Chapter 5

As Dong A announced the start of the duel, the two long swords on the wooden platform had already clashed with a resounding sound.

Before the duel, Fang Pengju had tried to evade it in every way. But once the duel truly began, he showed no hesitation. His sword strikes were extremely steady, accurate, and ruthless, leaving no room for error. He had stood out among the outer disciples of the Maple Forest Dao Academy and had won the trust of Jiang Wang and others over time, which was certainly not undeserved.

But Jiang Wang was even faster, steadier, and more resolute!

Because he had waited for fifty-seven days, and during these fifty-seven days and nights, he had been constantly imagining this moment.

Even with severe injuries, even with a body racked by illness, even on the brink of death several times.

He accepted the possibility of injury or death in a fair fight. But being betrayed by the person he trusted the most caused him far more inner pain and torment than physical suffering.

What sustained him through those days, besides his infinite desire to live, was the deep-seated hatred!

With one sword strike, he broke through Fang Pengju's sword momentum.

As the sword entered, so did he, directly colliding his abdomen with Fang Pengju's long sword. As blood splattered, Jiang Wang indifferently swung his sword horizontally, severing Fang Pengju's hand tendons!

The two wounds appeared almost simultaneously, but one was active and the other passive, which already decided the outcome.

Jiang Wang advanced again, using his elbow to drive his body forward, smashing into Fang Pengju's chest.

Fang Pengju had just lost control of his sword due to the intense pain, and in the next moment, he heard the clear sound of his bones cracking.

His entire body was slammed into a shrimp-like shape, crashing off the high platform, and then bounced back by the swaying branches, falling to the ground.

In just one round, Fang Pengju was defeated!

"How is this possible? The gap... is so great?!"

The crowd below was in an uproar.

Everything happened too quickly. The Pulse-Opening Pill, mixed with Jiang Wang's blood and tears, had made Fang Pengju's Dao pulse initially manifest, and his momentum was high.

But the sword, infused with Jiang Wang's hatred and pain, brought Fang Pengju to the ground.

"He lost to himself, to his fear," Zhao Rucheng said solemnly. "If not for his fear, he wouldn't have chosen to harm the Third Brother, using despicable means to obtain the Pulse-Opening Pill. He knew that without this, he had no way to surpass the Third Brother. Once the gap widened, he could never catch up."

Ling He couldn't help but sigh, "When the Third Brother first came to the Dao Academy, his strength was at the bottom, far inferior to Pengju. Over the years, his sword skills have become the recognized best among the outer disciples, and Pengju has always been proud..."

Du Yehu angrily said, "In the end, it's all because of his incompetence and shamelessness!"

Clang~ Thud~

Jiang Wang slowly pulled out the long sword that had pierced his abdomen and casually threw it aside.

The blood-stained long sword clattered to the ground, just as helpless and panicked as Fang Pengju, who was spitting blood.

With the long sword hanging at his side, Jiang Wang walked forward slowly.

"Help! Dean, help! I am a member of the Fang family, one of the three major families in this city!"

Fang Pengju shouted in terror, devoid of any nobleman's demeanor.

Dong A remained expressionless, "Since it is a Daoist death duel, it naturally ends only in death. The one who decides your fate can only be your opponent."

"Third Brother, Third Brother!" Fang Pengju supported himself on the ground, retreating continuously, "Spare me, spare me! Spare me this once!"

"The Fang family is a century-old clan! But it hasn't produced a mid-rank cultivator in twenty years! One step behind, and you fall further behind! How much time do I have left to wait? I can't stop, I bear the earnest hopes of my deceased father, I can't stop!"

He looked at Jiang Wang with tearful eyes, "Your Pulse-Opening Pill, I told you, would you give it to me?"

Jiang Wang remained silent.

"My uncle went to the Yun Kingdom, but he couldn't buy the Pulse-Opening Pill. Even if he did, he might not give it to me. The control over the Pulse-Opening Pill is getting stricter, only rewarding the most promising outer disciples. In the entire Maple Forest Dao Academy, only you have achieved such merit. I had no choice, I had no choice!" Fang Pengju sobbed uncontrollably.

Jiang Wang narrowed his eyes, "I actually understand you. I understand your anxiety, restlessness, and fear. The Fang family is a large clan, giving you a superior environment, but the competition is also intense. I know that human desires are endless. I also know how much you yearn to prove yourself, how much you want to bring glory to your father who died young. You've said it, and I remember. Your eagerness for success and your obsession, I can understand."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Fang Pengju's eyes as he continued, "But understanding does not mean forgiveness."

Having said that, Jiang Wang had just walked to Fang Pengju's front.

The long sword drew a clear arc in the air, piercing his chest with precision and without a moment's hesitation.

"If I give forgiveness to hate and jealousy, what do I use to repay love and warmth?"

"So, I have already died once, and you need to pay with your life."

Jiang Wang said slowly.

Fang Pengju grabbed the sword with his uninjured left hand, letting the blade cut his palm, keeping the sword in his body, delaying death for a moment.

He struggled, making hoarse sounds.

"Taking... your pill, I couldn't sleep every night. I regret it... I'm sorry. But, but you're fine, right? We are brothers. Why... why can't you forgive me... just once."

Many people in the crowd below felt complex emotions, unable to bear to watch or listen.

But Jiang Wang just looked at him calmly.

"Do you know the feeling of being betrayed? Do you know the burning pain and anger in your heart? I have experienced it once, but I still chose to believe. Then you brought it to me again. You made my trust seem foolish, you made my experiences a joke. You made my pain meaningless."

Memories flowed through his mind like a stream, calm and gentle, but unable to smooth over the deep chasms.

Is betrayal inevitable wherever there are people?

"Have you ever lain in a pile of straw, weak and powerless, only able to wait for death to come?"

"I saw two shadows in front of me, I knew they were the black and white spirits. I heard their slow, slow breathing in my ears. I swore to overcome fate! But I knew I was about to die, and I had no way to stop it."

"If you had experienced what I have, you would understand that some pain cannot be compensated. I have already died once. If I forgive you, I will have no right to face myself."

Jiang Wang said this, slowly and resolutely pulling out the long sword.

The high platform slowly descended, the branches contracted, and finally, the entire Daoist duel arena transformed back into a small sapling, burrowing into the ground.

Fang Pengju lay quietly on the ground, his right hand hanging down, his left hand still loosely gripping in front of him, as if firmly holding the sword that took his life. His eyes were wide open, still showing traces of pain, unwillingness, and various emotions.

But he was already dead.

Ling He sighed softly, walked forward, and covered Fang Pengju's face with his outer coat.

Du Yehu opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

Zhao Rucheng remained motionless, silent.

Jiang Wang stood quietly in place, not looking at anyone in the arena, but gazing at the endless sky, as if meeting his other self in another time and space.

"Rest in peace," he said to himself.

His mind was clear and empty. The earthworm in his spine suddenly became lively, leaping from the coccyx, smoothly traveling a distance, and spitting out a round, full, and beautiful Dao element.

Jiang Wang suddenly thought of a phrase—Understanding the world is cultivation, and clear thoughts are the foundation.