The uproar was the amalgamation of many voices.
The sound of discussion, the sound of sighs.
The relationship between the Mount Li Sword Sect and the Orthodox Academy was no longer that initial enmity. It was just as Gou Hanshi had told his junior brothers before coming to Mount Han.
They were not enemies, but they were still opponents.
Even if there was no enmity, they would still meet, meet again.
The Mount Li Sword Sect had easily repelled the hostile experts of Tianliang County. Gou Hanshi had displayed his Star Condensation cultivation and, without a word, had forced back Scholartree Manor's Zhong Hui.
With the situation developing to this point, it was very natural for him and Chen Changsheng to meet.
Almost two years had passed since the final match of the Grand Examination. Many things had happened in these two years, so would the result of this battle have changed?
In the world, only Chen Changsheng and Gou Hanshi were well-versed in the Daoist Canon. They possessed a cultivation level and talent that were difficult for their peers to reach. Everyone wanted to know just which one of them was stronger.
Gou Hanshi had already succeeded in Star Condensation, but Chen Changsheng had not. Logically speaking, he should not be Gou Hanshi's match, but everyone knew that those events that had occurred in front of the Orthodox Academy last summer, surpassing cultivation levels to defeat Star Condensation cultivators that were unimaginable to ordinary cultivators, was not too difficult for him. But they could not completely favor Chen Changsheng, because although Gou Hanshi had not been at Star Condensation for very long, he was Gou Hanshi — just this name alone was enough to confirm that he was no ordinary initial level Star Condensation cultivator.
Chen Changsheng stood up and walked towards the stone platform, countless gazes following him.
Gou Hanshi was also looking at him, very calm, very serious.
Just at this moment, a clear sound suddenly came from the pavilion by the lake.
This clear sound came from the zither strings, gurgling like water.
Soon after, a second sound came from the zither, and then it did not stop.
This was an extremely elegant piece of music. It was obvious that the person playing the zither was extremely well-versed in the study of music. The light strokes of his fingers were extremely infectious, but for some reason, at the turning points of the zither, a few mistakes that even beginners would not make appeared — obvious pauses and interruptions.
"Who's playing the zither?"
Many people looked towards the small pavilion from which the zither music originated and thought of this question, and some people even added a few more words to the question.
Who would dare to play the zither at this time?
The door of the small building was closed. Someone remembered that the door of the small building had not been opened since a few days ago. So there was actually someone inside.
The Elder of Heavenly Secrets gazed at the small building and shook his head. He naturally knew who the person in the building was, but he did not expect that the other party would not listen to his advice and still insist on fighting.
"Looks like our match can only be saved for the future."
Gou Han Shi said as he looked at Chen Chang Sheng, who was on the stage. At this time, he had already recognized the person who was playing the zither.
Chen Chang Sheng also heard it and said, "I hope it won't be too long."
There were still many people who could hear the sound of the zither. The sounds of discussion gradually rose and then subsided. Countless gazes were cast on the small building, faintly tinged with excitement.
The zither player was Guan Bai.
The true leader of the Heavenly Dao Academy's younger generation, Famous Name Guan Bai.
Gou Han Shi indeed wanted to spar with Chen Chang Sheng, but upon hearing the zither music, he had no choice but to concede.
Everyone present was indeed looking forward to seeing the contest between Gou Han Shi and Chen Chang Sheng, but they wanted to see the contest between Chen Chang Sheng and Guan Bai even more.
This was because the people of the continent had already waited an entire year for this contest.
Last summer, the gate of the Orthodox Academy was incomparably lively. Guan Bai did not appear, only standing on the side of the street and quietly glancing at Chen Chang Sheng.
He did not say anything.
But many people in the capital knew.
He had given Chen Chang Sheng a year to mature.
After that, no trace of Guan Bai was seen. This expert of the path of the sword from the Heavenly Dao Academy seemed to have vanished.
It now seemed that Guan Bai had probably secluded himself in cultivation, all for the sake of preparing for today's match.
With a creak, the door to the distant small building was slowly pushed open.
A man walked out from the small building, his posture tall and straight, his expression serene and calm, not a speck of dust on his hair.
He was Guan Bai, but he was very different from the Guan Bai of the past, and also very different from the impression of those who knew Guan Bai had of Guan Bai.
The Guan Bai of the past had always been on the road, his body covered in dust, his edge threatening.
Anyone who saw Guan Bai would feel a sword glow light up in their eyes, and would even feel the sword intent exuding from his body assault them to the point of tears of pain.
The current Guan Bai was still like that longsword hanging at his waist, quietly resting in its sheath, not revealing the slightest edge.
The noon sun shone upon the stone platform by the lake, blazing hot and exceptionally bright.
Guan Bai slowly walked over.
There was silence. Several hundred gazes followed his body as he moved. The crowd gradually parted, opening a path for him.
Suddenly, there was a slight disturbance in the crowd, and then cries of alarm gradually rose up. It was unknown what they had seen, but they seemed particularly shocked.
Tang Thirty-Six stood up and gazed in that direction, his expression instantly turning serious.
Chen Chang Sheng had already seen it, and his expression was very solemn.
The lake breeze lightly blew, and his sleeves lightly fluttered.
Guan Bai's sleeves lightly fluttered, occasionally being rolled up.
His right arm … had actually been severed!
… …
… …
An uproar, a true uproar. Cries of alarm rang out incessantly. Everyone believed that in this year, Guan Bai would continue his journey, perhaps conceal his identity and go to the northern battlefield to kill enemies, or perhaps cultivate and prepare for battle. Who could have expected that when he once more appeared in front of the world, he would be missing an arm!
Even more shocking was that it was his right arm that had been severed.
In the view of many people, Guan Bai was the genius of the sword most likely to enter the top ten of the Proclamation of Liberation. He was much younger than Wang Po's generation.
Now, he didn't even have the right hand to hold his sword … would the once-genius of the sword really fall into the mundane world?
Under shocked gazes, Guan Bai arrived. After bowing to the Elder of Heavenly Secrets and Xu Yourong, he very naturally walked up to the platform where the Orthodoxy was.
No matter what, he was still a person of the Heavenly Dao Academy, a person of the Orthodoxy.
He bowed to Linghai Zhiwang and Mao Qiuyu.
It was obvious that Linghai Zhiwang and Mao Qiuyu knew about his severed arm. Linghai Zhiwang replied, "Just do your best."
As the previous Principal of the Heavenly Dao Academy, Mao Qiuyu's emotions were naturally much more complex. He looked at Guan Bai, wanting to say something but then hesitating. In the end, he only sighed and said, "It's coming."
Guan Bai replied, "It had to come in the end."
Then he turned to Chen Changsheng and very calmly and solemnly bowed.
Chen Changsheng did not dodge. He accepted his bow and then returned it.
Guan Bai calmly gazed at him. He also did not dodge, accepting this bow.
A faintly discernible light appeared in his eyes, bright and somber, like the autumn sun high in the sky.
"Everyone is waiting. Come," he said to Chen Changsheng.
After saying this, the sword light disappeared into the depths of his eyes and could no longer be seen.
Chen Changsheng looked at his empty sleeve and said, "I don't think it's appropriate."
Guan Bai replied, "In this year, no more miracles have occurred on your body, and I've also learned to use my left hand in the sword. It's very fair, perfect for me to give it my all."
Chen Changsheng fell silent, then asked, "Why can't you let go?"
"No one has let go of their hand as thoroughly as I have," Guan Bai said with a smile.
His hand was already gone, so what need was there to let go? It was just that there were some things that could not be let go.
His smile gradually faded as he calmly said to Chen Changsheng, "No matter how unbearable Huanyu is, he's still my junior brother."
Yes, there were many things that could not be let go.
Although Liang Xiaoxiao had colluded with the demons, his crimes unpardonable, Gou Hanshi and the other disciples of the Mount Li Sword Sect would still miss him.
Just like Zhexiu had said, if Tang Thirty-Six really did something that angered both men and gods, Chen Changsheng would still find it impossible to loathe him.
Grudges had always been unresolvable and incomprehensible.
… …
… …
(The matter is pretty much done, but … it seems like my laziness has returned. I'll do my best to recover as soon as possible.)
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