The Demon Lords

Chapter 1067: Chapter 257: Curtain Rises!_5

"Ha."

The Regent didn’t call for the swordsmith to fight but instead approached his fifth brother, saying:

"Fifth Brother, we haven’t sparred in a long time."

"Brother, you know when Master Hong taught us boxing as kids, whenever I sparred with our siblings, I never dared to use full strength because I feared I would hurt you, making life harder for my mother in the palace.

Brother, you’re a person who sits in the royal court. Even if your rank is high, I fought my way out from the waters of Wutong County."

The Regent shook his head and said:

"No matter, this time, you don’t need to hold back."

At this moment, the Shanyue elder asked, "Fifth Prince, with four pairs, how do we determine victory?"

Xiong Tingshan said, "The fight between me and my Fourth Brother doesn’t count. The throne of Chu doesn’t need a Martial Cultivator who only knows how to brawl."

The Shanyue elder seemed a bit displeased at these words but finally nodded in agreement.

Lord Zheng saw the swordsmith take out two gourds. After pulling the stopper, he found they didn’t contain wine but fruit pulp, which is fruit juice. He immediately joined in and sat down on the ground.

The swordsmith rolled his eyes at Zheng Fan and tossed a gourd to him.

Zheng Fan caught it, took a sip, and found the taste was indeed pleasant. Unlike juice, it wasn’t very sweet nor sour, yet after one sip, he wanted a second.

"What is this?" Zheng Fan asked.

"Tasty?"

"It’s good."

"As long as it’s tasty. Why ask so much? If you want another drink next time, trade a poem for a jug."

"Alright." Lord Zheng really didn’t mind copied poems. When he returned, he could find a blind person to dictate Three Hundred Tang Poems, and it wouldn’t be an issue.

"But the signature has to be mine."

"This..."

The swordsmith took a sip from his own gourd and said softly:

"Back then, that’s how I traded with Yu Huaping, but not for this gourd; it was with a sword."

In the street, it’s rumored that because the swordsmith gave his personally forged Longyuan to the Sword Saint, the Sword Saint later helped him gain fame to return the favor.

Lord Zheng pointed ahead and asked, "Is that a duel?"

"Is it not obvious enough, Mr. Su still needs to ask?"

"No, it’s just that, to the younger generation, this seems somewhat childish."

"Oh? In your view, Mr. Su, would combining tens of thousands of troops for two years before deciding victory be more solemn?"

"That’s not what the younger generation means."

"More or less that’s the meaning, no need to strain relationships too much being all royal sons of Chu.

Take a look, that Shanyue elder represents the stance of the Shanyue tribe in Wutong County. The Broke Saber Sect is a renowned sect in Wutong County; Wu Junqing stands for the region’s local stance; Mo Xilai, coming from Wutong County soldiers, represents the attitude of the hundred thousand county soldiers.

The three major forces of Wutong County are present. After this match, whichever side wins or loses will be acknowledged willingly, no matter the result, even if grudgingly.

Isn’t that better than tens of thousands of troops clashing until blood flows like rivers?"

"Indeed."

"Ha."

...

Hong Menyang clasped his fists and said, "Please!"

The Shanyue elder nodded, stepped back half a step, raised a fish spear, and shouted, "Come!"

To the side,

Qin Yueyue stuffed a few petals into her mouth, chewing while asking, "I’ve heard that those who practice with knives have rotten flesh, so is your blood also that rotten?"

Wu Junqing drew his knife,

and said:

"Girl, you can come try."

Among all weapons, the sword reigns supreme, while knife-users often look down upon this unwritten disdain chain in the street.

Thus, nearly every knife-user would glance scornfully when seeing a swordsman approach, then spit at their backs as they pass.

Lord Zheng, also a knife-user, thus felt very annoyed toward Qin Yueyue.

The issue is, Qin Yueyue doesn’t use a sword either!

Cherishing Thoughts Manor seems like a street sect but is actually a department within the Phoenix Nest, where sensitive identities are detained, interrogated, and tortured.

Qin Yueyue enjoys eating petals soaked in human blood because there, blood as a material is not scarce, just as A Ming eagerly awaits battles, for during wartime, fresh blood sources are abundant, allowing for picking and choosing after the war.

Liang Yue’s spear laid horizontally, Mo Xilai lifted two hammers; both were army-bred, devoid of street habits, and came directly to fight.

Thus,

Next,

Lord Zheng and the swordsmith sat side by side, observing the duels among the three pairs of formidable opponents.

Hong Menyang’s punch winds were tough, suppressing the elder’s solid iron fish spear. From the start, he gained the upper hand, and the elder could only parry.

On the other side, Qin Yueyue’s weapon was a wolfskin whip, creating a scene of flying sand and stones. Wu Junqing was forced to maneuver around the outskirts, searching for an opportunity.

As for Liang Yue and Mo Xilai, it became a one-sided fight, with Mo Xilai already losing a large hammer.

Lord Zheng also practiced martial arts, understanding why there was such a disparity between Liang Yue and Mo Xilai. While their realms might be close, Liang Yue is a drill master who focuses on spear skills, whereas Mo Xilai is a deputy general skilled in battle formations.

On the battlefield, who goes for a civilized duel? Those accustomed to battle formations often prefer straightforward tactics: seize any opportunity for a kill; otherwise, swiftly retreat to avoid taking a blow.