Chapter 18

This evening, after dinner, Bai Xiaosheng and Linghu Chong rested for a while before starting to practice their sword techniques. Just as they were getting into the fight, they suddenly heard someone walking up the cliff from a distance, with swift and agile steps, indicating that the person was quite skilled in martial arts!

Linghu Chong was startled and thought to himself, "This person is not from our sect. Why is he coming up the cliff? Could it be that masked man in the green robe?" He recalled the person who had knocked down his little sister's sword, who seemed to be a senior of the Huashan Sect, and the Jade Maiden's Nineteen Sword techniques that left Linghu Chong speechless.

Compared to Linghu Chong, Bai Xiaosheng knew that Tian Boguang had arrived. He smiled slightly, took a few steps forward, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Linghu Chong, looking down at the mountain path. Soon, Tian Boguang climbed up the cliff and shouted, "Brother Linghu, an old friend has come to visit." Hearing this voice, Linghu Chong was slightly startled but then smiled and said, "Brother Tian, it's truly unexpected that you've come from afar."

Beside them, Bai Xiaosheng also laughed. Seeing Tian Boguang carrying a pole with two bamboo baskets on either side, he laughed even harder and said, "Brother Tian, did you come here to fulfill your promise because you knew I was here?"

Tian Boguang was slightly taken aback when he saw someone else, but when he recognized Bai Xiaosheng, he smiled bitterly and said, "I didn't expect you to still be on Huashan."

"What? Do Brother Bai and Brother Tian know each other?" Linghu Chong was somewhat surprised.

Bai Xiaosheng nodded and explained, "When I came to Huashan, I met Brother Tian and we had a match. I lost in weapons, but I won in hand-to-hand combat and lightness skills. So, Brother Tian still owes me a promise."

Linghu Chong was not surprised that Bai Xiaosheng lost in weapons, but he was surprised that he won in lightness skills. Tian Boguang was known as "The Lone Traveler of Ten Thousand Miles," and his lightness skills were renowned in the martial world, even more so than his sword skills. Yet, Bai Xiaosheng managed to win in lightness skills... He looked at Bai Xiaosheng, thinking about their recent sparring sessions, and shook his head.

He asked, "Brother Bai, your lightness skills are indeed good, but to say you won over Brother Tian, this..."

"What do you mean 'won over me'? That brat used a trick to win. If we had just compared lightness skills, he wouldn't stand a chance against me," Tian Boguang said indignantly.

"Ha ha..." Bai Xiaosheng was taken aback and said, "Brother Tian, but I did win."

"You..." Tian Boguang was very embarrassed, but he was a man of his word. He said, "Fine, you won. What do you want me to do for you?"

"I don't ask much, I just hope Brother Tian can change his lecherous ways," Bai Xiaosheng said with a smile, surprising both Linghu Chong and Tian Boguang.

Compared to Tian Boguang, Linghu Chong was initially stunned but then delighted and said, "Brother Tian, I think Brother Bai's words are reasonable. If you can change your lecherous ways, you will truly be a man of the martial world."

Changing a lecher's ways is not easy. So Bai Xiaosheng added, "Of course, if Brother Tian really wants to, he should not molest innocent women. He can only go to brothels and spend money on pleasure. What do you think?"

Tian Boguang thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and nodded, "Fine! Since I, Tian Boguang, have lost to you, I will fulfill your request."

"Good! You are indeed a man of your word," Bai Xiaosheng said.

With this promise, Linghu Chong no longer felt as wary of Tian Boguang. The three of them sat together, and their awkwardness gradually dissipated in laughter. After a while, Tian Boguang took out two large jars from the bamboo baskets and said, "I heard that Brother Linghu is in prison on Huashan, and your mouth must be dry. I got two jars of 135-year-old wine from the cellar of the Zhexian Wine House in Chang'an to drink with you." He then apologized to Bai Xiaosheng, "Brother, I didn't expect you to be here, so I forgot to bring a jar for you. I'm really sorry."

"Ha ha... Brother Tian, what are you saying? With such good wine, the quantity doesn't matter," Bai Xiaosheng waved his hand. Linghu Chong got up to look at the two jars and saw the golden characters "Zhexian Wine House" on the jars. The labels and the hoops on the jars were very old, confirming that they were not recent. Linghu Chong couldn't help but be delighted and said, "To carry these 100 pounds of wine up to the top of Huashan is a great favor! Come, let's drink."

He quickly walked back into the cave and took out three large bowls. Tian Boguang opened the jars, and a strong aroma of wine filled the air, making the three of them feel slightly tipsy even before they drank.

Tian Boguang lifted the jar and poured two bowls, handing them to the two men and said, "Taste it, how is it?"

Linghu Chong raised the bowl and took a big sip, loudly praising, "What a fine wine!" He finished the bowl and raised his thumb, saying, "The best wine in the world, rarely seen!" Bai Xiaosheng also took a sip, feeling the rich aroma of the wine as it entered his stomach, making him feel very comfortable. "What a fine wine, I have never tasted such a rich and fragrant wine in my life."

Hearing this, Tian Boguang laughed and said, "I once heard that the best wine in the world is Fenjiu in the north and Shaojiu in the south. The best Fenjiu is not in Shanxi but in Chang'an, and the best wine in Chang'an is the 'Zhexian Tower' where Li Bai often got drunk. In this world, there are no more than these two jars."

Linghu Chong was surprised and asked, "Are there only these two jars left in the cellar of the 'Zhexian Tower'?"

He didn't understand, but Bai Xiaosheng did. Tian Boguang, in his boldness, had broken the entire cellar of good wine to show his sincerity. Previously, he didn't feel sorry, only admiring Tian Boguang's skills, not understanding Linghu Chong's "pity." But now, after tasting the wine, he knew that such good wine being broken was a great waste.

'What a waste, you could have stolen them one by one, why break them?' Bai Xiaosheng cursed Tian Boguang in his heart but didn't slow down, gulping down bowl after bowl.

"Brother Tian, you are a guest on Huashan. There is nothing to offer you, so I will offer you the best wine in the world." Suddenly, Linghu Chong stood up and solemnly offered a bowl to Tian Boguang. Tian Boguang also stood up and said seriously, "Thank you!" They both finished the bowl, but then Linghu Chong suddenly kicked out with his right leg, and with two thuds, the two jars of wine fell into the deep valley. After a long while, two dull thuds echoed from the bottom of the valley.

Bai Xiaosheng looked down at the mountain with regret, while Tian Boguang was surprised and asked, "Why did Brother Linghu kick the jars of wine away?"

Linghu Chong said, "We have different paths and cannot work together. Tian Boguang, you have committed many evils and harmed the innocent. In the martial world, everyone despises you. I respect your straightforwardness and that you are not a despicable person. I also promised Brother Bai to stop being a lecher. We have had three bowls of wine together, and that is the end of our friendship. Even if all the treasures in the world were placed before me, could they buy my friendship with you?" He drew his sword and said, "Tian Boguang, today I will challenge your fast sword skills again."

Tian Boguang did not draw his sword but shook his head and smiled, saying, "Brother Linghu, your sect's sword skills are very high, but you are still young and lack experience. At this moment, you are not a match for me in a sword fight."

He didn't know that due to Bai Xiaosheng, Linghu Chong's sword skills had entered a new realm. Although he might not be a match for Tian Boguang, he could hold his own for a hundred moves.

"Tian Boguang, you should know that a person can change in three days. Today's Linghu Chong is not the same as before!" Linghu Chong said in a low voice, making Tian Boguang slightly taken aback. He looked at Linghu Chong again and noticed the difference.

With a sword in hand, Linghu Chong exuded a sharp aura, like a long sword, making it hard to approach him. His eyes were full of spirit, much improved from before.

'Does this kid really have the confidence?' Tian Boguang thought, then looked at Bai Xiaosheng, thinking, "His aura has also improved greatly in the past half month. If the two of them fight together, even if they can't defeat me, it will be hard for me to win." Thinking of this, Tian Boguang said, "Brother Linghu, I didn't come here to trouble you. I was asked by a young nun from the Hengshan Sect to invite you to Hengshan..."

"Tian Boguang, a master is a master, there is no such thing as a senior or junior master. A man's word is his bond. Do you want to go back on your word? Yilin is a distinguished disciple of the Hengshan Sect. It is your fortune to have such a master, ha ha!" Thinking of Yilin, Linghu Chong felt a sudden surge of joy.

Tian Boguang was furious, his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it, but he held back and said coldly, "Brother Linghu, your skills are not up to par, but your words are sharp." He then said, "Linghu Chong, this time I, Tian Boguang, am asking you. You must go to Hengshan with me, or don't blame me for being impolite." He glanced at Bai Xiaosheng and said, "Maybe I can't defeat the two of you, but the Huashan Sect disciples below..."

"Brother Tian..." Linghu Chong was furious, his sword making a clear sound as he struck it, a sharp aura directly targeting Tian Boguang. Tian Boguang was startled, his gaze shrinking as he looked at Linghu Chong. He had sensed that Linghu Chong's sword skills had greatly improved, but he didn't expect it to be to this extent, which was truly unbelievable.

On the side, seeing the tension between the two, Bai Xiaosheng suddenly said, "Why don't we make a bet? I had three matches with Brother Tian before. This time, let Brother Linghu have three matches with Brother Tian. The loser will fulfill the winner's conditions. What do you think?"

Tian Boguang thought for a moment and immediately said, "Fine!" He didn't believe that Linghu Chong could defeat him.

Linghu Chong was taken aback, turned to look at Bai Xiaosheng, saw him smiling, thought for a moment, and nodded, "Fine. Linghu Chong will learn from Brother Tian's skills."

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