Liu Yiqing was startled, but he did not fly into a rage because of Ning Que's words. Instead, his eyes showed that he had expected it. He calmly explained, "I have been sitting on the futon these days. Although I didn't mean to, it always affected the cleaning of the Academy. So I tried to do it myself. But I am familiar with it, so I don't admire it."
Ning Que did not expect that the other party would not be angry. He was surprised and naturally became vigilant, but he did not show it in his expression or words. He smiled and said, "I'm more used to using a broom."
Liu Yiqing smiled mockingly, thinking that they were going to start bickering again. It seemed that Ning Que was indeed as rumored. He would never miss any opportunity to disturb his opponent's mood.
However, just as he was about to reply, Ning Que suddenly stopped smiling. He brushed the front of his Academy uniform with his left hand and put his right hand in the air in front of him. He said calmly and attentively, "Please."
His posture was very imposing, and the calm and focused expression on his face, coupled with the extremely concise word 'please', immediately attracted a round of cheers from the crowd.
The sudden change in the atmosphere made Liu Yiqing squint his eyes.
According to the cultivation world's description of Mr. Thirteen of the Academy, Ning Que, he was a ruthless and decisive person, but he was used to talking nonsense and bickering like a child.
The Judicial Department of the West-Hill Divine Palace had once commented that all the nonsense, bickering, and childish impulsiveness were just Ning Que's tricks to disturb his opponent's state of mind.
Liu Yiqing thought that he had a deep understanding of Ning Que's temperament. That was why when Ning Que said those mocking words that were enough to make many people lose their minds and even vomit blood, he could stay calm. He was even prepared to talk to this person for a long time under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
However, he did not expect that the other party would be so direct and simple today.
Could it be that he really had some kind of fortuitous encounter after cultivating in seclusion in the cave for three months?
Liu Yiqing glanced at Ning Que warily and turned to walk to the center of the clean and dustless ground. As he stepped forward, his emotions gradually returned to the initial absolute calmness.
Ning Que also walked to the field and waited quietly.
Everyone's gaze shifted from the Academy's side door to the green brick floor as the two walked.
When no one noticed her, Sangsang walked out from the side door.
Perhaps because of Tang Xiaotang's identity as a member of the Devil's Doctrine, Chen Pipi and her did not appear.
…
…
Liu Yiqing raised his left hand. His slender, muddy palm held an ordinary-looking cyan-steel sword.
He raised his sword and looked at Ning Que, saying emotionlessly, "I know your most powerful weapon is the arrow. I will still use the sword."
Sangsang stood under the green tree at the edge of the field and listened to his words. She untied the heavy luggage on her back and put the big black umbrella aside. She found the dark iron arrow box and was ready to give it to Ning Que as soon as he spoke.
Ning Que did not speak.
He looked at the ordinary cyan-steel sword in Liu Yiqing's left hand and slowly raised his eyebrows.
Because he recognized this sword.
Two years ago, when he came to Chang 'an from the City of Wei, he and Sangsang rented a shop on Lin 47th Street and opened the Old Brush Pen Shop. At that time, the business of the Old Brush Pen Shop was not good, so he clearly remembered who the first customer of the Old Brush Pen Shop was.
It was raining in Chang 'an that day.
Under the eaves outside the Old Brush Pen Shop, a middle-aged man was sheltering from the rain. The man was dressed in a green robe, and his eyes were handsome and free. His smile could brighten up the gloomy rain.
The middle-aged man was the owner of the shop and habitually wore a sword on his waist.
The reason why Ning Que could clearly remember the middle-aged man was not only because he was the first customer of the Old Brush Pen Shop.
On another rainy day, the middle-aged man came to the Old Brush Pen Shop with an oil-paper umbrella. At that time, Ning Que squatted on the ground and ate noodles. The middle-aged man squatted beside him and said a few words to him.
"I'm going to kill."
"I need someone by my side."
Because of these two words, the 500 taels of silver note and Darkie's entrustment, Ning Que followed the middle-aged man into the rainy night and into the shabby Spring Breeze Pavilion street that had not been renovated. Then they began to kill, side by side, until everyone was killed. They walked back to the Old Brush Pen Shop and ate a bowl of noodles with fried eggs.
The middle-aged man had a very arrogant surname and a very gentle name.
His surname was Chao, which was the Chao of the Tang Dynasty.
His name was Chao Xiaoshu.
…
…
Ning Que and Chao Xiaoshu did not meet many times.
But he remembered Chao Xiaoshu and would never forget him for the rest of his life.
He also recognized the seemingly ordinary cyan-steel sword that Chao Xiaoshu carried.
But that sword was held in the hands of Liu Yiqing, a powerhouse from the South Jin Kingdom.
This was not the Spring Breeze Pavilion.
…
…
Ning Que looked at the sword and said after a moment of silence, "I won't use arrows today. I'll use a knife."
For some unknown reason, he did not ask Liu Yiqing about the origin of the sword.
Also for some unknown reason, Liu Yiqing took the initiative to mention the sword.
"You recognize this sword?"
Ning Que nodded and said, "This is the sword of Old Chao of the Spring Breeze Pavilion."
Liu Yiqing looked at him and said calmly, "Don't you want to know why this sword is in my hands?"
Ning Que thought for a moment and said honestly, "Yes."
Liu Yiqing seemed to be satisfied with his answer and said, "Old Chao of the Spring Breeze Pavilion … What an interesting name. On that rainy spring night two years ago, I think the Spring Breeze Pavilion smelled like blood. You may have forgotten that you had killed a Sword Master from the South Jin Kingdom."
Ning Que silently recalled the scene on that rainy night. Even though Chao Xiaoshu and he had killed too many people that night, it was not easy to forget that powerful Sword Master from the South Jin Kingdom.
He murmured, "So that person … was a disciple of the Sword Garret of the South Jin Kingdom."
Liu Yiqing said expressionlessly, "He was the core disciple of my Eldest Brother, but he died tragically under the joint attack of the two of you. There has to be an explanation for this. Chao Xiaoshu was defeated by me, so his sword is now in my hands. But you are still missing, so I waited for you at the gate of the Academy for three months."
Ning Que's eyebrows had been slightly raised ever since he saw the sword. Even when he was answering honestly, his eyebrows did not fall. However, when he heard Liu Yiqing say that Chao Xiaoshu had been defeated by him, his eyebrows suddenly fell down. His expression was extremely calm, even a little chilly.
Liu Yiqing said, "Do you want to know where Chao Xiaoshu is now?"
Ning Que's tone was still very honest. "Yes."
Liu Yiqing looked at him and said coldly, "Then show me your true strength and fight with me. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, I will tell you what you want to know."
Ning Que suddenly laughed. After thinking for a moment, he turned around and walked towards Sangsang who was under the green tree by the side of the field.
Liu Yiqing thought that he was going to retrieve the rumored terrifying iron bow and smiled proudly.
Ning Que walked to Sangsang but did not move.
He was not here to retrieve the Primordial Thirteen Arrows, but to retrieve something else that Sixth Brother had just prepared for him.
Because at that moment, he was ready to kill this South Jin Kingdom swordsman called Liu Yiqing.
But when he walked to Sangsang, he suddenly changed his mind.
Because sometimes being alive was more painful than being dead.
So he walked past Sangsang and returned to the field.
Liu Yiqing looked at him who was empty-handed and frowned slightly. He said, "I want to see your true state."
"I said that I will not use arrows today. I will only use knives."
Ning Que stretched out his right hand and looked at him calmly. "Because you are not worthy."
Liu Yiqing still did not get angry. He asked indifferently, "Then who is worthy?"
"My iron bow has shot Prince Long Qing and the Tao Addict. You are not as good as these two, so you are not worthy."
After saying this, Ning Que took a deep breath and tightened his grip. His right hand grasped the hilt of the knife behind him that was pointing diagonally at the sky. He slowly pulled out the black and long podao.
His movement was very normal and casual, but it was firm and did not allow anyone to interrupt him.
Just like that rainy night two years ago, when a middle-aged man in a green robe killed his enemy in front of him with his sword. He was defenseless in close combat and did not hesitate to give his life to Ning Que.
…
…
Liu Yiqing clearly sensed the change in Ning Que's aura.
But his emotions did not change. His dirty and dusty clothes fluttered in the spring breeze. He was like a bright sword that had been washed by the spring water.
His most respected brother had once told him that no matter what kind of enemy he faced, and no matter how the enemy changed, all he needed to do was to pull out the sword and stab into the enemy's body.
So Liu Yiqing calmly pulled out the cyan-steel sword from the sheath and stabbed straight at Ning Que's body.
It was straight like a stick, like a willow that was frozen in time and no longer swaying.
There was no sword style, and no flying sword whistled through the air.
This was the simplest sword.
But it was the most powerful sword.
…
…
The Sword Garret of South Jin Kingdom was different from other sword sects in the world. They did not cultivate the art of swordsmanship.
The disciples of the Sword Garret would never use their Psyche Power to control the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and then use it to control their natal swords.
The disciples of the Sword Garret only trusted the hand that held the sword.
Their most powerful swordsmanship was the sword in their hands.
With the sword in their hands, they did not need to use the Qi of Heaven and Earth to control it. They could directly gather the Qi around the sword.
This was the swordsmanship of the world's most powerful Sage of Sword, Liu Bai.
With the sword in his hands, it was like a river.
Invincible in front of him was invincible in ten thousand miles.
…
…
The loneliness of the past years in the private school of his hometown, the cold looks he received after coming to the Sword Garret, the thoughts he gained after sitting in front of the Academy for three months, the scornful looks of the Tangs, the angry but silent discussions, and the pride in the depths of his heart, all melted into this one sword.
It was such a simple strike, but Liu Yiqing had poured all of his cultivation into it. The air in front of the blade suddenly collapsed and retreated in all directions, creating an absolute vacuum.
The few green leaves that danced in the air could not even land on the clean green brick ground before they turned into powder.
The Qi of Heaven and Earth outside the side door of the Academy shook violently and gathered into the sword in his hands. Then it seeped out from the blade, forming a wind and thunder that whistled.
In an instant, Liu Yiqing had crossed the distance between the two of them.
The tip of the sword carried the wind and thunder and directly hit Ning Que's face.
…
…
(This is the sixth chapter. I'm crazy. Then … there's still the seventh chapter. I'll sleep after I finish it. I really don't know when I'll update. I'll try to finish it before half past eight. I have to continue writing after I wake up. Wipe my sweat.) (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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