Chapter 123

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 123: The Great Defeat

The strategist didn’t seem embarrassed at having his trick exposed. He just shook his head and said: “Ah, truly, you cannot speak of ice to a summer insect. Time is so precious, yet you waste it like this and look down on our integrity. You greatly underestimate our character, the bandit lords of this new era. But fine, since you’ve come a long way to generously deliver supplies to us, we’ll make an exception and listen to you this time.”

He then circled his horse over to the First Chief and whispered something in his ear. After the First Chief nodded, the strategist spoke again: “Since it’s decided, who will you send for the first match? Will it be this big fellow?”

Shi Niu’s eyes flared with anger as he prepared to step forward, but Great Aunt Qin called him back.

Puzzled, Shi Niu returned to the carriage, and Ou Yan said: “Shi Niu, there’s no need to get upset. We’re just having some fun, after all. Do you think any of these bandits could defeat you or Great Aunt Qin? But we should be wary of their tricks. Let He Tianshu test the waters first.”

Shi Niu was taken aback and said: “He Tianshu? Can he handle it?”

Great Aunt Qin smiled and said: “Though He Tianshu isn’t one of our top disciples, he’s still at the captain level and stronger than most of the others. It’s just right for him to step forward. I doubt there are any in this wilderness who can defeat him. Even if he loses, we have nothing to worry about. Isn’t it clear that none of those three are likely to be your match?”

Shi Niu, not one to overthink such matters, said: “You’re the ones making the decisions on this journey. If you think it’s fine, then it’s fine by me.”

Then, Great Aunt Qin called He Tianshu over to the carriage and gave him some instructions. He Tianshu had already anticipated that he might be called upon, and as one of the top three fighters among the villa’s group, he felt a small surge of pride.

When He Tianshu, sword in hand, arrived at the front line, he addressed the strategist on horseback: “My surname is He. I’ve come to seek your guidance. Who will step down and give me some guidance?”

The strategist looked He Tianshu up and down, smiling as he said: “This gentleman has a commanding presence. He must be a skilled fighter. We will naturally treat this seriously. Please wait a moment.”

Then, the strategist cupped his hands towards a man beside him and said: “I request our Second Chief to step forward and show them your skill.”

The Second Chief said nothing, took up his saber, dismounted with a swing of his leg, and walked up to He Tianshu. He positioned himself and said: “Please.”

Seeing that his opponent was ready to fight, He Tianshu no longer held back and used a sword technique to thrust at the man with his sword. Thus, the two began to exchange blows, matching move for move.

Although He Tianshu started cautiously, deep down, he was somewhat dismissive. As a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect, he had always been proud. While he wasn’t one of the core disciples of the sect, he had confidence and didn’t believe that this bandit would be a match for him.

However, after a few exchanges, he realized that his opponent wasn’t as weak as he had imagined. The man’s attacks and defenses were well-executed, and he fought with ease. He Tianshu immediately collected his thoughts and took the fight more seriously. His sword moves came faster and more fiercely, striking at the Second Chief from all angles. But the Second Chief, noticing He Tianshu’s change in tactics, merely smiled and expanded his swordplay, using offense as defense, leaving He Tianshu without an advantage.

The people of Huanxi Villa had initially shared He Tianshu’s confidence, but as they saw that he wasn’t gaining the upper hand, they began to feel anxious. Upon closer observation of the bandit’s swordsmanship, they were even more astonished.

Ou Yan furrowed her brow and said to Great Aunt Qin: “Sister Qin, when did such experts emerge from the wilderness? Could it be that martial arts across the Jianghu have greatly improved in the past few days? Our Piaomiao Sect disciples can’t even take down a mere bandit. Has the sun risen in the west today?”

Great Aunt Qin was just as confused and said: “Villa Owner, you’re right. It does seem that way. Judging by the situation, this bandit is no weaker than He Tianshu. How could someone with such skill end up as a bandit? It’s truly puzzling.”

As the old saying goes, “The unskilled watch the excitement, while the skilled watch the technique”. While the others were filled with concern, only Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled. Why?

Since the fight began, Zhang Xiaohua had been silently wondering: “What is Captain He doing? Why is he just playing with him? Against that move, if he used the third variation of the sword technique that Elder Yu taught, wouldn’t he be able to pierce through his side? And look at that move! He’s already swinging his blade forward. If Captain He used the tenth variation of the sword technique, wouldn’t he be able to slip into his opponent’s chest and injure him with a single thrust? Ugh, and with this move, just use the first variation! It’s so simple. Hmm, maybe Captain He is just playing with him.”

In truth, it’s easy for someone like Zhang Xiaohua, an armchair master, to observe and analyze from the sidelines. However, if he were to actually face an opponent, one swing of a blade would leave him bewildered, let alone recall any specific techniques. As the saying goes, “the bystander sees more of the game”. When you’re in the thick of a fight, where your life is constantly on the line, how can you have the time to leisurely observe your opponent’s tactics?

Of course, Zhang Xiaohua’s ability to notice these flaws is largely due to the fact that the sword techniques taught by Elder Yu were indeed top-notch, specifically designed for life-and-death situations.

While Zhang Xiaohua was silently critiquing the fight, the situation in the field began to change. Seeing that he couldn’t gain the upper hand after so long, He Tianshu grew frustrated and felt his honor was at stake. He expanded his stance and launched into a secret sword technique of the Piaomiao Sect. As soon as this set of moves was unleashed, the Second Chief started to struggle, barely managing to block and fend off the attacks, gradually being pushed back. But after retreating for a while, the Second Chief’s swordplay suddenly shifted. He abandoned his previous wide, sweeping style and, like He Tianshu earlier, began to move more agilely, with his blade taking on a more unpredictable and subtle quality. In no time, he regained his footing.

The two continued to fight like this for quite some time without a clear winner. The people from Huanxi Villa began to relax slightly, though Ou Yan and Great Aunt Qin remained uncertain, unsure of the bandit’s true background.

At this moment, the strategist called out: “Stop, stop!”

The Second Chief, upon hearing this, knocked away He Tianshu’s sword with his saber and then swiftly retreated from the ring, silently looking toward the strategist. Seeing his opponent retreat, He Tianshu did not pursue but maintained a defensive posture, wary of any potential tricks.

The strategist then spoke loudly: “This brother’s martial skills are truly exceptional, able to match our Second Chief blow for blow. It’s quite unexpected. However, with such evenly matched opponents, continuing to fight would only waste time. How about we call this round a draw?”

He Tianshu, unsure of what to make of this, glanced back at Great Aunt Qin.

Great Aunt Qin, having observed the fight from the side, could see clearly that the opponent was indeed as skilled as He Tianshu. Since the suggestion of a draw was favorable to their side, she called out: “Very well! The strategist is straightforward, so let’s agree to that. We’ll take a short rest and then prepare for the second round.”

He Tianshu sheathed his sword and walked back to the carriage, while the Second Chief remounted his horse and returned to his side.

As He Tianshu approached, Great Aunt Qin asked in a low voice: “Captain He, what do you think of the opponent’s skills?”

He Tianshu, slightly embarrassed, replied: “This person is formidable. Even after fighting for so long, he still seemed to have more to give. He might have hidden reserves of strength. It’s hard to understand where these bandits come from. It’s truly perplexing. Hall Master Qin, I have failed to meet expectations by not winning this round. I am ashamed.”

Great Aunt Qin smiled and said: “Captain He, there’s no need to feel bad. This is all just for fun. The fact that you returned without any injury is already commendable. Don’t dwell on it. There’s always someone better out there. The Jianghu is full of extraordinary individuals, so there’s no need to belittle yourself.”

After a while, the strategist shouted loudly: “On the other side, have you finished your discussion? How about we start the second match now?”

Great Aunt Qin looked at Shi Niu and asked: “Are you going up this time, or should I?”

Before Shi Niu could respond, Ou Yan, who was standing beside them, said: “Shi Niu, you should go. Great Aunt Qin doesn’t like fighting in front of others. If you win, we’ll have the upper hand, and at worst, it will be a draw. We can then forfeit the third match and see what this group of bandits plans to do next.”

Shi Niu nodded upon hearing this and steadily walked forward.

The strategist noticed Shi Niu stepping forward and smiled quietly. He then said to the leader: “Chief, it’s your turn now. Show them your heroic prowess in battle.”

The First Chief chuckled, dismounted, and, holding his saber, walked towards Shi Niu.

As he approached, although the Fist Chief was not short, he still stood half a head lower than Shi Niu. He slightly raised his head, looking at Shi Niu’s silent gaze, and said with a smile: “This Brother, my surname is Gao. May I know your name?”

Shi Niu shook his head without speaking. The First Chief didn’t press the matter and said: “Well then, please make your move. Huh, are you not using a weapon?”

Shi Niu heard this and still shook his head, saying: “My fists are my weapons, so just take care of yourself.”

The First Chief squinted and said: “Since that’s the case, I won’t hold back.”

With that, he swung his saber straight at Shi Niu’s head. Seeing the ferocity of the attack, Shi Niu didn’t panic. He slightly shifted his body to avoid the blade and then punched towards the back of the saber. The First Chief wasn’t about to let him succeed, with a twist of his wrist, the move changed, and the blade slashed towards Shi Niu’s wrist.

Although Shi Niu had a rough demeanor, it didn’t mean he was foolish. His mighty Great Strength Varja Fist might not be afraid of weapons now, but who knew if the opponent’s saber was a rare and powerful weapon? Getting injured due to carelessness would be an insult to Shi Niu’s decades of experience in the Jianghu.

Shi Niu quickly changed his move, avoiding the blade, and struck his palm towards the First Chief’s chest. The Chief, unable to dodge in time, clenched his left fist and struck directly at Shi Niu’s palm. Thus, after just a few exchanges, the two of them made direct contact, fist against palm.

The result of this seemingly simple clash, however, was completely unexpected.

When the Chief’s fist hit Shi Niu’s palm, it was just like what happened between Zhang Xiaohua and Yu Deyi that day, he was immediately sent flying at an angle, and while still in mid-air, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Unlike Zhang Xiaohua, the Chief didn’t pass out on the spot. Instead, he quickly walked to his horse, mounted it, and signaled to the strategist with a wave. The strategist shouted: “Retreat~~”

Following this, the Second Chief, the Third Chief who hadn’t fought yet, and the remaining men all scattered like a chaotic tide, disappearing into the forest in the blink of an eye.

This left the people of Huanxi Villa standing there, looking at each other in bewilderment. They stared at the empty space in front of them, where just a moment ago, many fierce bandits were threatening to rob them, even proposing a formal three-round competition. Now, not a single one of them remained as if nothing had ever happened.

After a moment, everyone cheered in unison, as if they had just experienced a life-and-death battle. However, Shi Niu didn’t seem overly pleased. He raised his hand, looked it over, then turned around and walked back, his face expressionless, seemingly indifferent to his victory. When Shi Niu returned to the carriage, Great Aunt Qin asked with concern: “Shi Niu, did that man use any tricks?”

Shi Niu shook his head and replied: “No, but judging by his saber technique, it seems quite advanced. So why was his internal energy so weak? Although my Great Strength Varja Fist is powerful enough to injure bones and tendons, it should be resisted if someone possesses profound internal energy skills. From what I can tell, he hasn’t mastered any advanced internal techniques, likely just some very common martial arts from the martial world.”

Great Aunt Qin nodded and said: “It seems that the First Chief and the Second Chief have similar levels of martial skill. The Second Chief could barely hold his own against He Tianshu, so it’s understandable that he was no match for you. It’s possible that one strike from you could send him flying. However, I still find this group of bandits rather odd. They set up this three-round challenge, but then it all ended so anticlimactic. It’s quite strange.”

Qiu Tong, speaking quietly from the side, said: “Maybe they saw Senior Brother Shi’s martial skills and realized they were no match for us, so they got scared and ran off.”

Ou Yan smiled and added: “That’s probably the case, as Qiu Tong said. You’ve been traveling the Jianghu for so long, so you’re used to overthinking things. But sometimes, looking at it simply, they were just a group of overconfident bandits. At first, they tried an empty fort strategy to intimidate us, and then all of them charged out to see our reaction. If we had backed down, they would have attacked in full force. But when they saw we were ready to fight back, they resorted to trickery and challenged us. Once they saw our strength, they immediately fled, like a pack of frightened dogs.”

Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing this, suddenly understanding. Although Great Aunt Qin still had some doubts, the danger had passed, and there was no point in saying more, so she kept quiet.

Even though the bandits had retreated, they still had to pass through the forest. To prevent any ambushes, He Tianshu and a few disciples went ahead using their lightness techniques to scout the forest. Although the forest wasn’t large, it wasn’t small either. After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they returned safely, reporting that the forest was indeed empty, with no trace of anyone.

Only then did the group pack up again. The disciples got off the carriage, weapons in hand, and proceeded on foot. They continued cautiously until the carriage slowly passed through the forest without encountering any ambush, confirming that the bandits had truly fled. Afterward, everyone got back on the carriage, and they sped away.

Not far from the forest, in a nearby valley, the bandits had dismounted and were sitting cross-legged on the grass. The strategist smiled at the chief and said: “Old Zhao, how did I do in my role as the strategist?”

Old Zhao smiled and said: “Very well, you truly live up to the name of a genius. This performance is something we all can’t match. Unlike Old Hong, who always looks like a corpse and doesn’t dare to speak a word, fearing he might reveal something.”

The third chief retorted gruffly: “I wasn’t here to act. Fighting and killing are fine, but asking me to pretend to be a bandit isn’t something easy. Since you insisted, I had no choice but to remain silent.”

The second chief remarked: “The disciples from the Piaomiao Sect are indeed impressive. The one I fought earlier, surnamed He, though not well-known, had such excellent swordsmanship that I almost had to use my ultimate move. Thankfully, Scholar Qi intervened in time, so I didn’t reveal my true abilities.”

Scholar Qi said: “I knew Brother Ma wouldn’t accept defeat easily. We agreed beforehand to gauge their strength. Losing doesn’t matter, why should Brother Ma take it seriously? But Old Zhao, is Shi Niu really so powerful that he can make you spit blood with a single palm strike?”

Old Zhao looked at the concerned faces and smiled mysteriously: “Do you really think Shi Niu could hurt me? If that’s the case, our little act has been a huge success. According to reliable information, Shi Niu is the strongest among their group. If he truly went all out, the outcome might not be decided even after a hundred moves. However, if he thought he could make me spit blood with just one strike, then he’s dreaming. I merely bit my tongue and spat out a little blood.”

The group then understood and collectively gave a thumbs-up.

Scholar Qi continued: “Among this group, apart from Shi Niu, whose martial skills are the highest, we now have a good understanding of their capabilities. Next is Great Aunt Qin, according to intelligence, her abilities have been refined over the years but should not be too different from what we already know.”

Old Zhao narrowed his eyes and said: “The Lord has mentioned not to probe too deeply. This woman has always been cunning, and we should be wary of her spotting any flaws. Her skills have improved, but she is far from matching Shi Niu. Don’t worry about her. However, the one surnamed He is tricky. Although his martial skills aren’t very high, he can still restrain one of our good hands. This means our manpower might be insufficient. The other disciples are likely of similar strength, and our own men can handle them. Scholar Qi, what do you suggest? Should we wait for the Lord to send reinforcements, or…?”

Scholar Qi smiled and said: “There’s no need to worry about this. The Lord has his own arrangements. Our actions must be flawless and decisive, with no room for escape. If even a single person gets away and the Piaomiao Sect’s Ou Peng finds out, it could be a serious problem. Their strength is indeed limited, and the Lord has countless ways to handle them. It’s just a matter of being meticulous to avoid any mistakes. For now, you all should rest up and wait for the next steps from the Lord.”

The group fell silent and settled down.

Scholar Qi then went to a secluded spot, took out paper and brush, and wrote something on a note. He then called over a man dressed in brocade, handed him the note, and whispered some instructions into his ear before sending him on his way. The brocade-clad man untied his horse from a tree, mounted, and rode off swiftly in a specific direction, quickly vanishing from sight, demonstrating his impressive horsemanship.