Chapter 74

Zhang Zhao, who hadn't calmed down after a long time, was still breathing heavily as he followed beside Zhang Jian. To Zhang Jian, it seemed as if he was ready to fight alongside him.

"Step back, Zhang Zhao. You're exhausted."

Zhang Jian gently pushed the approaching Zhang Zhao away, but the boy, despite sweating profusely, growled as if he were still hungry for more. His actions were so wild that he seemed more like a beast than a human. Zhang Jian chuckled at the sight.

"Rest while you can. Don't whine when you get tired later."

Zhang Zhao, as if suddenly coming to his senses, looked at Yang Hong and the Taiping Army, who were already far away. The vast wilderness stretched out before him without any significant undulations. The scorching sun added to the harsh environment for the march.

The tension in Zhang Zhao's muscles relaxed, and his eyes, which had been filled with a fierce look, now darted around, searching for a way to outsmart the situation. He seemed to have lost his fighting spirit and fell back, trailing behind.

Zhang Jian shook his head at the sight. Bai Shaojing, who had been watching silently, suddenly spoke.

"Smart horse."

"Yeah, he's more cunning than most people."

Bai Shaojing adjusted his stance and continued.

"Compared to people? Even the smartest beast can't be as intelligent as a human. Beasts lack reason and cannot understand the flow and meaning of the Five Elements, which means only humans can achieve the Dao. Heaven and the Five Elements, their mutual generation and overcoming, can only be understood by humans."

Zhang Jian, who had been holding his sword, tilted his head slightly, sensing something odd. The extreme stance, with the sword tip aimed directly at him, could be overlooked, especially since he was excited to experience the real Saisword Technique and to encounter traces of the Nine Schools, other than Shaolin.

However, the atmosphere emanating from Bai Shaojing was different.

He was a tall, lean, and agile man. When Zhang Jian saw him threatening to throw a spear and set fire to the place at Xinchang the previous day, he felt a competitive spirit. His posture and build gave Zhang Jian a good idea of his martial skills. Though he couldn't be sure until they exchanged blows, he was confident that Bai Shaojing was not a clumsy thug.

But Zhang Jian's expression slowly hardened. Something was off.

"You..."

At that moment, Bai Shaojing made a sudden move. It was as if he was holding an invisible large bow, with his sword strung on the bowstring, and he pulled it back with both hands. Then, the tension in the bowstring seemed to propel his entire body forward.

He became a single arrow, hiding his body behind the thrusting sword. It was a straight and swift attack, faster than a real arrow.

A metallic clang echoed as Bai Shaojing's body passed by Zhang Jian. However, the force behind the attack was so strong that he continued to slide forward. They ended up facing opposite directions.

Zhang Jian held his sword with both hands, lowered to the ground. The fabric near his left shoulder was torn, but his face remained stern. The tear in the fabric suggested that Bai Shaojing's attack had been blocked.

Bai Shaojing, still gripping his trembling sword, immediately turned and attacked Zhang Jian again. His composure, despite his attack being blocked, and his immediate counterattack proved that he was not a novice.

Bai Shaojing's long, straight sword flashed as it aimed at Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian quickly turned to block the attack.

Bai Shaojing mainly used thrusting attacks. Holding the sword with one hand, the thrusting put a lot of strain on his wrist and arm, which was evident from his unusually thick right forearm.

However, he didn't just thrust. His long sword moved flexibly, slicing, striking, and slipping past Zhang Jian's blade, diving deep. Bai Shaojing's movements were not just fast but also powerful and remarkably elegant.

His footwork was light and quick, like a hawk stepping on the ground to catch its prey, relentlessly pressing Zhang Jian. Though not clearly defined, Zhang Jian recognized it as a form of footwork.

He wasn't as fast as a fierce tiger or as strong as a demon, but he was pushing the limits of his physical abilities, enhanced by a small amount of internal energy, to achieve a level of martial skill that was truly impressive. To Zhang Jian, this was genuine martial arts.

However, none of Bai Shaojing's attacks landed.

His thrusts were deflected by Zhang Jian's sword. When Bai Shaojing tried to exploit gaps in Zhang Jian's defense with his footwork, Zhang Jian's movements were even more peculiar, erasing the gaps and taking the initiative, pressuring the space.

When Bai Shaojing attempted to grab Zhang Jian with his left hand while thrusting with his right, Zhang Jian deflected the sword and kicked him away.

None of Bai Shaojing's attacks, footwork, or tricks could even scratch Zhang Jian. It was as if the initial tear in the fabric was intentionally given. More surprisingly, Zhang Jian didn't even attempt a proper counterattack.

Then, when Zhang Jian deflected another thrust, his sword drew a different, bright white flash. Bai Shaojing, realizing he couldn't block it, quickly retreated and readied himself for another attack.

Zhang Jian, shaking his sword, asked, "What are you doing?"

Bai Shaojing's body stiffened. Zhang Jian's face was cold, not just tense from the fight, but slightly annoyed.

Bai Shaojing, without thinking, repeated what he had already said.

"I am Bai Shaojing, the leader of the Taiping Army and the one who—"

A heavy thud sounded beneath Zhang Jian's feet. What was surprising was that he didn't lift his foot or stomp hard. Yet, the sound echoed, and his right foot slightly sank into the dry ground.

With precise control, Zhang Jian interrupted Bai Shaojing, frowning.

"Your sword skills and movements suggest you were well-trained by the Wulin Alliance leader, but—"

Bai Shaojing wasn't flustered. He had already guessed that the Taiping Army's background was exposed when he confirmed that Galong was captured and tortured. It didn't matter much. Even if Galong was kept alive as a witness to attack the Wulin Alliance leader politically, the leader would easily deny the accusation, and it would be enough.

The Wulin Alliance leader's position was solid. Galong, known as a loafer who drank in a corner of Xinchang, couldn't shake the foundation. The Taiping Army was made up of Xinchang's losers, and the real leaders were only Bai Shaojing and Zhuxian. If this matter was resolved well, Galong could have become one of them.

"I don't understand what you mean. My teacher is a sage who achieved enlightenment on Mount Taishan in Central Plains. He doesn't involve himself in the affairs of the Wulin Alliance. The Taiping Army learned martial arts from me again, and the only teaching is to protect the common people and guide them to follow the will of heaven."

Zhang Jian laughed, finding it absurd.

"You're a good liar. But why did your martial arts training stop?"

"…What?"

Bai Shaojing was momentarily speechless, not expecting this line of questioning. Stopped training in martial arts?

But he quickly regained his composure.

"…A narrow-minded person. My martial arts are different from the mainstream, which is why—"

"Do you understand the meaning behind your movements?"

Bai Shaojing fell silent. His face was expressionless, but Zhang Jian sensed his slight confusion.

Zhang Jian's bad mood wasn't due to anything specific. Despite facing each other with weapons drawn, he couldn't feel any proper emotion from Bai Shaojing's sword. Before the fight, Bai Shaojing had loudly declared that he would avenge Galong and bring Zhang Jian's head to his teacher.

However, in the actual fight, Zhang Jian felt no genuine desire for revenge. Despite his remarkable martial arts, which were truly impressive for this era and the New Continent, there was no real intent behind his sword. Such a person was no different from a living piece of wood.

"Interesting. Your subordinates are half-mad for the greater good of the New Continent, but you, their leader, use them without any real emotion."

A bitter smile appeared on Zhang Jian's face. In this situation, the Saisword Technique and all that would have been more valuable if he had found a demon to fight instead. Bai Shaojing showed the best martial arts movements among the Wulin people he had met, but his spirit was lacking.

Martial arts require not just movements and internal energy but also the meaning behind them. Focusing only on internal energy makes one a demon, and focusing only on movements makes one a dummy. However, the demons and other martial artists of the New Continent had a clear purpose and killing intent.

"…What nonsense? You think I don't understand the meaning behind my movements?"

Zhang Jian could guess why Bai Shaojing, despite learning martial arts from the Wulin Alliance leader, was acting this way. To the leader, Galong and Bai Shaojing were not much different.

Zhang Jian, holding his sword with both hands, said, "We've spent too much time on the Saisword Technique. Let's end this."

Bai Shaojing wanted to hear Zhang Jian's answer. He thought that by hearing it, he would understand why he didn't train more like his fellow disciples and instead became the leader of a strange secret society outside the Wulin Alliance. Then he wouldn't need to lead the half-mad loafers or act as a cold and passionate figure to boost their morale.

But looking into Zhang Jian's eyes, Bai Shaojing felt he wouldn't get the answer. He readied himself again, his body slowly tensing as if on an invisible bowstring.

Zhang Jian, holding his sword with both hands, remained in a relaxed stance.

The Saisword Technique. The familiar name and the form of shooting through the sun with a single thrust. Zhang Jian had high expectations when he heard the name from Galong. A single explosive thrust with all one's might seemed similar to other martial arts of the New Continent, but Zhang Jian hoped for a technique with a strong will, like shooting through the sun.

A technique to pierce the sun with a single sword, leaving a mark on the world with human will alone. Zhang Jian had hoped to see a trace of such an attempt in Bai Shaojing, but he felt a small disappointment. Would it have been different if the Wulin Alliance leader had been there?

However, he suddenly felt his vision become clearer.

He saw Bai Shaojing, three paces away, pulling his sword back, his body leaning backward. His dusty clothes, his expressionless face, his posture, and his muscles tensed