After school in the afternoon, He An walked out of the school building, followed slowly by Fan Dazhi. The guy was rubbing his stomach feebly while rummaging around on his body. After a while, he found two orchid beans, threw them into his mouth, and bit them. A rattling sound.
"Xiao An, let's go out to eat. The food in the dining hall is clear and watery, and my stomach has been empty in the past few days."
Fan Dazhi, who looked reluctant, was complaining when a palm patted his shoulder from behind.
Fan Dazhi turned around and saw Gu Qingzhou and Bi Yunfei, and he was immediately overjoyed.
"It's been a long time since I last saw you two brothers. I heard that Brother He An has lifted his confinement today, so I came here to see you. Let's take a walk and give Brother He An a break!"
Gu Qingzhou, wearing a light fur and jade belt, held their arms affectionately and walked towards the door of Zhixingyuan without any explanation. Bi Yunfei smiled at the corner of his mouth, looked at He An's back with some envy, and followed silently.
After leaving Zhixingyuan, Gu Qingzhou had already prepared the carriage and drove several people straight to the Grand View Tower.
"I heard that Li Bie and his brother have an appointment for a battle tomorrow... This Li Bie has been famous for many years. His cultivation level is extraordinary. Brothers, please don't be careless!"
After drinking for three rounds, Gu Qingzhou looked at He An solemnly and continued: "I know Brother He has a tough character, but if we really... lose, we will just admit defeat and lose to such a strong opponent... It’s not a shame!”
"Brother Gu, don't worry. I have been in the solitary room for three months. I have gained some insights during my practice. I want to take this opportunity to prove it. Even if I lose, I will definitely benefit a lot. This makes Brother Gu worried!"
He An picked up a glass of wine and thanked Gu Qingzhou gratefully.
"Brother He is extremely talented and has always been brave and diligent. There is no way of knowing that he might defeat Li Bie. I wish Brother He An a great start and success!"
After Bi Yunfei stood up and said these words, he raised his glass warmly and came over...
"Okay, let's all drink this cup together!"
Gu Qingzhou was full of pride and suddenly became interested.
Fan Dazhi hurriedly put down the half-eaten golden and shiny hoof in his hand, picked up the wine glass, and clinked it with everyone...
…………
In the private room of a restaurant on Zhuque Street, Li Bie sat according to the case and drank silently.
The woman sitting opposite him was plump and looked at Li Bie affectionately. She was Jin Caiyun who had not been seen for a long time.
"Li Lang, that fat man stalks me all the time. No matter where I go, I always feel like there's a gaze watching me from behind. It makes people who want to see you... also fearful!"
Jin Caiyun said in a cooing voice. When he saw Li Bie was unmoved and twisted his waist like a water snake to get closer, he said in a disgusting voice: "Li Lang, he is that He An's brother. I don't think he is safe." Why are you so kind? How about... you find a few people to teach him a lesson?"
"He An has come out of confinement...I will let him know the price of teasing you tomorrow!"
Li Bie said casually, raised his head and took a sip of wine.
Jin Caiyun was surprised and happy, looking at Li Bie with eyes full of affection and admiration, her eyes gradually turned red, and she gently snuggled into his arms, her hair trembling slightly, and said with a sob: "Li Lang , I must teach that scoundrel a lesson tomorrow and avenge me..."
Li Bie gently patted Jin Caiyun's back and comforted him softly, but there was a look of disgust on his face.
"Li Lang, too much alcohol is harmful to your health. You have to compete in martial arts tomorrow. Why don't you... let me help you go back and rest early?"
For a moment, Jin Caiyun stopped sobbing, raised a pretty face full of pear blossoms and rain, and her voice was indescribably charming.
"You should go back first. I want to be alone and go for a walk to sober up."
Li Bie absentmindedly pulled out his arm, stood up, drank the wine in his glass, and walked out without looking back.
Jin Caiyun looked at Li Bie's back, with a complex look in his resentful eyes...
At the beginning of the lanterns, Li Bie left the Grand View Tower. He was holding on to the wall, walking a little staggeringly drunk.
Suddenly, he found an old beggar in the corner, dressed in ragged clothes, gnawing half a piece of dirty steamed buns.
Li Bie remembered what happened to him when he was a child. His father was never heard from again after he joined the army, and his mother worked hard to raise him. He once saw his mother picking up garbage like this...
He couldn't bear it, so he walked to a nearby steamed bun shop and bought two freshly baked white-flour buns. He asked the boss to fill the buns with hot braised pork and went back to the old beggar.
He bent down and said to the beggar: "Old man, I'll give you two a nest..."
The old beggar raised his head, looked at Li Bie with a pair of cloudy eyes, and couldn't help but thank him.
Li Bie waved his hand, turned around and wandered leisurely to an uninhabited alley. He disappeared into the darkness and unbuttoned his trousers, seemingly ready for convenience.
What no one noticed was that Li Bie's eyes were clear at this time and he was no longer drunk at all.
He looked around vigilantly to make sure no one was following him. He suddenly stood up, jumped up to a house on the street, and under the cover of night, sped out of the city like a ghost...
In the northern suburbs of Luoyang, there was no one on Mang Mountain in the dark night, and occasionally the cries of night owls could be heard in the cold wind.
Li Bie squinted his eyes and saw a faint light shining on the top of the mountain not far away, like a beacon lighting up in the darkness, guiding him forward.
Li Bie quickened his pace, stretched out his arms, and flew towards the top of the mountain like a big low-flying bird.
The door of Shangqing Palace is ajar, and warm candlelight shines through. It is said that the palace is actually a few houses built on the top of the mountain. It is said that Li Xingzhi, the imperial master, once spent some time here to repair the Qing Dynasty. The palace is somewhat dilapidated and seems to have been there for a long time. disrepair.
As if sensing Li Bie's arrival, the ajar door opened with a creak, and the heart-wrenching sound sounded particularly loud in the silent night.
A man walked slowly to the door. The dim light illuminated his robe, revealing a golden outline, dragging his shadow very long on the ground...
Li Bie silently approached, unable to see the face of the person in front of him clearly due to the backlight.
"It's windy outside, come in and talk."
Libie nodded and walked into the hall. The hall was empty. There were two futons on the ground. The mottled pillars were covered with cobwebs. A thick candle was lit on the candlestick against the wall. The lights were flickering and the air was cold.
The man in the hall sat down silently on a futon, with his back to Libie, looking at a painting on the wall in a daze.
The yellowed scroll depicts an old man with a fairy-like demeanor, wearing a green shirt and wielding a sword, standing on the edge of the cliff with a desolate expression. Although there are only a few strokes, the character's expression is vivid and lifelike against the solitary cliff outlined in light ink, giving him a sense of desolation. A feeling of sadness hits my face...
"Among the three generations of disciples of Zhixingyuan, you are extremely talented and should have made great achievements. Unfortunately...if you regret it now, it's still too late!"
The man turned his back to Libie, finished speaking in a deep voice, and sighed.
"Since I have made my decision, I have no regrets!"
Li Bie looked at the candlelight beside the wall, and two clusters of flames burned in his eyes.
"You have to know...the road ahead is difficult and dangerous, with a narrow escape from death, and...you have to bear the world's infamy..."
The man's shoulders shrugged slightly, and he seemed a little excited.
"The disciple will go through fire and water, no matter what, but... the disciple's mentor... If there are no major mistakes in the future, I hope that he can end well because of his past achievements..."
Li Bie had a determined expression on his face, but he couldn't bear it when he thought of his master, and he begged after a moment of hesitation.
"Hmph...that master of yours is so powerful that he only accepts some favors and promises from the Cui family, and then stirs up trouble... It's rare for you to be filial to him!"
As the man spoke, he turned his head and looked at Li Bie with regret under the light.
The candlelight shining on his face was none other than Wei Zhilin, the head of Zhixing Academy.
…………
At noon the next day, as soon as the door of the Zhiwu Hall opened, it was surrounded by students who had been waiting for a long time. Some students who were at home during the holidays came to watch the battle after receiving the news. Some even lived in the remote suburbs of Luoyang and left at starry night. Start rushing back to Kyoto.
Gu Qingzhou, Fan Dazhi, Bi Yunfei and others supported He An and slowly walked into the Zhiwu Hall. Han Chanjuan followed He An silently. Everyone felt that in this group of people, the men were very noble and the women were like pink eagles. Yuzu, consciously made way for him...
Ding Wenruo stood in the corner, quietly tiptoeing and looking around. She never liked this kind of martial arts competition, but she was worried about the gentle and jade-like young man in her heart, so she followed everyone into the Zhiwu Hall unconsciously.
The spacious Zhiwu Hall was abuzz with people, and finally everyone calmed down. An old man coughed lightly and stood still under the flag.
"Li Bie, a student from Qizhou Prefecture, has made an appointment with He An, a student from Chuzhou Prefecture, to compete. The rules of the competition are known to both parties, and the "War Letter" is in effect!"
Xu Kangnian finished speaking in a long voice, and then raised his voice and shouted: "Invite both parties to enter the ring!"
Under the flag of the Zhiwu Hall that read, "Stop fighting with force," Feng Shaotang and Xu Kangnian were sitting on both sides. Sitting in the middle was Cheng Ziya, the head of the martial arts academy. It was evident how much Zhixing Academy attached great importance to this competition.
Li Bie, with a slim waist and a straight back, dressed in a smart outfit, stepped onto the ring with a long knife on his back. His footsteps were light and silent, like an agile cheetah. He looked coldly at He An who walked on the stage, with a strange flash in his eyes.
"I have entered the Huanxu Realm. You and I are not at the same level. To crush you with my realm would be too much to win..."
Li Bie's slightly sarcastic tone did not anger He An.
He An simply cupped his fists and saluted, and said expressionlessly: "Senior brother, please give me some advice!"
"I suppressed my cultivation and used the Divine Refining Realm to challenge you. Don't say I won't give you a chance!"
After Li Bie finished speaking, with a hoarse metal friction sound, he slowly pulled the long knife out of its sheath with his backhand.
The vigorous figure rose up, splashing a piece of snow-white sword light, and hooded He An...
He An turned his palm and drew out his sword.
"Ding Ding Dang Dang Dang" —— A sword like pear blossoms collided, He An was obviously in the wind and retreated one after another.
Li Bie's sword skills were so fast that the students watching the battle were dazzled by it.
If He An hadn't practiced Suiyun Sanshou since he was a child, and had his meridians throughout his body expanded to an extremely abnormal level in the cold confinement room, and was able to dodge several fierce killing moves, he would probably have failed by now.
"Ding"--
The long sword blocked the sharp sword blow, sparks flew everywhere, and everyone in the audience roared with applause. He An calmed down and performed the "Jinghong Sword Technique".
This is the first time that He An has used "Jinghong Sword Technique" in actual combat since he mastered it. He saw the sword light flickering, and his figure moving unsteadily, shuttling across the ring like a butterfly, with indescribable ease...
The knife in Li Bie's hand seemed to have been given life by him. No matter how exquisite He An's moves were or how elegant his movements were, the knife was like a maggot attached to the bone, following him like a shadow, never leaving his vital points.
He An narrowly dodged the light of the sword, and raised the sword with his backhand, causing the crowd watching in the audience to let out another exclamation.
