Death Sutra

Chapter 706: Floating Leaf

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Doctor Sun thought that things were not actually going that well. He had realized earlier that the rules of Jianghu were actually in his best interest. Spouting off bitter words, demonstrating a unique skill, and then sparing the loser’s life. Under this framework, any and all hatred could be resolved. The key of it all was that innocents wouldn’t be harmed.

And in this situation, Doctor Sun felt that he was an innocent. It was already unfortunate enough that he was being hunted by the Waning Moon Hall. But if there were injuries or deaths resulting from today’s duel, it escalate into a series of killings that he would inevitably be implicated in.

“Ahem, it wouldn’t hurt the Dragon King too much if he admitted defeat once in a while, would it? After all, the other side is all from the Central Plains…”

Long Fanyun and Red Bat looked at him incredulously, and only Shangguan Fei nodded scoundrously. “Doctor Sun is right, but that won’t happen no matter how hard we think about it. The Dragon King doesn’t know about these rules and this kind of thing also can not be openly said.”

“I have a way… Well, forget it. The Dragon King may be able to defeat the Warp and Weft Staff Technique.”

As he spoke, the scene on the field changed once again. The two disciples of the Qingcheng Sect had also initiated their unique skill.

The reason why Deng Yuanlei had invited the son of the sect leader to join the fight was obviously not to risk his life. Like the brother and sister of the Tu family, these two of the Qingcheng Sect also had a seamless sword formation.

“What an amazing staff technique of the Kongdong Sect. It really deserves its reputation of being able to seal the heavens.” Deng Yuanlei kept jumping up and down while talking, apparently still at ease and not struggling at all. The members of the Kongdong Sect were also impressed by his kung fu skills.

“Eight Paces Jumping: the lightness skill of the Qingcheng Sect is really eye-opening,” said Dog Butcher casually, not even looking up at them. Tu Pianpian remained in high spirits and said nothing.

Doctor Sun and Shangguan Fei exchanged a glance and nodded at the same time. Fan Yongda had told the truth. The two famous sects of the Central Plains were already praising each other and searching for a way to save face. Sooner or later they would reach a stage of mutual sympathy and then laugh off the bitter words of fighting to the death.

The problem was that the Dragon King didn’t understand or play by these rules. After he was trapped within the Qi formation, he had still managed to carve out a small space for himself with his narrow saber. But from almost everyone else’s point of view, he was obviously at a disadvantage and his saber moves were not swift and fierce at all, unlike what the legends had described.

Only the brother and sister of the Tu family knew how hard it was to perform such sabersmanship while besieged by the Warp and Weft Staff Technique. The Dragon King’s kung fu was really beyond their imagination. “The Dragon King’s saber technique really is unparalleled in the Western Regions,” commented Tu Gou (Dog Butcher), who had just praised the Qingcheng Sect.

Upon hearing this, Doctor Sun was very pleased. If the Dragon King was willing to reply…

But Gu Shenwei didn’t say a word. Instead, he took the chance to increase his saber speed and enlarge the safe space around him. This was not only against the unspoken rules but also a provocation. Doctor Sun couldn’t help but sigh.

To his disappointment, Shangguan Ru also didn’t say anything. “The daughter of Unique King,” muttered Doctor Sun. No matter how much she didn’t want to kill, or how much she longed for a rule-bound martial arts world, there was no way she had grasped the subtle hidden rules all on her own. He had stayed in the Central Plains for more than five years but if Fan Yongda hadn’t spoken up, he would still be in the dark.

“We’ll be executing the Harmonious Sword of Wisdom of our sect. Please enlighten us, Sister Tu and Brother Dog Butcher,” Deng Yuanlei announced loudly. Before his voice faded away, the move had already been launched.

Deng Yuanlei and Liu Fangsheng jumped up at the same time while their bodies were upside down and threw out their swords. As soon as the swords left their hands, they swapped positions, pushed the other’s sword hilt with their internal Qi, and dashed into the Qi formation created by the Warp and Weft Staff Technique, seemingly unstoppable.

The whooshing noise of the two long swords sounded like a long-rumbling thunderbolt, and it looked like a lightning bolt thrusting into the Warp and Weft battle formation. Dog Butcher and Tu Pianpian couldn’t help but retreat two steps. Although their formation had not been destroyed, its power was somewhat diminished.

The disciples of the Qingcheng Sect cheered.

But to Gu Shenwei, this was no different from another disaster.

The Harmonious Sword of Wisdom was a sword technique that had to be performed by two people working together. Without holding the sword hilt, the performers had to constantly change positions so that they pushed the swords with their internal Qi, continuously adding more strength with each push. The timing had to be perfect, which required the performers to have a mutual understanding and work together harmoniously; because of this, it was called the ‘Harmonious Sword.’ With the propulsion from the continuous waves of internal Qi, the two swords would move automatically like an immortal’s magic weapons. Right now, the swords were flying around so fast that the afterimages made it seem like dozens of swords were rapidly revolving around the two.

The pressure from the Warp and Weft Staff Technique had decreased a bit, but the threat of the Harmonious Sword of Wisdom increased the overall danger level dramatically. Although the two sets of martial arts skills were adversely affecting each other, they acted like grindstones slowly shaving away at the Dragon King stuck in the middle.

Gu Shenwei didn’t draw his sword because he couldn’t. Losing focus for even a moment would cause him to be crushed by the unique skills of the two famous sects.

This time even Long Fanyun and Shangguan Fei’s face changed, but the one who spoke up first was Red Bat. “Doctor, you just said that there’s a way…”

Doctor Sun had actually been waiting for this. According to the ‘rules’ of Jianghu, he should have tested her several more times and then acted only after also gaining Long Fanyun and Shangguan Fei’s approval. But he really couldn’t afford to wait any longer, so he said in a loud voice, “Listen to me, everyone.”

None of the six people on the field had any intentions of stopping, so Doctor Sun could only continue speaking. “I, Sun Zhihao of the Western Regions, am a free man. I am not a member of any sect nor am I anyone’s subordinate. Thank you all very much for valuing and protecting a humble person like I am. May I be so bold as to suggest that we should turn hostility into friendship as I’m willing to give away all of my secret methods regarding the antidote production method!”

Doctor Sun thought that his words were very appropriate, especially as he stressed that he was not a subordinate of the Dragon King so it didn’t mean that the Dragon King had lost. But there was no response after he finished his speech. The six people on the field were still busy engaging in their fight and the disciples of the two sects were watching with rapt attention.

It was like a pebble being dropped in the sea; nobody noticed him. Doctor Sun felt extremely embarrassed, especially when Fan Yongda of the Kongdong Sect slightly shook his head to show that the words had not been well said.

Grabbing at his small bun of hair, Doctor Sun didn’t know what was wrong. The Jianghu rules of the Central Plains were extensive and profound, and it seemed that he still hadn’t fully understood them.

Although Shangguan Fei still needed Doctor Sun’s help, he couldn’t help but say, “Doctor Sun, you are the stakes. Whoever wins will have the right to own you. Why would they listen to your advice of ‘turning hostility into friendship’?”

So, it turned out that this was Doctor Sun’s ‘way.’ Long Fanyun and Red Bat couldn’t help but shake their heads in disappointment.

Doctor Sun badly needed something to distract everyone’s attention right now, so he pointed at the field and said, “Tenth Gongzi is going to make a move, but her timing is not very good.”

Shangguan Ru didn’t have too much of a choice. Although the internal energy she had obtained from Fayan was very powerful, it would take her a long time for her to convert it all into her own. Right now she could only use fifty or sixty percent of it, and even before the Qingcheng Sect had used the Harmonious Sword of Wisdom, she couldn’t break through the Warp and Weft Staff Technique’s Qi formation.

Martial arts skills, after all, were created to kill people, and there was no essential difference between a person dying in a single blow and dying from being struck in an acupoint before being killed by another person.

But martial arts skills could also be used to save people, and the method was the same as the one used to kill people. But Shangguan Ru didn’t think this deeply. She only cared about one thing. She had to keep her promise and protect the Dragon King’s back.

By taking advantage of a moment of weakness in the staff technique, Shangguan Ru rushed inside like a rolled up leaf blown by the wind, uncontrollably throwing herself into the even fiercer dual swords of the Qingcheng Sect.

“Ah!” Red Bat and Shangguan Fei exclaimed at the same time.

Fan Yongda’s introduction of the Jianghu rules of the Central Plains was a bit exaggerated because it didn’t work like that every time. Whether it was intentional or not, deaths and injuries still frequently occurred. And like the people of the Western Regions, the surrounding disciples were also thirsty and lustful for blood and murder.

Everyone clenched their fists and stared at the girl in the whirlpool, expectantly waiting for the first blood of the duel to be spilt.

The wait turned out to be a bit longer than they expected. Shangguan Ru was like a leaf in the wind, a small boat in the turbulent sea, floating and swinging through the air, but refusing to land. Each moment seemed to be the end for her, but she was always able to avoid the enemy’s attacks at the critical moments.

All the onlookers watched with hanging hearts and conflicting feelings, wanting to see bloodshed sooner, but also hoping that this girl could hold on for a bit longer.

Red Bat’s fingernails were digging deep in Long Fanyun’s skin but he didn’t seem to notice at all. Shangguan Fei, who had forgotten to be jealous, kept muttering ‘sister’ in his mouth as if that would help her survive.

“Good lightness skills, I underestimated you just now,” Dog Butcher suddenly praised loudly.

His words showed that Shangguan Ru was not in danger for the time being. The audience could finally relax a bit.

“Subtle Shadow Lightness Skill, it’s the unique lightness skill that Old Man Mu taught my sister,” Shangguan Fei proudly announced.

After he heard this, Dog Butcher couldn’t help but turn somber. He had once fought against Old Man Mu for a whole day and a night; he had used all of his skills but still lost to one move, and he hadn’t even seen the other side use this lightness skill. Old Man Mu’s martial arts skills, after all, were better than his.

Tu Pianpian knew her brother’s thoughts very well so she snapped, “Get your head out of the clouds! Let’s win this fight first.”

Shangguan Ru was becoming more adept at using the Subtle Shadow Lightness Skill than before. Her movements were swifter and more elegant, so much so that it surprised even she herself. There were many points of time when she felt like she had used up all her power, but there always seemed to be a bit more internal energy she squeeze out.

Shangguan Ru was actually converting the internal energy that Fayan had transferred to her. It might have normally taken her a few months to fully absorb it, but now, with the pressure from the external forces, that time was being rapidly shortened.

Little by little, she built up a small advantage until she was no longer caught in the chaotic Qi of the swords and staffs and could actually occasionally fight back a bit.

This was a small change but it was the key to turning things around.

Gu Shenwei suddenly felt much less pressured but he had changed his mind by this point. Instead of drawing his sword, he lowered his speed and used the sabersmanship of the Gu family.

During his competition with Silver Condor, he had already realized that his family’s saber techniques contained deep intricacies and subtle moves, making it better than both the Golden Roc Sabersmanship and the Death Sutra Swordsmanship in a face-to-face competition.

In the eyes of outsiders, however, the Dragon King’s saber was as slowas ever and he seemed to be purely relying on Shangguan Ru’s support to stay afloat.

Shangguan Ru had already fought her way through the internal Qi which was present everywhere in the field. She moved so quickly that it looked like there were countless figures behind the Dragon King.

“What’s wrong with the Dragon King?” Shangguan Fei was worried, wondering if the Dragon King was suffering through Qi deviation again.

“The sabersmanship of the Gu family?” exclaimed Dog Butcher and the other three. They didn’t know much about the Dragon King but they all recognized this saber technique.

“What’s your relationship with Marshal Yang?” Deng Yuanlei questioned loudly while not relaxing his hands, as he was still frequently changing positions with Liu Fangsheng to control the swords in turn.

Gu Shenwei wasn’t surprised. The people of the Gu family used to be officials of the Central Plains and didn’t have much fame in the martial arts world, but Marshal Yang and Yang Zheng were real wanderers of Jianghu.

He didn’t answer. He would rather act with his hands than speak with his mouth. This had always been his principle. Besides, he had already found a way to turn defeat into victory, though it depended on whether Shangguan Ru was cooperating or not.

Suddenly, Gu Shenwei rushed into the sword formation of the Qingcheng Sect and collided into the swords with his saber, plunging himself into the core and almost engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Deng Yuanlei and Liu Fangsheng.

Shangguan Ru immediately understood the Dragon King’s intention and her heart trembled. If she acted according to his plan, then four more people would die under the Dragon King’s saber.

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