A Clash of Gods - Chapter 136

Chapter 136 A Weird Strike
Bai Yuhe failed in stabbing Yang Ning after he tried for four times, and shock was shown on Chi Danmei’s charming face.

She naturally knew well about Bai Yuhe’s swordsmanship and knew that he had a rare talent in swordsmanship. Under the instructions of the owner of the Baiyun Island, he made much progress in swordsmanship rapidly.

In the early years, in order to practice swordsmanship, Bai Yuhe often looked for the famous swordsman to compete, but in recent years, he wouldn’t unsheathe his sword easily. Once he took actions, he would defeat the opponent within three movements.

His swordsmanship was fierce, and Chi Danmei firmly believed that in only a few years, he might be the top one swordsman in the world.

However, at the moment, after Bai Yuhe had tried to stab for four times successively, he didn’t defeat Yang Ning and couldn’t even touch his clothes. How would it not surprise Chi Danmei?

Meanwhile, Chi Danmei had never seen the mysterious footwork that Yang Ning shown.

Jingkong and Jingneng looked at each other, and both of them looked astonished. Then Jingkong looked serious as if lost in thought.

Bai Yuhe had failed for four times, and he didn’t wave his sword for the fifth time randomly.

He was fighting and certainly knew that Yang Ning’s footwork was difficult to comprehend. There was nothing wrong with his swordsmanship, and the biggest problem was Yang Ning’s steps.

He was clear that if he followed Yang Ning’s steps and chased him, he could put much pressure on Yang Ning and might even be able to stab the opponent within ten movements, but under the situation, even if Bai Yuhe won, he would win by luck, which was not the way that he pursued.

He paused, with the sword Obsidian in his hand, and the sword tip pointed at the floor. He closed his eyes unexpectedly and remained unmoved, letting Yang Ning move swiftly.

It was silent in the Brilliance Hall, and the atmosphere became tense again. All people just saw that Yang Ning turned into a shadow and floated in the hall. Most of them couldn’t see clearly how he walked.

Yang Ning didn’t know that all people were shocked. He didn’t expect that he could defeat Bai Yuhe, and he even hoped that Bai’s swordsmanship was really above the common and free from vulgarity. Only in this case could Bai Yuhe fight and withdraw freely. Then he could control the duration and degree and stop at a certain point, so he wouldn’t injure Yang Ning.

The coldness made Yang Ning nervous.

Suddenly he felt that the fierce sword intent disappeared. He was in doubt and didn’t stop. Then he looked at Bai Yuhe, to see that he stood still unexpectedly. He didn’t know what on earth this swordsman planned to do.

Yang Ning finished the movements and had to start again. He walked with the footwork more and more skillfully, and he did it in a natural and smooth way, but after he finished the last step, he had to adjust and return to the start of the Easy Travel, beginning anew. Yang Ning’s physical strength was enough to make him finish the movements several times, and he could walk smoothly, yet the first step to begin was slow.

At the same time, Bai Yuhe suddenly opened his eyes and roared in a low voice. He stood like a mountain, but in an instant, he was like a sharp arrow which was shot. The long sword pointed forward and stayed in a row with him, aiming at Yang Ning.

Yang Ning felt the dark light flash before his eyes when he started the first step slowly. Before the sword got close to him, the coldness on it seemed to penetrate his body.

Yang Ning was terrified and didn’t expect that Bai Yuhe would start all of a sudden and so soon.

He was petrified and took a step backward automatically. Then he was tripped and fell backward on the floor.

Bai Yuhe’s eyes were sharp. With his sword, he forced Yang Ning to fall yet didn’t withdraw it. He pressed the sword tip down and tried to stab Yang Ning’s heart.

Seeing that the long sword was coming, Yang Ning turned pale suddenly and thought that apparently this guy didn’t want to follow the rule. He didn’t care if Bai Yuhe would stop but just closed his eyes and raised his right arm. The sword Vairocana in his hand was dazzling all of a sudden, with a ray of weird sword radiance.

At this time, a scream was heard. Yang Ning thought that he was dying. He hated all the monks in the Temple of Great Light and planned to take revenge on them even after he died.

He suddenly felt that everything quieted down. Then he heard a tinkle, as if something fell on the floor. Later, it was deadly silent again, which was dreadful.

Did he die so he couldn’t hear anything?

However, why didn’t he feel any pain on his chest?

He opened his eyes slightly and found that he was still in the Brilliance Hall. The light in the hall was still bright. Then he saw that his right arm was raised and his wrist turned right. The sword Vairocana in his hand was tilted upward and pointed forward to the right.

He looked around and saw that Bai Yuhe stood only one step away from him. This great master in swordsmanship looked ghastly pale and stiff, with his right hand raised forward, but his ten fingers spread. The sword Obsidian was not in his hand, and what was more terrifying, there seemed to be fresh blood dripping from his wrist.

Yang Ning didn’t know what had happened. He raised his left hand and touched his chest, to find that he was safe and sound. Obviously, Bai Yuhe didn’t stab his heart.

Yang Ning finally heaved a sigh of relief. He sat up and looked around, to see that all people in the hall fixed their eyes on him. There were hundreds of people, but all of them had the same expression unexpectedly. Even the coquettish Chi Danmei also looked astonished and stiff, seeming to see something unimaginably queer.

Yang Ning frowned and suddenly realized something. He looked at the floor and found that the sword Obsidian had fallen on the floor, four or five steps away from Bai Yuhe.

What happened?

Yang Ning got up and felt cold. Then he found that he had cold sweat all over his body, and his clothes were soaked in the sweat.

“What…what happened?” Yang Ning scanned around and asked at last, “What…what’s wrong with all of you?” He turned to Bai Yuhe and planned to ask. Then he trembled all of a sudden and realized something. He asked involuntarily, “Your sword…was beaten away by…me?”

At the moment, blood dripped from Bai Yuhe’s wrist, and the long sword was away from his hand. Of course, he wouldn’t injure himself. If no great master helped Yang Ning secretly, it must be that he stabbed Bai Yuhe when he waved his sword randomly.

However, it was too unimaginable.

Bai Yuhe was a famous swordsman, and Yang Ning had never used a sword before. How could he defeat Bai Yuhe at one blow who was outstanding in swordsmanship?

Meanwhile, Bai Yuhe withdrew his arm slowly and ignored the blood from his wrist. He glanced at the sword Obsidian on the floor and then turned back to Yang Ning. He bowed unexpectedly and said, “Your Excellency, you gave me instructions today, and it’s my fortune. Your swordsmanship is unique and excellent and has reached the peak. I am defeated and convinced.”

“Bai…wait a moment. You…what did you say?” Yang Ning’s eyes widened. “You said that…you are defeated?”

Bai Yuhe sighed. “Today I finally know that comprehension is the most important in swordsmanship. You are less than twenty years old, but you have reached the stage of a great master. I am much inferior to you, and your skills are out of my reach.”

Was he joking?

However, Yang Ning couldn’t find any sarcasm in Bai Yuhe’s tone. Instead, he noticed the respect from the bottom of the speaker’s heart. He was stunned and couldn’t believe that he had defeated this swordsman at one blow.

Chi Danmei sighed gloomily. “His Excellency looked clumsy but hid his skills and consolidated at every step. At last he defeated the opponent at one blow. Since my senior fellow apprentice admitted defeat, we will follow the agreement. From today on, the disciples from the Baiyun Island won’t come to the Temple of Great Light.” Then she turned around and faced Jingkong. “Master Jingkong, we disturbed you this time, and the winner of the competition has been decided. In the future, the disciples from the Baiyun Island would show respect to the monks from your temple if they meet.”

Before most people in the hall reacted, Jingkong put his palms together. “Amitabha. The respected guests from the Baiyun Island keep the promise, so we can see the island owner’s noble moral quality. The monks in our temple seldom leave here, but we will treat the disciple from the Baiyun Island as a friend when we meet someday.”

Chi Danmei smiled charmingly and then turned around with a wink. A disciple dressed in clothes made of hemp walked forward and picked up the sword Obsidian. Then he sheathed it and gave it to Bai Yuhe.

Bai Yuhe furrowed his brows and shook his head. “My right wrist has been disabled, and I won’t use a sword anymore in my life.” He nodded at Yang Ning and didn’t receive the sword. Then he turned to leave.

Yang Ning finally came to his senses and knew that he had injured Bai Yuhe’s wrist. For a top swordsman, once his wrist was injured, even if it could be healed, he couldn’t be put on a par with the one with an intact wrist in the past, and it would influence him when he used a sword. When the great masters competed, the victory and defeat would be decided in the blink of an eye.

Bai Yuhe was defeated today, but he lost all his confidence.

Yang Ning didn’t like Bai Yuhe originally, but he saw that this swordsman was frank and forthright after losing and admitted defeat straightforwardly. Moreover, his wrist was injured, yet he didn’t blame Yang Ning who didn’t stop at a certain point. At least on swordsmanship, Bai Yuhe was a gentleman, so Yang Ning liked him more. Seeing that Bai Yuhe turned around, preparing to leave, Yang Ning said in a hurry, “Bai, wait a moment.”

Bai Yuhe stopped and didn’t look back. He just asked, “Your Excellency, what can I do for you?”

“You said that you would never use a sword in the future?” Yang Ning frowned. “You are childish to say that. It’s my fault today as I didn’t…control my strength and injured your hand. I apologize to you, but…you have practiced swordsmanship hard for many years, and it’s not easy for you to gain the attainment. How can you give it up so easily?”

Bai Yuhe didn’t answer.

Yang Ning sighed. “I can see that you are obsessed with swordsmanship. If you like something and are willing to make effort for it and hold on to the last, it’s impossible that you won’t have achievements.” He paused for a while and then asked, “I just ask you one question. What’s your purpose of practicing swordsmanship?”

“The purpose?” Bai Yuhe was stunned and turned around, looking at Yang Ning. “I practice swordsmanship to make it reach the peak so nobody in the world can defeat me.”

Yang Ning shook his head. “You are wrong. If you practice swordsmanship with this goal, I am afraid that you will never achieve the stage that you want. There are so many people in the world. Nobody can defeat you? In my opinion, the purpose of practicing swordsmanship is never to defeat all the opponents.”

Bai Yuhe looked serious. Blood dripped from his wrist, which was red all over, but he didn’t feel it. He cupped his hands. “Your Excellency, please give me instructions.”

Yang Ning thought, “I know nothing. How can I give instructions to you? I just don’t want to see that he will be dispirited because I hurt him.” He had to say, “I will take a simple example. A man reads books and writes. If he does that just to write outstanding essays and surpass everybody, it will be something painful, while if a man reads books and writes in order to find something interesting, then he would enjoy it and find the artistic conception. This… Do you understand this?”

Bai Yuhe closed his eyes slightly and pondered for a long while. Suddenly he bowed again, with luster in his eyes. “Thanks.” Then he turned again to leave. After taking a few steps, he suddenly looked back and asked, “I have a question. Can you answer me, Your Excellency?”

“What?”

“Did you learn the movement from that person?” Bai Yuhe said, “If that person taught you, I will have no regret after being defeated.”

“That person?” Yang Ning was startled and confused, but he had to reply with a smile, “In fact, I don’t know how I won. I just…waved the sword randomly.”

Bai Yuhe nodded slightly and didn’t say more. He turned to leave and didn’t look back this time.

Chi Danmei smiled fascinatingly and led the four disciples dressed in clothes made of hemp to leave. When she passed Yang Ning, she turned to him and got close to him. With fragrance entering his nose, she lowered her voice and said sweetly, “Your Excellency, do you often go to the brothels? Are they as beautiful as me when they tear off their clothes?”