Chapter 12

In the small town, Bai Xiaosheng bid farewell to his master Mo Da and set off alone towards Huashan. He had been under Mo Da's tutelage for nearly half a year, and he imagined that Linghu Chong must be bored on Sigu Cliff by now. Moreover, Tian Boguang was about to head to Sigu Cliff, and Bai Xiaosheng did not want to miss this grand showdown.

After leaving his master, he walked quickly and covered more than four hundred miles before nightfall, reaching the outskirts of Huayin. Seeing that it was getting late, he did not continue his journey but instead caught a wild chicken in the wilderness and started roasting it.

During his time with Mo Da, Bai Xiaosheng learned not only martial arts but also various social skills and life experiences. His wilderness survival skills had greatly improved, and his current chicken-roasting skills were a result of the past six months of practice. After all, he couldn't expect Mo Da to cook for him.

"Who's there?" Suddenly, Bai Xiaosheng stuck the chicken into the ground, drew his fine steel sword, and shouted behind him.

"Ha ha... You have a keen sense, young man..." A large man slowly emerged from the darkness. He was dressed in blue, with a rugged face and a mature demeanor, holding a single-edged saber. His steps were steady and powerful, indicating strong internal strength. After sizing him up, Bai Xiaosheng's heart stirred, and he said, "You are Tian Boguang, the Lone Wanderer!"

Tian Boguang was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "Young man, you have sharp eyes to recognize me, Tian Da!" As he spoke, he took a few more steps forward, seemingly unguarded, but his steps were very steady, clearly using internal strength to prevent Bai Xiaosheng from suddenly attacking.

Bai Xiaosheng smiled slightly, and in a flash, he understood why Tian Boguang was here. It must be that the monk Bujie, seeing his daughter pining for Linghu Chong, had captured Tian Boguang and sent him to bring Linghu Chong to Hengshan.

"Tian Brother, your name has spread far and wide after the Huigian Tower incident." Bai Xiaosheng grinned, but Tian Boguang's face darkened. His reputation was not good to begin with, and after the Huigian Tower incident, everyone knew that Tian Boguang had been forced to become a disciple of Yilin. Although many saw it as a joke and the Hengshan Sect would not acknowledge him, Tian Boguang's face was thoroughly disgraced.

"Young man, you're asking for death!"

Tian Boguang, who had been subdued by the monk and forced to take medicine, was already in a bad mood. Hearing Bai Xiaosheng's taunt, his face turned purple. He took a step forward, covering a distance of three to four meters in one stride, appearing in front of Bai Xiaosheng and slapping at him.

Bai Xiaosheng's eyes narrowed, and he turned his foot to dodge Tian Boguang's slap. However, Tian Boguang's speed was extremely fast, and he changed his palm strike mid-air, aiming at Bai Xiaosheng again. Bai Xiaosheng did not back down; he thrust his sword forward, not dodging, aiming to pierce Tian Boguang. The sword was longer than the hand, so even if Tian Boguang was fast, he would still be hit if he did not dodge. So, he dodged, but not completely, instead crouching to avoid the sword, and his palm continued to strike.

'What incredible speed!' Bai Xiaosheng thought, and with a quick step, he leaped up, moving extremely fast. He rose straight up, then turned in mid-air and landed to the side. He used the Cloud Piercing Leap, a lightness skill he had just learned from the Hengshan Sect.

"Hengshan Sect's skills?" Tian Boguang was slightly taken aback and looked at Bai Xiaosheng. "So you are a disciple of the Hengshan Sect." He was well-versed and recognized the Cloud Piercing Leap immediately.

"That's right, I am a disciple of the Hengshan Sect. Tian Boguang, are you willing to compete with me?" Bai Xiaosheng wanted to test his martial arts and see how much he had improved in the past six months, so he first taunted Tian Boguang and then challenged him. As expected, Tian Boguang snorted and said, "Young man, if Mo Da were here, I might be a bit afraid, but you are not even in my eyes. Tell me, how do you want to compete?"

Bai Xiaosheng smiled inwardly and said, "Tian Brother, you are famous for your lightness skills and saber techniques, which I admit I cannot match. However, as martial artists, even if we know we cannot win, we must still try. Let's have three matches: one in lightness skills, one in weapons, and one in hand-to-hand combat. The best of three wins, and the winner can ask the loser to do one thing that goes against their principles or chivalry. What do you say?"

Tian Boguang laughed heartily and said, "Young man, you are quite amusing! Fine, I, Tian Boguang, will accompany you today!"

"First match, weapons, please!" As soon as Tian Boguang finished speaking, Bai Xiaosheng's eyes widened, and his three-foot green sword turned into a streak of light, stabbing at Tian Boguang. The sword flashed three times in mid-air, attacking Tian Boguang from the upper, middle, and lower parts, with the sword's movements hard to discern.

This move was impressive, but it was not enough against Tian Boguang. He drew his saber, not even looking at Bai Xiaosheng's sword, and slashed directly, striking first. In a blink, the saber was above Bai Xiaosheng's head, forcing him to change his move.

Bai Xiaosheng's sword trembled, and the sword light instantly disappeared, concentrating on the three-foot green sword. In a moment, the sword light was fierce, and the sword clashed with the saber, the impact making both of them step back. Then, Bai Xiaosheng's sword pointed straight, the sword light like clouds and mist, changing rapidly and unpredictably.

"Thousand Changes and Thirteen Cloudy Mist Techniques! Excellent sword skills!" Tian Boguang praised, and his saber did not slow down. Although the momentum was not as great as Bai Xiaosheng's, his saber techniques were like lightning, each strike faster than the last, and direct, making Bai Xiaosheng's feints ineffective.

The Thousand Changes and Thirteen Cloudy Mist Techniques were about change and agility, and the sword skills were also fast, but in front of Tian Boguang's fast saber, they were at a disadvantage. This was because his sword was not as fast as Tian Boguang's. If it were Mo Da, it would be different.

Bai Xiaosheng knew that if he continued this way, he would surely lose. So, as soon as he saw himself at a disadvantage, he changed his sword technique, making it quick and agile. One strike, another, and another, he caught Tian Boguang off guard, seemingly turning the tide. However, when Tian Boguang regained his composure, his saber techniques became even more powerful, and he quickly regained the upper hand.

Bai Xiaosheng knew that he was not yet a match for Tian Boguang. He had challenged Tian Boguang to improve his skills and reach a higher level. His sword techniques were complex, and he could use Tian Boguang to achieve a state of seamless integration.

Unfortunately, Bai Xiaosheng's plan was not as easy as he thought. He changed several sword techniques, and although he seemed to be at a disadvantage, it was because Tian Boguang had not exerted his full strength. After about fifty moves, Tian Boguang suddenly exerted his strength, and with one strike, he knocked Bai Xiaosheng's sword out of his hand.

Looking at the three-foot green sword trembling in the ground, Bai Xiaosheng smiled bitterly. He had overestimated himself and underestimated Linghu Chong. On Sigu Cliff, Linghu Chong, without the guidance of Feng Qingyang, could not last thirty moves against Tian Boguang. He had lasted fifty moves, which seemed better, but in reality, it was because Tian Boguang had not exerted his full strength. Otherwise, he would not have lasted thirty moves.

Originally, he wanted to use Tian Boguang to reach a state where he could change techniques at will, but after the fight, he realized that such a state was not easily achieved. Linghu Chong could do it because he had practiced the Huashan Sword Technique for over ten years, while Bai Xiaosheng, although proficient in the Hengshan Sword Technique, had not practiced long enough to reach that level.

Shaking his head, Bai Xiaosheng cleared his mind and said to Tian Boguang, "Tian Brother, your saber skills are indeed formidable. I have lost!"

Tian Boguang smiled and said, "Young man, your sword skills are also excellent. With time, you will surely achieve great things."

"Thank you for the compliment!" He humbly replied, then suddenly pushed his palms forward and shouted, "Second match, hand-to-hand combat!"

"Good young man!" Seeing Bai Xiaosheng's sneak attack, Tian Boguang was also angry, but he shouted and threw his saber, striking at Bai Xiaosheng with his palm.

Tian Boguang's hand-to-hand skills were not strong, but his saber techniques were excellent, and his experience was considerable, making his hand-to-hand techniques quite seasoned. After ten moves, Bai Xiaosheng quickly realized that Tian Boguang did not have any particularly high-level hand-to-hand techniques, but he had integrated his saber techniques into basic hand-to-hand combat, making his attacks swift and powerful. Facing such attacks, it was not easy for Bai Xiaosheng to win.

When their hands met, although Tian Boguang's palm techniques were impressive, he was not a master-level figure. Using his hands to mimic saber techniques still left many openings.

Compared to him, Bai Xiaosheng was much better. He was originally skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and by lowering Tian Boguang's combat effectiveness, he also improved his own. This made Bai Xiaosheng perform exceptionally well, and he was not at a disadvantage on the battlefield!

"Silk Binding Hands!" As Tian Boguang's palm struck, Bai Xiaosheng's palm technique suddenly changed, becoming soft and supple, and his body tightly adhered to Tian Boguang, moving nimbly.

His movements were extremely fast, and in a blink, he had attacked seven or eight times. His hands, like silk, were soft and entangling, making it impossible for Tian Boguang to dodge.

With a slap, Tian Boguang could no longer defend against Bai Xiaosheng's palm technique and was hit on the left shoulder, causing him to stagger back. He looked at Bai Xiaosheng and said, "Good, good, good. I didn't expect a disciple of the Hengshan Sword Sect to have such proficient palm techniques." He paused and added, "I have lost this match!"

He was brave and had the character of a true man!

In "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," Tian Boguang was undoubtedly a villain, and his actions were no different from those of Yunzhonghe. However, their depictions were entirely different. According to the story, Tian Boguang should have been a despicable person, but how many people who read "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" thought he deserved to die? Bai Xiaosheng could not be sure about others, but he himself liked Tian Boguang.

"Third match, let's test our lightness skills! We'll use Huashan as the endpoint. Whoever reaches Huashan first wins." Bai Xiaosheng said, and with a flash, he ran off into the distance.

"Ha ha... Good!" Tian Boguang laughed, and with a burst of speed, he quickly caught up to Bai Xiaosheng. He was calm, his face not flushed, and he even had the leisure to tease Bai Xiaosheng, "Brother Bai, I, Tian Da, will go ahead!"

As he spoke, Tian Boguang's speed suddenly increased, and in a blink, he had covered four or five body lengths ahead of Bai Xiaosheng. Although Bai Xiaosheng also accelerated, his lightness skills were not as good as Tian Boguang's, and the distance between them grew wider. By the time it was completely dark, Bai Xiaosheng could no longer see Tian Boguang.

In terms of lightness skills, Bai Xiaosheng knew the Hengshan Sect's Cloud Piercing Leap, Goose Flight, and the Swallow Technique from the Tiancan Skill. These three lightness skills were not top-notch, but they were not third-rate either. However, they were not designed for straight-line running, so Bai Xiaosheng had no advantage in this race. So, why did he challenge Tian Boguang?

As he ran, Bai Xiaosheng smiled, his speed not decreasing, and his eyes gleaming with determination.

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**End of Chapter**