Chapter 115: Heroes Chasing the Deer
The subsequent competitions were also wonderful. Xue Mu saw many strange martial arts from people of the Jianghu, their wondrous degree no less than Diwu Miaofu’s “Suspicious Shadow Fist.”
The most impressive one was a woman from a foreign land, wearing a veil and bells tied to her wrists and ankles. She danced gracefully on the martial arts competition stage. The bells shook with her movements, emitting beautiful music, enchanting the listeners. But the sound of these bells was actually a killer move to confuse the mind. A Jianghu chivalrous warrior dueling with her was captured by her beauty and actually put his sword across his own neck!
Old Madam Yan of the Goose Shadow Mountain Villa threw a hidden dart, knocking the swordsman’s long sword to the ground. Sect Leader Qing Lan looked at the foreign woman and snorted coldly. Han Yan heard her say in an extremely disdainful tone, “Heterodox ways, truly insulting the Discourse on the Dao Conference.”
Han Yan felt that this foreign woman had some similarities with the music and sword technique of the Cloud Appreciation Mountain Sect. But seeing the Sect Leader Master’s attitude, she couldn’t say anything. Seeing Diwu Miaofu opposite the stage winking at her, she felt even more depressed. Looking down at her bandaged left arm, she sighed faintly.
Thinking back to when she was cultivating in seclusion alone in the valley, Diwu Miaofu broke into the cave and disturbed her mind, almost causing her to go into Qi Deviation. In anger, she took her sword to cut off her head. As a result, this dirty and tattered little girl sent her long sword flying with just a few casual punches. At that time, because this little girl caused trouble, the true qi in her body was disordered, and she couldn’t even use fifty percent of her usual skill, so she scolded her as an “evil woman.”
Unexpectedly, the little girl said, “There were two tigers outside trying to get into your cave. I beat them to death for you.” Han Yan didn’t believe it. This valley was a pure place; how could there be tigers roaming in the valley? She only felt this little girl was a liar. She used the “Phantom Sound Rhythm” of the “Heavenly Sound Art” to destroy her mind, making her lost in illusions, and then kill her with one sword strike when she was muddled.
But Diwu Miaofu screamed, saying she was so vicious, and took out something from her bosom to throw at her. That thing actually drilled directly into her skin. Afterwards, her mind was chaotic, strange heat surged in her body, and she gradually lost consciousness. Her mind was full of the thought of catching that evil woman in front of her…
After waking up, internal energy filled and circulated in her body. She broke through the fourth realm of the “Heavenly Sound Art,” but despair arose in her heart instantly. That little girl had poisoned her with Gu and dual cultivated with her in this cave!
She was originally only one step away from breaking through the great barrier. If she hadn’t been interrupted by this evil woman, she would have broken through the realm long ago. The hatred and anger of having her body taken outweighed the surprise of breaking through the realm. With red eyes, she looked at Diwu Miaofu, who was naked but righteously said “You bullied me, so naturally I have to take revenge,” with mixed hatred and anger, chasing her for a full half month!
Crossing five towns and more than a dozen mountains, she finally gave up the pursuit due to multiple factors: Diwu Miaofu ran too fast and hid too well, and she didn’t return to the sect in time. After returning, she found an excuse to hide it from the Sect Leader Master. For a period of time afterwards, her chaotic memories gradually became clear. The soft moans lingered in her ears, along with Diwu Miaofu’s howling when bitten in pain, making her feel so ashamed she just wanted to commit suicide to atone for her sins.
How could she have expected to see this evil woman again? Seeing this person again now, she actually thought that death would be too easy for her. She must torture her properly to vent her anger… The killing intent thus lessened a little.
How could Diwu Miaofu guess the many twists and turns in Han Yan’s mind under her cold face? She asked Xue Mu, “Sister Xue, how long do you think they have to fight?”
“Haha, little friend, you may not know, it is said that the Discourse on the Dao Conference on Taihang Mountain lasted for a whole week!” A white-haired old man said. Diwu Miaofu and Xue Mu both turned back to look at him, very surprised. “Fought for seven days?”
“Yes, for the mental cultivation secret manual reward at the Discourse on the Dao Conference, they fought on Taihang Mountain for a full seven days. Afterwards, the Sect Leaders, elders, and others of various sects sparred and exchanged ideas, talking about the turmoil in the Jianghu and sect affairs over the years, before the Discourse on the Dao Conference ended.” The white-haired old man sighed gently. “Who would have thought, who would have thought…”
Diwu Miaofu didn’t like people speaking in riddles. She spoke in riddles herself to tease others for fun, so she said urgently, “Old Grandfather, say it quickly!”
“Is it about the Yu Clan of Jin Mountain?” Dugu Yuan’an actually spoke first. The white-haired old man looked at the little girl in the wheelchair without suspicion. Mentioning the events of that year, he was also particularly melancholy. “Yes, the Yu Clan of Jin Mountain became gods with one sword back then. Even the Sect Leaders and elders of major sects couldn’t win. Who would have thought… they were exterminated by people with ulterior motives. Sigh, the gratitude and grudges in this Jianghu are truly unspeakable.”
“Old Grandfather, do you know who the villain that exterminated the Yu Clan of Jin Mountain is?” Xue Mu said.
The white-haired old man shook his head. “How would I know? The truth of the extermination of the Yu Clan of Jin Mountain remains a mystery to this day. Fifteen years have passed. If the truth can be brought to light, the spirits of the Yu Clan in heaven can also be comforted. But who can find out now, and who dares to investigate the truth of the extermination tragedy?” At the end, he sighed heavily again with melancholy.
The martial arts competition stage had become a place for Jianghu chivalrous warriors to make friends. Basically, they stopped at the right point, and the scene was very lively. However, in this way, time passed bit by bit. In a blink of an eye, it was the Hour of the Horse. Many people were hungry, taking out the dry food and wine they brought and sitting on the ground to eat and drink slowly. Diwu Miaofu slapped her own head hard and shouted, “Oh no! I didn’t bring food! Damn it!”
“It doesn’t matter. Zi’ang and the others brought food up.” Dugu Yuan’an said, “If you want to eat, go find Hero Dugu and Madam Dugu.”
Diwu Miaofu just jumped up when Xue Mu emphasized, “Wash your face and hands clean.”
“I know!” Diwu Miaofu responded perfunctorily and ran away. Xue Mu sighed, “This girl really is something. Dirty all over, not afraid of bugs drilling into her skin. If it were me, I absolutely couldn’t accept dressing like this.”
Dugu Yuan’an tilted her head slightly to look at the people from the Snow Saint Mountain Villa. The Master was talking to the Saintess whose true face couldn’t be seen clearly. The Master’s lips barely moved. The sound of speaking was buried by the cheers and applause in the crowd. Even an expert in the supreme realm here couldn’t hear clearly what the two of them were saying.
Xue Mu turned back to look at Dugu Yuan’an and smiled. “Yuan’er, have you taken a fancy to some girl? Why keep staring over there?”
Dugu Yuan’an thought to herself that the only girl she fancied was you, and smiled slightly. “I see their kung fu is amazing. You go up and compete too.”
Xue Mu was surprised. “Me? I can’t.”
Dugu Yuan’an liked her flamboyant and unrestrained energy. Seeing her not even trying, she put on a straight face and said, “My wife is better than anyone else.”
Xue Mu thought for a moment and smiled. “Alright, since Yuan’er wants me to show off on the martial arts competition stage, I’ll show off properly.”
Two people on the stage just finished fighting, putting their arms around each other’s shoulders and going down from the high ground. Just as she was about to take a step forward, the Saintess of the Snow Saint Mountain Villa leaped onto the high ground first, her veil fluttering in the wind.