Chapter 48

What is fear?

Fear is a psychological state of humans and living beings, often referred to as an emotion. Fear is a strong reaction to a sense of helplessness caused by unpredictable and uncertain factors in the environment, a unique phenomenon exclusive to humans and living beings.

Of course, this is the definition given by Baidu. Ling Xiao now clearly and distinctly felt fear, but this fear did not come from the unknown. On the contrary, he clearly knew what was about to happen! This clarity only made him more desperate.

"I didn't expect to see you in such a lively place." His eyes scanned the nearly deserted street and continued, "What? Does the Lord of White Cloud City also want to come to Chang Le Fang for some fun? I know of a tavern with very authentic wine. How about I treat you?"

"You have three chances." Ye Gucheng remained calm, but his words sent a shiver down Ling Xiao's spine.

"Ha ha! Ha ha! Fighting in such an elegant place would really ruin the scenery. How about we decide the winner with rock-paper-scissors?" Ling Xiao laughed foolishly but dared not make any sudden moves. Although he guessed he might not survive today, he wouldn't let go of even the slightest chance. He was afraid that any wrong move might anger Ye Gucheng, and then he would be killed with a single sword strike, leaving no one to appeal to.

"Use your strongest attack." Ye Gucheng could speak words filled with killing intent so calmly, which Ling Xiao greatly admired.

"This is Chang Le Fang! The most crowded place in the capital. You wouldn't draw your sword here, would you? The Emperor and I are close friends. If I die, he will definitely cancel the duel." Ling Xiao cleverly avoided mentioning Ling Lingfa, fearing it would further anger Ye Gucheng. He wisely used the Emperor as leverage, not just to bluff, because he knew that even if the Emperor didn't consider their friendship, he would still be wary of Ling Lingfa. Besides, the Emperor wasn't stupid; if Ling Xiao were killed by Ye Gucheng, it would suggest a conspiracy! If so, Ye Gucheng's plan would definitely fail.

"You shouldn't have become Ling Lingfa's disciple. Your habit of taking shortcuts has stopped your progress. You have ten breaths to prepare. Use your strongest attack, and you have only three chances!"

Ling Xiao took a deep breath in frustration. Why wouldn't this kid listen! Fine, you forced me! Here comes the gun!

Bang!

The civilians in the surrounding shops, who had been discussing the assassination attempt, instantly fell silent. They had never seen such a powerful weapon. They looked at the horse that had been shot in the head and then at Ling Xiao, who was checking his gun with a strange expression. Truly, a master is a master; his actions were indeed profound and unfathomable.

Ling Xiao felt a bit awkward and silently apologized to the horse's owner, who was about to cry in anger and frustration.

"Would you like me to get closer?" Ye Gucheng, perhaps feeling a bit guilty or perhaps out of contempt for Ling Xiao, took three steps forward under Ling Xiao's embarrassed expression.

Ling Xiao's lips twitched: "You are really generous!"

He raised the gun again, this time aiming at Ye Gucheng's chest to avoid hurting any more innocents. The large target area meant that even if he missed, he wouldn't miss completely.

Seeing Ling Xiao raise his gun again, the civilians scattered in a panic, closing doors and windows. Ling Xiao felt as if he were in a desolate wilderness, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

Bang!

This time, Ling Xiao knew he had hit the mark the moment the bullet left the barrel, even if it wasn't the chest.

Under the moonlight, a fiery red meteor streaked past. Ye Gucheng remained unmoved, and in the face of the bullet aimed at his lower body, he simply raised his finger slowly.

Ling Xiao's eyes sparkled; he was very familiar with this! The sword intent on Ye Gucheng's finger was precisely the sword intent of "Heavenly Flying Immortal"!

The bullet and the finger collided, with no dazzling effects or profound insights. Everything was so plain and natural.

If Lu Xiaofeng were here, he would recognize this scene. Once, Ximen Chuixue had killed a notorious thief with a single finger. Now, Ye Gucheng had split a bullet in two with a single finger. The scenes were so similar, two supreme swordsmen in different settings making the same choice. It wasn't that they were trying to be cool; it was that their opponents didn't deserve their swords!

The bullet split into two halves, falling to the ground with a pattering sound, just like Ling Xiao's heart, which was beating wildly.

"You've learned Ling Lingfa's despicable ways very well." Ye Gucheng slowly lowered his finger and said indifferently.

"I didn't mean to."

"I know. You have one last chance."

Ling Xiao choked, not knowing what to say.

The two men stood facing each other in silence. After a while, Ling Xiao solemnly drew his dagger. Ye Gucheng frowned slightly and adjusted his sword, which he had been holding casually.

"To be honest, I really don't understand what you're after. But since you want to see, I'll show you." Ling Xiao said slowly, his voice less fearful and more puzzled, and also more confident.

It wasn't because he had achieved enlightenment or because he had a protagonist's aura that suddenly gave him a brilliant move. He had just understood something. For example, with Ye Gucheng's pride, if he truly wanted to kill him, he wouldn't play such games, especially not in a bustling street. Because that would hinder his plans. The only explanation was that Ye Gucheng wanted to know something about Ling Xiao, something that would only appear when Ling Xiao used his full strength!

What could it be? It couldn't be the gun; Ye Gucheng had already seen it. It couldn't be the crystal sword intent, as he had never used it, and no one else could know. The only valuable thing left was the "Heavenly Flying Immortal" manual, more precisely, Ye Gucheng's sword intent!

This was Chang Le Fang, the most crowded place in the capital. In the past month, Ye Gucheng had been the sun in the night, the center of attention wherever he went.

"Who is that guy? What did he do to offend Ye Gucheng? Three chances! Isn't that just toying with him?"

"Exactly! What's the difference with a few chances? Is it really to humiliate him?"

The people of the capital were indeed simple and kind. In the face of such obvious bullying, they supported the weaker side. Of course, this only applied to ordinary people. For martial artists, who believed in the supremacy of strength, they all stood on the side of the stronger.

"Who is that guy? A third-rate nobody dares to challenge Ye Gucheng!"

"Hmph! No wonder Ye Gucheng is toying with him. Such a worm probably doesn't even deserve a sword strike."

In the eyes of many martial artists, Ling Xiao was like an ant trying to topple a tree or a mantis trying to stop a cart. The crowd grew larger, and the martial artists gradually pushed the ordinary people to the back. This was nothing unusual, as people always gathered to watch, but what was unbearable was that the martial artists kept pushing back, making the crowd move further and further away. The martial artists had good eyesight, but the ordinary people, with their poor vision, could barely see or hear anything. Faced with the fierce-looking martial "heroes" with knives and swords, they could only shake their heads and slowly disperse.

Actually, this couldn't be blamed on the crowd. Ye Gucheng's sword skills were so powerful that ordinary people, who were ignorant, were fearless, but the martial artists dared not stand too close. So they kept retreating, and after a while, they retreated again, thinking it wasn't safe. They kept retreating until they couldn't hear what Ye Gucheng was saying.

The atmosphere kept heating up. After a moment, Ling Xiao had adjusted his spirit to its peak. Ye Gucheng was satisfied with his performance; at least he wasn't frowning anymore.

"How about we decide with rock-paper-scissors?" Ling Xiao made a final effort to joke.

"Damn! Kid, are you going to fight or not?"

"It's been so long! If you don't fight, we'll leave!"

"Leave! Leave! Leave!" The crowd chanted.

Ling Xiao pulled out his gun again and fired a shot backward without looking. The crowd panicked. The power of the gun was still fresh in their minds, especially his bizarre shooting skills. Who knew who would be the next unlucky victim?

Bang! Ding!

A martial artist's steel sword was split in two by the bullet, which continued through the hair buns of three Taoists before finally embedding itself in the wall.

The Taoists touched their scattered hair, looking terrified, and the martial artist, unable to hold his broken sword, cried and ran away in fear. The crowd strangely realized that the person they had mocked had the power to kill them at will.

"You see! I'm pretty accurate even when I don't aim." Ling Xiao was a bit smug.

Seeing that he was about to joke again, Ye Gucheng took a slow step toward him. His speed was slow, but as the distance closed, a fierce aura pressed down like a tidal wave. Ling Xiao felt his whole body heavy, while the onlookers remained oblivious.

The shops on both sides became blurry and distorted, and the chatter of the crowd turned into a buzzing noise. Ye Gucheng's figure grew larger and more radiant as he approached.

Ling Xiao knew that Ye Gucheng's attack had already begun. As he said, he only had one chance left. The overwhelming aura was already making his mind fuzzy, and if he didn't act soon, he might not have the chance to act at all.

Buzz!

His dazed mind suddenly felt like it had been doused with a bucket of ice water, and the uncomfortable feeling faded like a receding tide. In his mind, only the crystal sword, radiating endless light, remained.

Ling Xiao's previously cloudy eyes suddenly cleared, and Ye Gucheng, looking at him meaningfully, smiled for the first time!

He stopped and waited quietly.

"Not bad for Ling Lingfa's disciple, always giving me surprises." After a moment, he said calmly as Ling Xiao returned to normal.

Leaning forward, this time without any nonsense, he directly stabbed at Ye Gucheng. What had to be faced must be faced. Perhaps spending too much time with Ling Lingfa had made him subconsciously take shortcuts, but this mental pressure made him instantly realize that any plot was a joke in the face of absolute strength!

The sword intent of "Heavenly Flying Immortal" wrapped around the dagger, and in the eyes of the onlookers, the originally ordinary dagger suddenly radiated a brilliant light! The blade sliced through the air with a fierce whistle, as if it were about to tear the space apart.

Ding!

The dagger and the sword met. No one saw when Ye Gucheng drew his sword, and no one saw how he struck. It seemed the sword was always there, in the place it should be.

The meeting was just a moment, but Ling Xiao felt like a year had passed. He could clearly feel the unwillingness transmitted through the dagger, the sword intent struggling and roaring! But this weak sword intent was like a small boat, able to withstand the waves but not the tsunami. Helplessly, he watched the dagger disintegrate under Ye Gucheng's sword intent, without a sound, everything happening so naturally.

The tip of the sword stopped at Ling Xiao's throat, and Ye Gucheng looked at him with satisfaction.

He slowly sheathed his sword, and as his lips moved, the onlookers suddenly felt as if they had been hit on the head with a hammer, unable to see or hear, just feeling dizzy.

"I didn't draw my sword for you, but for my sword intent. A sword is a sword, not curved, not soft, not curved, and not of varying lengths! Those are just peculiar weapons! Throw away the dagger!" Ye Gucheng turned and walked away slowly.

Just as the crowd was recovering, Ye Gucheng's voice echoed throughout Chang Le Fang.

"From now on, you can only use a sword!"

(I'm really sorry, I drank too much with colleagues yesterday and couldn't update.)

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