, turned around and put the teapot behind his back. The spout of the pot stretched out from his shoulder, and with a loud "Go!" he poured water into Er Gou's cup. In an instant, the cup was full of boiling water, and the Tea Master's waist suddenly straightened as he shouted "Stop!". The stream of water stopped abruptly. A few drops of water floated gently in mid-air and fell into the bowl, forming a convex surface. The tea water was higher than the rim of the bowl, but not a single drop spilled over.
Li Er Gou gave a thumbs up and said, "Great! Uncle, you're really something!" Liu Sheng Zheng stared at the tea bowl in shock, his face filled with an expression of disbelief.
Tea Master said: "I have been brewing tea and pouring water for over thirty years, this move 'Su Qin's Back Sword' can be done with my eyes closed. If my nephew learns this skill, what worry is there about not having food to eat? But instead he goes to Shaolin Temple to learn martial arts! Alas, it's strange, monks should be chanting scriptures and meditating, eating vegetarian meals and reciting Buddha's name, why do they teach people to fight and struggle?" As he spoke, he shook his head and walked away.
Li Er Gou said to Liu Sheng: "Uncle, you're absolutely right! I think it's not easy for a foreigner like you to come all the way here. Why don't you come to my place as a guest and we can become friends? My mother's cooking is very delicious, and Er Niu's cooking isn't bad either. Don't always think about practicing martial arts, what's the use of having a sword in your heart but no moves in your hands? I think it's better if you don't have any martial arts skills at all!"
Yagyu Munenori muttered to himself, "No martial arts in the heart? 'No martial arts in the heart, no moves in the hands', what kind of realm is this?" He suddenly lifted his head, his eyes gleaming like lightning, staring at Niten Ichi Ryu. At that moment, a butterfly happened to fly over his head. Yagyu Munenori's wrist moved slightly, and he swiftly drew out his long sword. The scabbard glinted with a faint black light, and the butterfly gently fell onto the table. Niten Ichi Ryu reached out to pick up the dead butterfly, but unexpectedly, it stretched its legs and spread its wings again, flying away in the wind. It turned out that Yagyu Munenori's sword strike was incredibly subtle, and he had merely knocked the butterfly unconscious.
Yuan's voice was light and humming, saying "Brother Li's high theory is enlightening, but a martial artist should prove his reasoning through a trial of skills. Please grant me your move!" After finishing speaking, he pushed the table and stood up, walked out dozens of steps, turned around and held his sword, staring at Li Er Gou.
The two dogs furrowed their brows, and had no choice but to get up and follow. One of them shook his head and said, "You still want to fight, but I don't even have a knife, how can we compare? Let's just forget it, you should go home early, your family must be waiting for you to return."
Liu Sheng smiled, revealing his teeth, and said: "I had expected that you and I would have a battle, so I was afraid you wouldn't have a good weapon to use. I especially found a good knife for you." He took out a short knife from his bosom and threw it to Er Gou, saying: "Catch this! This is the 'Wu Shuang' treasured knife of Mount Emei Sect. Because its sharpness surpasses all others in the world, it's called 'Wu Shuang'. You can use it to compete with me!" Er Gou lightly drew out the knife from its scabbard. Seeing that the knife was over two feet long, with a thick back and thin blade, as black as ink, and with a faint blood glow emanating from its edge, he grasped the hilt and chopped at the air several times. He felt that it was light and heavy, long and short, all perfectly suited to his hand. Er Gou nodded secretly and praised: "What a great knife for slaughtering pigs!"
At this time, the few onlookers who had been watching from a distance slowly approached. Several nuns shouted loudly: "That is our Emei Sect's 'Matchless' treasure sword! You Eastern Barbarian dog, how dare you forcibly seize our sect's treasure and injure our sect leader? Today, the orthodox heroes of the martial world have gathered here, where can you escape to?" After speaking, they glared at Ryūsei with extreme hatred, as if they wanted to tear him apart alive.
Yue Yang said slowly: "The Emei Sect is also considered to have a good reputation, but what skills do you have to possess the precious sword? Hmm, and there are still some from Shaolin and Kongtong. The masters of your famous sects have all been defeated by me, yet you persist in clinging to me without giving up. Today, come at me together. After defeating you, I will then compete with Brother Li in a sword fight!" His eyes scanned the surroundings, his expression calm and majestic.
Many heroes had suffered at the hands of Liu Sheng, and did not dare to fight him easily. They shouted: "You, a foreign devil, rely on your swordsmanship to commit evil deeds, you will surely be struck by five thunders!" Someone called out to Li Er Gou: "Is that the one who defeated the leader of the Wandering Heroes' Guild, Du Tang Zhu, and repelled the Spring Silkworm's master of the Gathering Righteousness Hall?" Another person said: "It is him! It is the Divine Sword Hero! I am from the Gathering Righteousness Hall in Guandong, I personally saw him compete with Spring Silkworm's master!" The crowd gradually became unanimous, shouting: "Divine Sword Hero, quickly take action to eliminate the evil for the martial arts world!"
The two dogs were so bewildered by the crowd that they lost their minds, and stuttered to Liu Sheng: "I'll fight with you, then you can leave quickly!"
Yagyu Munenori's face was as calm as an ancient well, his sleeves fluttering in the wind. He stood tall and still, his voice cold: "I will meet Li brother with martial arts, if there is someone who can defeat me, I will sincerely surrender; if I die in battle, I will follow the way of the warrior; if I survive, I will return to my hometown and never set foot on national land again." He bowed deeply to the two dogs, his face solemn and calm, slowly drawing out the "Autumn True" long sword. The sunlight danced on the blade, changing into a dazzling array of colors.
The onlookers gasped in surprise, knowing that Liu Sheng rarely drew his sword easily, even against the Taixu Daozhang of the Wudang Sect. In comparison, Liu Sheng was so serious this time, could it be that this foolish "Divine Sword Hero" really had divine sword skills?
Li Er Gou looked at Liu Sheng's sword flashing in the light, and secretly felt a chill run down his spine. He said: "Hey you, you're not really going to kill me? We have no grudges or grievances between us, we were just drinking tea together earlier."
Yuan Sheng didn't wait for him to finish, and suddenly stepped forward, his figure flashing in front of Er Gou. The long sword in his hand was held high, and he shouted: "Kill!" Bai Yi responded with a loud shout, the air around him surging and swirling, and then gathering at the tip of the sword. The "Qiu Zheng" sword was like an untamed dragon breaking free from its chains. From top to bottom, it stabbed down towards Er Gou's head. The sword path was simple and unchanged, but extremely fast and unmatched, with a momentum that could topple a house or overturn a sea, leaving no room for defense or evasion.
As soon as they saw the sword's momentum, the faces of the heroes changed greatly, and each of them took a cold breath, fortunate that the sword was not swung at themselves. The Second Dog was also terrified and lost color, but suddenly a thought flashed through his mind: "When encountering a madly charging pig or cow, one must not dodge or escape, but instead stare into its eyes and advance head-on." He immediately arched his back slightly, ignoring the incoming sword attack, and stared fixedly at Liu Sheng's eyes, rushing forward with his knife to stab at his opponent's chest. This move seemed like a desperate, do-or-die attempt. However, since swords are long and knives are short, Autumn's sword had already fallen outside the circle, whereas the Twin Slashing Knives could engage in close combat and reach their target first, stabbing Liu Sheng one step ahead.
"Good!" exclaimed Liu Sheng, dodging the blade with a sidestep and countering with a horizontal slash to the right, striking Li Er Gou's chest and abdomen. This move seemed like the common "Iron Horizontal River" from traditional martial arts, but with some subtle variations, as if it was executed casually yet effectively. Autumn's sword energy was fierce and powerful, whipping up fallen leaves that swirled around in a frenzy, like butterflies dancing wildly in the wind. Li Er Gou shifted his single knife to his left hand, using the tip of the blade to press against the sword body, and with a swift motion, he deflected Autumn's sword upwards. The force of Autumn's attack was concentrated on the edge of the blade, causing the sword body to float weakly, and in an instant, it was sent flying high into the air, almost escaping Liu Sheng's grasp.
Yagyu swiftly grasped the hilt with both hands, let out a cold snort, and using Inukai's upward momentum, raised the Akazuki sword high into the air. With a sudden burst of speed, he leapt into the sky and shouted "Cut!" The long sword flashed downward, its power majestic and overwhelming, like thunder falling from the heavens; its path beautiful, like a rainbow stretching across the sky. The sharp sword energy spread out in all directions, and even people several meters away felt their skin being cut. The crowd looked at each other in shock, and those who had some knowledge exclaimed: "Kaze no Ichigeki! This is Japan's number one sword technique!"
This "Wind Slashing Sword" has a great origin, and it is the signature move of Japan's sword god, Yagyu Munenori. It is said that in the past, the original number one swordsman, Long Xingyun, traveled the world and fought many battles without meeting his match. However, when he encountered Yagyu Munenori in Eastern Japan, he was defeated by the "Wind Slashing Sword". This news spread to the original place, where several top masters were not convinced and decided to sail to Eastern Japan to challenge Munenori together. When they arrived at sea, they suddenly met a lone Japanese swordsman who was sailing alone. The swordsman laughed maniacally and jumped onto the ship, quickly defeating all the top masters from the original place, and then returned to his small boat and sailed away. The top masters were left feeling ashamed, but later remembered that the swordsman's powerful move was a downward slash in mid-air, which made them think that this must be the legendary "Wind Slashing Sword". As for whether the swordsman was actually Yagyu Munenori, there are many different opinions and no one knows for sure.
At this moment, Ryūsei Masayuki suddenly made a sword move and brought out this exquisite knife method. The group of heroes were all dizzy and worried about the two dogs in secret. But seeing the two dogs standing still, their green clothes fluttering in the wind. At the critical moment, the two dogs' bodies moved quickly, burying their heads and rushing forward fiercely. Autumn's sword suddenly flashed by, rapidly sweeping past just a hair's breadth from the top of the two dogs' heads. The crowd shouted in unison. The two dogs dodged the sword blade, without looking back, and counterattacked with a knife. Ryūsei's body was in mid-air and couldn't dodge, only hearing a "ripping" sound, his pant leg being torn open with a large gash.
"'One slash in the face of the wind' was easily broken by others! Ryūsei drifted down, turned around and looked at Er Gou. A hint of anger and puzzlement between his eyebrows, yet a cold expression revealed a sense of disappointment."
The heroes all thought that Li Er's swordsmanship was unparalleled, and they all expected him to take advantage of his victory and launch a pursuit. Unexpectedly, Li Er saw Ryu Sei stop his hand and also put away his sword, saying: "Let's not fight anymore! I originally wanted to throw down my sword and admit defeat, but you kept chopping and stabbing, leaving me no time to stop." Ryu Sei Masamune said coldly: "Brother Li's swordsmanship is something I've never seen before in my life. At this moment, the outcome is still undecided, how can I let you show weakness and yield?" With a swift swing of his right hand, he thrust his autumn-correcting sword towards Li Er's chest, aiming at several major acupoints, the cold light flashing by, faster than a shooting star.
Li Er Gou saw that he was entangled and unclear, and his heart was also somewhat angry. Suddenly, he saw Liu Sheng's attack this time was strange and different from before. In a flurry, Li Er Gou retreated in surprise, unable to see the opponent's moves, and only swung his single knife wildly. Liu Sheng's Autumn Sword was agile and dynamic, like a spirit snake piercing through the knife forest, pointing directly at Li Er Gou's left chest ribcage. Li Er Gou took a step back, just about to use his knife to press down on the sword body, when he suddenly felt a gust of wind behind his head, and a surge of energy came from behind. Li Er Gou turned around, and indeed, the Autumn Sword was stabbing towards him face-on. His heart shook, thinking that the long sword had just been in front, how did it come from behind? He immediately raised his knife to block, but unexpectedly blocked empty air, and the Autumn Sword vanished without a trace. Li Er Gou hadn't yet regained his senses when he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his cheek, and the fierce sword energy swept towards his side. Li Er Gou turned his head to watch the opponent's sword path, but saw that in front of him was empty space - where was the shadow of the long sword? In a state of panic and confusion, he suddenly felt a chill at his waist, and the Autumn Sword had grazed his skin, instantly tearing a hole in his clothes. Li Er Gou let out a loud cry, gritted his teeth, and wildly swung his knife around like a madman, only to hear a faint "whoosh" sound as his sleeve was torn apart at the wrist.
In an instant, Liu's figure flashed by, gradually getting faster and faster. His long sword had no fixed moves, changing endlessly, each sword strike was not to be underestimated, immediately changing the sword path: either stabbing, chopping, sweeping, or hooking. It was like a sandstorm swirling in, leaving no gap unentered, yet also like a spring river tide surging on ceaselessly. The two dogs were at a loss, feeling that all around them was sword light, and from all eight directions came killing intent, not knowing how to parry. The group of heroes watching saw the two dogs falling into disadvantage, and secretly grew anxious.
After another brief struggle, the sword momentum of Yusheng became more urgent and his figure merged with the sword shadow. The heroes' eyes were dazzled, and they could no longer distinguish between man and sword. Some disciples with shallow cultivation looked dizzy and nauseous, and couldn't help but vomit. Time passed by, Li Er Gou cried out in distress, thinking that this time he would probably be unable to escape his fate, and from now on he would never see Lao Niang again, nor would he ever see Er Niu again...
Random thoughts arose, and the knife technique became more scattered. The two dogs were confused and dizzy, their footsteps staggering and floating, and they accidentally stepped into a small puddle, immediately bending their knees and swaying to one side. Liu Sheng let out a long whistle, and suddenly there was a "zizi" sound, Er Gou's legs, shoulders, and elbows were all cut by the sword. Fortunately, the wound was only half an inch deep, but even so, fresh blood flowed, dyeing half of his shirt collar red.
"Drop your sword and admit defeat!" Ryuusei's eyes gleamed like lightning as he spoke in a low voice. He glanced around, seeing the crowd's extreme disappointment, shaking their heads and sighing. Ryuusei smiled faintly, turning his head to look at Ni-Kou. But he saw that his eyes were dazed, his mouth agape, his expression uncertain, as if thinking of something. A fierce killing intent flashed in Ryuusei's eyes, and he shouted: "If you won't admit defeat, don't blame me for being merciless with my sword!"
As soon as the words were spoken, he drew his sword and thrust it at the two dogs' chests. Liu Sheng thought to himself, "This man is simple-minded, no need to take his life, just leave a scar on his chest to make him retreat." Just as he was thinking this, he saw that the two dogs had no reaction, but instead closed their eyes lightly. The crowd gasped in shock, all thinking that the two dogs were surely dead. Suddenly, a crisp "ting" sound was heard by everyone's ears, and when they looked again, they were all stunned, as if they had seen something unbelievable in this world.
Chapter 8: Fate Decides Success or Failure on the Distant River and Lake, Human Emotions Determine Rise and Fall in the Mundane World.
Only to see the two dogs tightly grasping the Wú Shuāng Bǎo Dāo, the knife tip neither leaning nor inclining, precisely pressing against the sword tip of Qiū Zhèng Jiàn. Both weapons were forceful and sharp, with even a slight deviation would pierce through both bodies. Liǔ Shēng's face turned iron blue, he suddenly flipped back several steps, then swiftly turned around and returned, his sword moving in a slanted direction, stabbing towards èr Gǒu's lower abdomen. Lǐ èr Gǒu still had his eyes tightly closed, his shoulders relaxed and arms at ease, the knife tip once again pressing against the sword tip. Liǔ Shēng's hand grasping the Qiū Zhèng Jiàn was unable to move even a fraction of an inch, the only feasible option being to withdraw his sword and retreat.
Yūshō gritted his teeth, refusing to withdraw his sword, and focused all his attention on the tip of the blade. Ni Kō opened his eyes, smiled, and said: "I've thought of a way to fight you! Can you wait for just a moment?"
Yūki was taken aback, slightly sensing that his opponent's strength had decreased. He also slowly withdrew his energy. The two of them both retreated. Yūki said, "How...?" but before he could finish speaking, the second dog tore off a piece of cloth from its clothes, covered its eyes with it, held its knife and smiled, saying: "You come, let's fight again!"
Everyone was shocked. They thought that the fight between swords was extremely dangerous, and the opponent was a top-notch master. With his eyes closed and fighting with him, wasn't he looking for death? In doubt, someone whispered to discuss, saying that Shen Jian Xia had been beaten by Dong Ying Dog to the point of losing his mind, so he acted crazy.
But Yagyu didn't underestimate his opponent, his eyes fixed tightly on Niten, muttering: "Good, 'Eyes without swords! Hands with knives'. Let's see how it goes!"
Li Er Gou smiled, his expression calm and peaceful, his eyes serene. He stood with a relaxed posture, holding his knife, and said: "Come on." Liu Sheng's eyebrows suddenly furrowed, and he gathered his energy to launch a fierce attack. His sword flashed in the sunlight, swift as a flying arrow leaving its bowstring. Li Er Gou remained calm and composed, his feet steady as a rock. As Liu Sheng's sword approached within a foot of his chest, Li Er Gou slightly raised his wrist, and his knife seemed to come alive, once again meeting the tip of Liu Sheng's sword. The knife was thick and heavy, while the sword was thin and light, so naturally, the force behind it was several times greater. Liu Sheng felt a numbness in his tiger's mouth, and he hastily pushed back several steps, jumping up to strike at Li Er Gou's shoulder. Li Er Gou turned around, his back facing Liu Sheng, and counterattacked with an upward thrust of his knife. The tip of the knife clashed with the sword tip, and the remaining force of the knife was fierce and swift, sweeping towards Liu Sheng's waist. Liu Sheng had no way to defend himself, so in desperation, he grabbed a branch from above his head and swung it open, shouting: "Good! Good! Good! This is indeed the divine and unparalleled knife technique!" He leaped forward, flipping over in mid-air, and struck again with his sword.
Suddenly, the golden spears clashed, the sound of clashing metal echoed incessantly in their ears. The sandy ground flew about and the leaves danced in the air. The surrounding heroes were stunned with their eyes wide open. After Li Er Gou covered his eyes, he surprisingly displayed his divine power again. Everyone was overjoyed and invigorated, discussing animatedly among themselves.
After a while, the fierce battle became more intense, and the figures of the two men flashed back and forth. Yagyu surrounded Inukai, striking from the side, chopping left and right, his sword flashing so fast it was hard to see. But no matter how fiercely he chopped and stabbed, the tip of his sword always met the tip of Inukai's knife, as if there were magnets on the blade. The crowd watched in growing amazement, thinking: "It's not uncommon for the tips of weapons to clash occasionally during a match, but every move is like that? That's impossible! And yet Inukai, with his eyes covered, swung his sword without missing a beat, as if he were possessed by a spirit and could control Yagyu's moves at will.
This knife technique was mysterious and extraordinary to others, but for Li Erdou, it was nothing. Originally, his family had a hard life when he was young, and relying solely on slaughtering pigs could not make ends meet. Therefore, during the day, he helped people slaughter animals, and at night, he went up the mountain to catch wild beasts and birds, selling them for money to supplement his family's expenses. The mountain forest was dense and dark, even during the day it was gloomy, and at night it was pitch black. Li Erdou only had a pig-killing knife on him, which served as both a weapon and a hunting tool. He often hunted in the dark, relying solely on his senses. At first, he wasn't skilled, but after one or two years, he gradually became proficient, and later, even on a pitch-black night without any light, he could use his knife to slash at birds flying rapidly by.
This matter is strange, but if it were just that, Li Er Gou would have found it difficult to master the "Blindfolded Divine Knife". When he was 12 years old, another thing happened, which made his knife skills even more divine: at that time, a little girl from the neighboring family, Er Niu, contracted a cold and coughed day and night. Due to lack of money for medicine, her condition gradually worsened. Li Er Gou and Er Niu had been close like siblings since childhood, and seeing her suffer made him anxious in his heart. He heard that wild honey was effective in treating coughs, so he took his knife and went up the mountain to search for a beehive. Later, although he obtained the honey, he was stung by the bees and had a swollen face. Li Er Gou's temperament was stubborn and determined, and feeling angry in his heart, every night he would go to the mountains to search for beehives, and when he found one, he would wield his knife to attack the dark flying bees, refusing to give up until he obtained the honey.
Three years passed slowly, and countless wild bees died under the knife. Erdog's face was also swollen countless times. Later, he could finally use the tip of the knife to pierce the wild bees with precision. The "not seeing with the eyes, but controlling things with the spirit" knife technique was also unknowingly mastered. After the age of 15, Erdog's skill in slaughtering pigs became more and more refined, enough to support his family, so he rarely went up the mountain to hunt, and the mysterious night knife technique gradually faded away.
At this moment, Ryota's sword flashed like a star, scattering millions of points in the air, just like a swarm of bees flying wildly in the dark night. In front of Ni-Ku, everything was dark, and his mind recalled the scene of hunting and stabbing bees in the past. At this time, he swung his knife with ease, responding to the situation, and his twin knives were sometimes light and agile, sometimes steady and calm, with no deviation from the tip of the sword. Occasionally, when Ryota's offensive momentum decreased slightly, Ni-Ku would seize the opportunity to launch a counterattack, and several times he almost stabbed Ryota's vital parts.
Yagyu's heart was in a flurry. Throughout his life, he had never encountered such an unusual opponent: every time he drew his sword, the tip would be blocked, while his opponent could take advantage of the situation to attack. Wouldn't that mean he only got beaten? Before long, Yagyu had completely fallen into a disadvantageous position. He was worried and anxious, and suddenly shouted loudly, "I'll stake everything!" The sound of clashing steel echoed, with dozens of sparks flying as the blades clashed. Then, Niten's knife floated lightly, poking at Yagyu's throat. Yagyu Munenori ignored it, pouring all his true energy into the tip of his sword and thrusting straight at Niten's left chest.
This sword is a desperate move that disregards one's own life. If it were Yagyu Jubei, his throat would have been pierced first. In the blink of an eye, Yagyu was about to lose his life on the spot, but suddenly Niten Ichi Ryu's knife tip shifted, and with a light touch, he deflected Akira's sword and slid forward. Yagyu saw the flashing knife light in front of him and knew there was no more time to dodge, so he closed his eyes and waited for death, secretly sighing "I am doomed".
Suddenly, his throat felt slightly cool, and then there was no movement. Ryota opened his eyes to take a look, and saw that the knife tip had stopped at his Adam's apple, but hadn't pierced his skin. Li Er Gou slowly put away his knife, pulled down the blindfold with his left hand, and laughed: "You lost, this time you don't have to fight again?"
The crows and sparrows around are silent, the heroes' emotions surge up and down, excitement, agitation, jealousy, heartache, and affection all gather together, for a moment no one knows what to do.
Liu Sheng's gaze drifted, staring blankly at the horizon for a long time before letting out a deep sigh and saying: "The country's martial arts are vast and profound, with countless masters among the people. Even if the orthodox schools have declined, there are still hidden dragons and crouching tigers in the streets and alleys. We islanders are far from being able to compare." He looked deeply at Li Er Gou, then bowed his head and smiled: "Thank you, Brother Li, for teaching me. I've already grasped the realm of 'heart without martial arts, hands without moves'. In fact, any skill must be practical. Only those that can bring benefits to oneself and others are considered ultimate skills. If one harbors evil intentions, such as harming others or seeking personal gain, or if they pursue empty and mysterious paths, then their martial arts will only be like flowers in the mirror, water in the moon, ultimately useless."
Li Erdou smiled foolishly and nodded: "You're absolutely right, I knew these principles, but couldn't express them."
Yagyu Munenori let out a soft sigh, feeling an unprecedented sense of relief in his chest. He sheathed his sword and walked up to Ni Tenichi, saying: "I, Yagyu, will return home immediately and never set foot on this land again. This 'Akiyoshi' sword is useless, so I'll give it to you as a keepsake!" As he handed the long sword over to Ni Tenichi, he turned his head to glance at the surrounding martial arts heroes and said in a low voice: "Ni Tenichi, your name has already spread throughout the martial world after today's battle. In the future, you will inevitably be burdened by your own fame. Those who come to ask for your guidance or challenge you will surely follow one after another; do you know how to respond?"
Li Erdou furrowed his brow, worriedly saying: "Yes, I'm not a martial artist. If I have to fight with people every day, what can I do?" Liu Sheng smiled and said: "I'll teach you a trick, guaranteed that no one will bother you in the future." He whispered a few sentences into Li Erdou's ear, who nodded repeatedly.
Yue said, straightening his body, took two steps back and bowed to Er Gou again. Then he raised his face, facing the clear wind, and laughed loudly: "In the morning I hear the Tao, in the evening I can die!" After finishing speaking, he turned around and floated away. The heroes were intimidated by his momentum, and no one dared to step forward to block him. Only white clothes like smoke, gradually disappeared behind the mountain slope.
Yagyu Munenori returned home and indeed did not practice martial arts again, spending his days chopping firewood and splitting wood, becoming an ordinary woodcutter. Some said he was disheartened by his defeat; some said he had become disillusioned with the world and preferred to live in seclusion in the mountains; others said he had grown tired of fighting and killing, seeking only to distance himself from the conflicts of the martial arts world.
Li Erdou took the "Qiu Zheng Sword" and looked at it left and right, feeling that it was an eyesore. He thought to himself, "This knife is too thin for killing pigs, too long for cutting tofu, and not suitable for chopping firewood or meat. It's simply a piece of scrap iron." He walked back to the tea stall and casually handed the Qiu Zheng Sword over to Tea Doctor. As it happened, Tea Doctor was in need of a sickle to cut pig grass at home, and upon seeing that this strange knife was quite sharp, he gladly accepted it.
At this time, the heroes of the martial arts world also slowly gathered around. Some wanted to make friends with Er Gou, some wanted to probe the truth, and others had ulterior motives, wanting to steal the so-called "Divine Knife Secret Book". Li Er Gou saw the nuns from Emei Sect approaching, just about to return the "Unparalleled Treasure Sword" to them, when suddenly the sound of horseshoes echoed, two fine horses galloping one after the other rushed forward along the road. The first person reined in and shouted loudly: "Li Er Gou! You stinky thief, I'm going to fight you to the death!"
Everyone stared in shock and scattered. The two dogs looked around, only to see the newcomer with arrow sleeves and brocade belt, his eyes dim and his face full of wine fumes, but it was actually "Flying White Dragon" Liu Baifei. Just as the second dog was about to respond, a soft shout came from behind Liu Baifei: "Liu Baifei! How many cups of Huangtang have you drunk? You dare to be so reckless?"
A white horse appeared, and on the saddle was a rider with willow eyebrows and apricot eyes, a pretty face with a hint of anger - it was Su Yuexian. Liu Baifei didn't answer her question, instead using his whip to point at Er Gou: "You mongrel! You've done something good! That night, what did you do to my junior sister?" Er Gou was bewildered, saying "I... I..." Liu Baifei gritted his teeth and said: "Are you still pretending to be crazy? Speak, that day at Huang's residence, you and my junior sister were in the same room at midnight, what did you do?"
Su Yuexian's face turned red with anger and shame, and she said loudly: "If you say anything else, I'll die in front of you! That night, Li Lang didn't do anything." Liu Baifei turned his head around, looking heartbroken, and said: "Sister Su, you call him 'Li Lang'?" Su Yuexian's face turned red again, and she said immediately: "What if I did?!" She then turned to Er Gou and said softly: "Li Lang, why didn't you leave quietly? Last night, Father said you must have gone home already, so he told us to come catch up with you. Hurry up and go back to the capital city with me! My brother is drunk, don't mind him."
Two Dogs shook his head and said, "I won't go back. I don't want to be an official." Su Yuexian spoke warmly, "Don't be stubborn anymore. Your martial arts skills are exceptional, enough to dominate the martial world. Fame, wealth, and nobility are right in front of you, how can you lightly give them up? Hurry up and come back with me!" Liu Baifei's eyes turned red as he shouted, "Master sister, why are you so good to this country bumpkin? If you like him, why don't you like me? In what way am I inferior to that pig-killing mud-legged boy?"
Before chasing the two dogs, Liu Baifei had already drunk a lot of wine, first to drown his sorrows and second to boost his courage. At this moment, the wine was taking effect, and he spoke recklessly, pouring out all the grievances that had been accumulating in his heart for days. The people present couldn't help but laugh at him eating vinegar in public. Su Yuexian's face turned red with anger, and she also said angrily: "You compare to him? If your martial arts skills are only half as good as Li Lang's, I...I..." Liu Baifei shouted loudly: "What then?" Su Yuexian snorted and turned away, saying: "Don't be foolish! Li Lang's martial arts skills are outstanding, and he has the recognition of a nobleman. He will surely rise to prominence in the future. What do you have to compare with him?"
Liu Baifei smiled slyly and said, "Alright! Today I'll have a try with this pig butcher! Let's see who's more powerful." Taking advantage of the momentum from drinking, he swiftly drew out his treasured sword and pointed it at Li Erdou: "Li Erdou! You have your 'Pig Butcher Knife Method', but I've also practiced a set of 'White Dragon Sword Method'! Come on! Let's compare!"
Li Er Gou waved his hand repeatedly and said, "Liu Gongzi, stop comparing, let's just say I'm not your match, okay?" He then turned to Su Yue Xian and said, "Miss Su, please advise Liu Gongzi!" The crowd saw Liu Bai Fei stumbling and staggering, with unsteady footsteps, and thought, "This person's martial arts skills are lowly, compared to Liu Sheng Zheng it's like heaven and earth apart, no wonder Shen Dao Xia didn't deign to cross hands with him." Liu Bai Fei sensed the crowd looking down on him, his anger burning even more fiercely, let out a loud shout: "Country bumpkin, come and take my life!" He charged forward, sword raised high, aiming a fierce slash at Li Er Gou's head.
Two dogs carelessly exchanged blows, and with a flick of his wrist, Liu Bai's sword sliced through the air, missing its mark. He stumbled forward two steps, nearly losing his footing. He used his sword to prop himself up, barely steadying his body, and turned around with a drunken grin: "You dog thing, you still have some tricks up your sleeve! Come on, come on!" Li Er Gou smiled wryly and shook his head. He thought to himself, "Earlier, Liu said I would make a name for myself in the jianghu, and countless people would come looking for trouble with me. Alas, look, one has already arrived." Suddenly, Liu's parting words echoed in his ears, and Li Er Gou had an epiphany: "From now on, who knows how many people will be entangled with me? Why not use the method Liu told me to make Miss Su and the others give up on me?"
For several months, Er Gou has been wandering in the rivers and lakes and official circles, listening to countless false words and seeing many tricks. He has also gained a lot of heart because of this. Although he is still simple and honest, he is far from being the ignorant rural boy he used to be.
At this point, Li Er Gou had made up his mind and took two steps forward, shouting loudly: "Let's compare! Am I afraid of you?" He stabbed straight with his knife. Liu Bai Fei raised his sword to counterattack. However, he was drunk and his hands were weak, so the sword path was crooked and slanted, still half a foot away from Li Er Gou's body. Everyone who saw this covered their mouths and laughed. Suddenly, they saw that Li Er Gou's knife had intersected with Liu Bai Fei's sword, and Liu Bai Fei's long sword suddenly turned and swept towards Li Er Gou's forehead. Li Er Gou seemed to be caught off guard and hastily lowered his head to dodge, exclaiming: "So fierce! Almost chopped off my head!" Liu Bai Fei was dazed and confused, but when he saw Li Er Gou dodging in disarray, he couldn't help but laugh: "Fierce? There's more to come!" He swung his arm and stabbed at Li Er Gou's shoulder again.
Li Er Gou's face turned pale with fright, his horizontal knife clashing with the treasure sword. With a swift movement of his elbow, the peerless knife grazed past Li Er Gou's shoulder, tearing through his clothes with a ripping sound. Li Er Gou cried out in surprise, "Ah!" and frantically parried.
Liu Bai Fei's spirit was greatly lifted, and he laughed loudly, saying: "How's that? Let me show you my self-created 'White Dragon Sword Technique'!" He stabbed at Li Er Gou's eyes with his sword. This one strike seemed to be slightly off target, as if it would veer off from the shoulder.
Li Er Gou held his short knife horizontally and gently pressed down on the sword body. The long sword suddenly dropped, swiftly stabbing towards Li Er Gou's abdomen. Li Er Gou cried out again: "Ah! My belly!" and hastily retreated in disarray.
Liu Bai Fei sneered, saying: "Where can you escape to?" He scattered his sword flowers, pursuing with a fierce killing intent, as if he wanted to chop Li Er Gou into pieces.
Everyone looked more and more surprised. They saw Liu Baifei's flying sword like a butterfly passing through flowers, the sword's momentum was strange and unpredictable, and in an instant it covered Li Er Gou's entire body. At this moment, Liu Baifei was dizzy and confused, every time he stabbed out with his sword, the sword body would be blocked by the knife body. Wudao's double knives either pressed or suppressed, always pulling the long sword towards Li Er Gou's vital parts. Liu Baifei didn't think much of it, still thinking that good fortune had arrived, and the wonderful sword moves came out effortlessly. At this time, Da Jiu was drunk, a precious sword danced like silver waves and snowy ripples, looking very beautiful with its intricate patterns.
Next to Su Yuexian, she was dazzled and infatuated, thinking that her brother's swordsmanship was so wonderful, and the incompetence of the past must have been a deliberate disguise. Suddenly, Liu Baifei's figure became majestic and handsome in Su Yuexian's eyes. When she looked at Li Erdou, his flustered and terrified appearance was so ugly. She was naturally strong-willed and adaptable, but not very intelligent, watching her brother show off, Li Erdou was embarrassed, and the balance in her heart slowly tilted towards Liu Baifei. After a few more moments of fighting, Liu Baifei shouted loudly, his sword flashing, and actually pierced through Li Erdou's collar one after another.
Among the onlookers, there were many skilled fighters, and some who felt a little puzzled. But when they saw Liu Baifei's sword pierce through Er Gou's clothes, with the blade almost entirely passing through flesh, they thought to themselves that the clash of swords was extremely perilous, how could anyone fake it and play with their own life? The doubts in the minds of the heroes gradually dissipated, and they all nodded in secret admiration for Liu Baifei's exquisite swordsmanship, which was rare in the Jianghu.
After dozens of moves, Li Er Gou retreated step by step towards the horse carriage at the tea stall. Suddenly a red light flashed, and Er Gou let out a long mournful cry as a shallow wound was slashed on his left arm by the treasured sword. Liu Bai Fei coldly sneered: "You're just a dog killer, quickly kneel down and die!" Li Er Gou cried out: "I won't come again, I won't come again! I'm not your match, I'm afraid of you! Don't look for me again in the future!" After speaking, he threw down his Wú Shuāng Dāo (peerless knife), covered his head and turned to run. In a few steps, he jumped onto the horse carriage, turned around and shouted at the coachman: "Hurry up! Hurry up!" The coachman had been wanting to make a quick escape, hearing Er Gou's urging, immediately whipped the horses and drove the carriage away in a flash.
Liu Baifei saw Er Gou flee in disarray and couldn't help but throw his head back and laugh loudly. The crowd was amazed by his swordsmanship, which seemed divine, and they all gathered around to ask him questions. After inquiring, it turned out that he was a disciple of "One Sword Shakes Jiangnan". Instantly, everyone showed respect and admiration, saying that heroes emerge from their youth, and he would surely become the leader of the martial arts world one day.
Liu Baifei listened to the crowd's flattering words and felt proud and pleased with himself. His face was filled with smiles. Su Yuexian saw her senior brother being so majestic and couldn't help but feel happy in her heart. While admiring her senior brother, she had already forgotten about Li Er Gou. She lightly moved closer to Liu Baifei, took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, and coquettishly scolded him, saying: "Senior brother, don't fight with people for no reason in the future. Look, you made me worry for half a day!"
At this time, two miles away, Li Erdou was sitting in a horse carriage, bandaging his wound, thinking to himself "Liu's method really works, alas, if I hadn't pretended to lose on purpose, who knows how many people would have bothered me afterwards!" He then thought of Su Yuexian "Actually Miss Su is also very nice, but she's a rich family's daughter, and we're not from the same world. She and Liu Gongzi are quite a match, just like me and Erniang" As soon as he thought of Erniang, he wished he could grow wings and fly back home immediately.
The horse carriage rattled along, and after two days, Er Gou finally returned to the foot of Chenguan Mountain. After paying for the ride, he headed home. As he walked, he thought to himself, "Although I pretended to lose to Liu Gongzi, there must be a master who can see through my weakness. If someone else comes to bother me again, what should I do? It seems that I won't be able to stay in Hangzhou anymore." He originally wouldn't have resorted to deception, and had no confidence in the trick he had set up for himself. Thinking left and right, he secretly thought, "Oh well! If I can't provoke them, then I'll just hide from them! The gold I brought back is enough to use for a lifetime, so I might as well bring my mother and Er Ni along and move to a place where no one else can find us!"
Li Er Gou's heart was filled with thoughts, and before he knew it, he had arrived at his home. He pushed open the door and went in to pay his respects to his mother. The two of them hugged each other and cried, telling each other about their time apart. Li Er Gou looked at his mother, who seemed spirited and healthy, and exclaimed with joy: "Mother! You've fully recovered from your illness!" His mother let out a long sigh, wiping away her tears as she said: "The illness has been cured, but it's been hard on Er Niang! To buy medicine for my treatment, she got up early and worked late, grinding soybeans, making tofu, chopping firewood, washing clothes, and working as a servant for rich families. She didn't just work hard, she also suffered from beatings and scoldings. Occasionally, when she managed to save some money, she would rather go hungry herself than not buy food or clothes for me. Alas, I often think that this good girl must be a fairy maiden sent down to earth!" She pounded her leg as she said: "Er Gou, she's the benefactor of our family! Mother has wronged such a good girl, it's really a shame that I didn't die earlier!" When Li Er Gou heard this, tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't bear to stay any longer. He immediately pushed open the door and rushed out of the house, heading straight for Er Niang's home.
The two houses were only a dozen or so steps apart. Li Er Gou ran to Er Niu's house in the blink of an eye, gently pushing open the door and walking in. He saw Er Niu holding a large bucket of soy milk, about to pour it into a pot to boil. Er Gou stood still, silently gazing at her. After months apart, Er Niu had become even more slender and elegant, but her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her face pale with fatigue, and she looked worn out from the wind and frost. Li Er Gou's eyes stung as he looked at her, his heart aching, and he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. Er Niu heard the noise and turned around, suddenly seeing Er Gou standing in front of her, and immediately spilled the soy milk, staring blankly at him with flashing lights of wild joy in her eyes, taking half a step forward as if to welcome him, but then suddenly stopped, biting her teeth and turning her back on him, refusing to look at him again.
Li Erdou felt guilty and hesitated, saying: "Er Niu, I'm back." Er Niu replied coldly: "What's the point of coming back? Do you still remember to come back?" Li Erdou said: "I remember! Of course, I remember, I think of my mother and you every day!" Er Niu sneered: "Think of me? I'm just a country girl, how can I compare with Miss Qianjin? Did Miss Qianjin kick you out, so now you're thinking of coming back to find me?"
"Are you talking about Miss Su? Don't worry, she and her senior brother Liu Baifei are together now, and she won't come looking for me again." Er Niu was both angry and ashamed, stomping her foot and saying: "Fine! I thought you really missed me, but it turns out that the rich miss didn't want you anymore. Am I a stinky shoe or rotten sock? You want me when you want me, and you discard me when you want to?" Thinking of the hardships she had endured in recent days, she couldn't help but choke with rage, her voice trembling as tears burst forth.
Li Erdou gazed at her slender back and slightly hunched shoulders, that pitiful appearance truly heartbreaking. He was inarticulate, knowing it was hard to explain, and under anxiety, his chest felt hot blood surging, with tears welling up in his eyes, he loudly said: "Er Niu, I'll dig out my heart for you to see!" As he spoke, he lowered his head to search for a knife everywhere. Er Niu coldly snorted: "Don't pretend to be dying here! You're having the time of your life outside, enjoying yourself, when did you ever think about someone else's life or death?" The more she spoke, the angrier she became, turning around and pushing Li Erdou towards the door with both hands, repeatedly saying: "Get out! If you want to die, go die outside!"
The two dogs were in a panic, shaking their paws and saying, "Wait, wait, Er Niu, listen to me!" Er Niu cried, "I won't listen, I won't listen!" She was furious and pushed him hard. In the midst of the tussle, there was a sudden "slap" sound, and something fell out of Er Gou's arms. The two of them froze at the same time, looked down, and saw that it was the shoe sole that Er Niu had made.
Witnessing this, Er Niu's heart was filled with emotion, and the resentment in her belly suddenly dissipated. Li Er Gou picked up the shoe sole and handed it to Er Niu, saying: "This is what you made for me, I've been carrying it with me all along and couldn't bear to wear it." Er Niu's heart was on the verge of shattering, she threw herself into Er Gou's arms and burst into tears, all the grievances in her heart pouring out as tears. Er Gou gently patted her shoulder, remaining silent.
After crying for a long time, Er Niu lifted her face and took a deep breath, wiping away her tears with the hem of Er Gou's clothes. "Er Gou brother, won't you be leaving again this time?" Er Gou said, "I have to leave, I must leave." Suddenly seeing Er Niu's pale face, he hastily added, "Don't worry, I'm talking about going with Mother and you, we'll go together!" He then explained his plan to live in seclusion. His words were not fluent, and he stuttered for half a day before saying, "From now on, Er Niu, we'll live together and never be apart again, okay?" Er Niu nodded her head with a red face. Li Er Gou was overjoyed, rubbing his head in delight, unable to close his mouth. Er Niu smiled brightly, pulled out a shoe sole, and playfully slapped him on the back of the head, softly saying, "Silly!"
From young to old, whether happy or annoyed, as long as she felt like it, Er Niu would use the sole of her shoe to slap Li Er Gou's forehead. Over time, she gradually mastered a skill known as "Sole God Technique". Although Li Er Gou had defeated many skilled martial artists, he probably wouldn't be able to avoid Er Niu's shoe sole for his entire life.
After Liu Baifei defeated Shen Jian, he immediately gained a great reputation. In the Jianghu, whenever someone mentioned "Feitian Bailong", they would be deeply impressed. Soon after, news spread that Su Yuexian, the eldest daughter of the Su family in Jiangnan, was going to marry Liu Baifei, and invited all the martial artists to gather in Hangzhou for the wedding ceremony. All the sects in the martial arts world were overjoyed and went to celebrate, and the grand occasion of the celebration banquet is self-evident. However, during the gathering, people discussed and speculated that the once powerful Xiangyang Bang had suddenly disbanded, the Guandong Yiyitang had disappeared, and Shen Jian's whereabouts were unknown. From now on, all sects should return to their hearts and be led by Su Jian'nan, a respected and prestigious figure, in order to maintain long-term peace in Jianghu.
After several years, Su Jianan died of old age. Liu Baifei inherited his mantle and changed the name to "One Sword Shakes the World". From then on, his reputation grew day by day, and all the martial arts schools looked up to him with admiration. But the name of the Divine Knife Hero Li Er Gou was gradually forgotten by people. Later generations who heard about this matter couldn't help but sigh and write a few sentences of common sayings to express their feelings:
Jade palace heavenly gate opens in sequence, mixed gold and jade buried in the earth. Don't say muddy water flows into Dragon Pool, why talk about clear wind from Penglai.
The sword strikes the water and breaks through the empty moon. The knife chops down the sandalwood to get real material. Swallows and sparrows have no heroic ambitions all their lives, laughing at the smoke and rain of the Phoenix Platform.
(The book is finished)
The word "Zhu" is homophonous with "pig", and the two dogs were talking about killing pigs in front of Emperor Zhu, which was actually a serious taboo. However, Zhu Yuanzhang came from a humble background and knew that people from lower social classes didn't have the consciousness to avoid taboos. Ignorance is not a crime, and perhaps this was one aspect where the founding emperor showed wisdom. If it were scholars who spoke like this, they would probably already be in exile.
