Chapter 24

After dealing with Li Mouchou's matter, the mountain path was left with only Luo Fan and Xiaolongnü.

"Will you marry me?" This time, Xiaolongnü asked the question again.

Luo Fan's heart struggled, and seeing Luo Fan's hesitation, tears shimmered in Xiaolongnü's eyes as she asked, "Why are you always so indecisive? Is it because I am not good enough for you?"

"No!" Seeing Xiaolongnü's sad expression, Luo Fan's heart ached, and he held her in his arms, saying, "I have a difficult secret." After a moment of thought, Luo Fan seemed to have made up his mind and said to Xiaolongnü, "Can you wait for me for a while? At most two years, I will definitely come back and marry you!"

"Come back? Are you leaving?"

Luo Fan knew that obtaining the cell repair fluid was now urgent. Otherwise, if Xiaolongnü discovered he had no manhood after marriage, it would be a huge problem! Therefore, he needed a large amount of fortune points, and even if the path ahead was fraught with danger, he had to take the risk. Not wanting Xiaolongnü to worry, he said calmly, "Yes, I have some personal matters to handle."

"Alright then." After a moment of tenderness, Luo Fan said, "In these days, I will teach you the Dugu Nine Swords. Take good care of yourself while I am away."

"Okay!"

"I will also call Guo'er over. I haven't taught him much these days."

"Go ahead." Xiaolongnü stood beside him and nodded lightly.

Hearing that his master was going to teach him a new sword technique, and it was his master's most skilled technique, Xiaoyangguo was immediately excited.

"The sword technique I am going to teach you is called the Dugu Nine Swords." In front of the tomb, Luo Fan paced and said to the two, "The Dugu Nine Swords were created by a predecessor named Dugu Qiubai, who is also the owner of the crane."

"So that predecessor was the master of Crane Master?" Xiaoyangguo asked, as if he had discovered a new continent, "Master, have you met him?"

"No." Luo Fan looked up with a hint of regret, "Dugu Qiubai was a figure from several decades ago. By the time I inherited his sword technique, he had been dead for a long time."

Xiaoyangguo asked again, "That predecessor is named Qiubai, has he ever been defeated?" These questions, Luo Fan had already told Xiaolongnü, so she just smiled and stood quietly beside him.

Luo Fan patted Xiaoyangguo's head and smiled, "I don't know if Dugu Qiubai was ever defeated, but he left a message in the sword tomb: 'For over thirty years, I roamed the rivers and lakes, killing all my enemies and villains, defeating all heroes and valiant men. With no one left to challenge, I retired to a deep valley, befriending the crane. Alas, I could not find a worthy opponent, truly a lonely and unbearable life.' I believe he was never defeated."

"That predecessor was so powerful!" Xiaoyangguo was overjoyed, thinking of the bullying he endured on Peach Blossom Island from Dahu, Xiaowu, and Guo Fu. He thought that if he could learn even a fraction of that predecessor's skills, he would no longer fear being bullied. If he could learn such good martial arts from his master, he would be content even if he died.

"Next, I will explain the Dugu Nine Swords to you. Speaking of the Dugu Nine Swords, I must first explain the five realms of sword techniques. The first is the 'sharp sword without intention,' which is fierce and powerful, invincible, and this realm uses the sharpness of the sword to maximize the techniques, while speed, internal energy, and awareness are also enhanced. Most swordsmen in the current martial world are at this level. The second is the 'soft sword without constancy,' which seeks the ultimate in change after the techniques have been maximized. The third is the 'heavy sword without edge,' which is simple, direct, precise, and powerful, using the simplest and most direct force to defeat the opponent. The fourth is the 'wooden sword without equal,' where lightness becomes weight, and even a flower or a leaf can injure. The fifth is 'no sword, no technique,' where the absence of a sword surpasses the presence of a sword, and the absence of technique surpasses the presence of technique. This is the central idea of the Dugu Nine Swords."

"Master." Yangguo asked with some confusion, "I understand 'no sword surpasses the sword,' as long as one's internal energy is strong, one can fight an armed opponent bare-handed. But how does 'no technique surpass the technique'? Does that mean all the sword techniques I learn are useless?"

"I teach you sword techniques to let you know how to use a sword and build a necessary foundation. 'No technique' means not being bound by the form of techniques, not that you don't use techniques. Attack me with your sword."

"Yes, Master." Yangguo then raised the starting move of the Quanzhen Sword Technique, "Zhangfan Juzhao." Luo Fan did not rush to counter. As Yangguo used "Rouru Bushi, Xiaojie Qingzhou" up to "Cangbo Wanqing," Luo Fan blocked each move with a single finger, finally tapping lightly on Yangguo's neck. "Did you see what technique I used?"

Yangguo answered somewhat understandingly, "I only saw Master blocking my sword easily each time, is that the Dugu Nine Swords?"

Luo Fan nodded, "I didn't use any specific technique, just casually used my finger to block your sword. That is 'no technique.'"

Yangguo was still puzzled, "Master, if the Dugu Nine Swords are not about techniques, what are they about?"

"Intent and principles."

...

Luo Fan explained the Dugu Nine Swords to the two for seven days. Xiaolongnü, being naturally intelligent and with an excellent memory, managed to learn the general outline under Luo Fan's guidance. For the other eight techniques, Luo Fan had her memorize the manual left by Dugu Qiubai. Xiaoyangguo, due to his shorter martial arts experience, was still in a state of partial understanding, but since Luo Fan planned to take Yangguo with him, he would teach him more later.

Luo Fan also intended to let the boy gain some experience. If there were any dangers, he could arrange for him to stay at an inn or similar place while he acted alone.

After bidding farewell to Wang Chuyi and the sect leader Ma Yu, Luo Fan came to the tomb. Seeing Xiaolongnü, dressed in white, standing quietly before him, Luo Fan felt a pang of reluctance and wanted to take her with him. But thinking of the dangers ahead and knowing that Xiaolongnü would never let him face them alone, he suppressed his thoughts, gently hugged Xiaolongnü, and turned to leave.

"Goodbye, Auntie Long!" Xiaoyangguo waved vigorously from the side. Xiaolongnü's eyes shimmered with tears, and she waved lightly, watching the person before her gradually disappear.

A cold flake of snow landed on Luo Fan's face, and soon more snowflakes began to fall. Luo Fan did not dare to look back, fearing that he would lose his resolve if he did. The snow quickly covered the path, and Xiaolongnü stood there quietly until the white figure before her merged with the white of the world, until the snow turned her black hair white.

"Miss, don't catch a cold." Sun Po held an umbrella behind her and sighed, "I fear this matter is not as simple as he said."

"I am sorry I cannot help him." Xiaolongnü felt a sense of loss, thinking that she could not even protect him from Li Mouchou's attacks. Being with him would only be a burden. But then she thought of the Dugu Nine Swords and the Nine Yin Manual, and her expression became determined. She said to herself, "I will not let you down!"

At night, when people should be asleep, the light in Wang Chuyi's room was still on.

"Nonsense!" Suddenly, an angry rebuke came from the room. If Luo Fan were there, he would have recognized that Wang Chuyi was scolding Zhao Zijing. In the room, Wang Chuyi angrily said, "Zijing, this is just your baseless speculation. How could Fan do such a thing? Don't mention this again!"

Zhao Zijing had already anticipated this result, but he had no other choice. He said to Wang Chuyi, "Master, if I am silenced one day, it will be because of Luo Fan!" He bowed and left. Since Xiaolongnü already knew about the matter, it would definitely have reached Luo Fan's ears. On that day, when Luo Fan forced him to swear, he had sternly said that if he revealed the matter, Luo Fan would kill him. Therefore, he decided to make it public, making Luo Fan hesitant to act. If Luo Fan killed him, it would prove that Luo Fan had something to hide, otherwise, why would he silence him?

Zhao Zijing's move was indeed clever. With Luo Fan's skills, killing him in the Chongyang Palace without anyone knowing would be easy. No one would suspect the "Gentleman Sword" of doing it. But if Luo Fan killed Zhao Zijing in the Chongyang Palace now, he would ruin his reputation!

What Zhao Zijing did not realize was that Luo Fan had made him swear to prevent Xiaolongnü from misunderstanding. Now that the misunderstanding was resolved, no one would believe such baseless rumors unless he found evidence. If Luo Fan did a few more righteous deeds, the rumors would be forgotten. And if Luo Fan wanted to kill him, he would have to wait for an opportunity, as long as Zhao Zijing stayed in the Chongyang Palace. But in other places, there were many who could and would want to kill him, so Luo Fan was not in a hurry.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, a handsome man in his thirties, dressed in black, and a young man in white walked out of an inconspicuous tailor's shop. Both carried ordinary-looking long swords. The man in black said to the young man in white in a calm tone, "From now on, I am Ye Gucheng, and you are my disciple, Ximen Chuxue. Understand?"

"Understood, Master!"

"Let's go then!"

In the snow, a black and a white figure gradually disappeared.

...

In Luoyang, at the Liu family's Feixu Manor.

"Report!" A servant rushed to the master of Feixu Manor, Liu Tingtao, knelt on one knee, and handed him a letter, saying, "Master, a black-clad swordsman has delivered a challenge letter, saying he wants to challenge you."

"Hmm?" Liu Tingtao's lips curled into a cold smile, "How many years has it been since anyone dared to challenge the He Luo Liu family?" As he spoke, he read the letter. The entire page was dominated by a large "challenge" character, written with a bold and elegant stroke, which only a sword master could write. Below it, in smaller characters, it read, "I, Ye Gucheng, wish to observe the Liu Ye Sword Technique of Feixu Manor. If I am defeated, I will offer my Tianwai Feixian Sword Technique."

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