Chapter 39 I'll Take All of Them!

Listening to Pei Min's words, Luo Lie's mind plunged into an even deeper state of utter bewilderment. He had spent more than a decade studying the Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship to achieve his current prowess, yet the young man before him had merely exchanged blows with him and proceeded to learn his closely guarded, supreme technique. It was simply incredible, and he could not help but inwardly reflect: Does such a heaven-blessed prodigy truly exist in this world? In that fleeting instant, his mind emptied of all worldly thoughts, and he felt as though his decades of bitter martial arts training were nothing more than an illusory dream, falling short of another's effort over the mere span of half an hour. Upon second thought, however, he realized that his defeat today was entirely self-inflicted. From his initial dominance to his later elevation in realm where he matched Luo Lie blow for blow, Pei Min's strength had undergone a transformation as if he were a completely different person, and his tenacity went without saying. Although Luo Lie had not held back, he had not exerted his full strength from the very beginning either, assuming victory was certain and thereby granting Pei Min the opportunity to learn, improve, and ultimately turn defeat into triumph. Sighing in admiration, he conceded: "I have lost!"

Recalling Luo Lie's Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship repeatedly in his mind, Pei Min could not help but secretly marvel as well: "The Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship is indeed formidable. With body and form united, it gathers power into a single point, expressed through striking techniques, while deeply grasping the exquisite essence of swordsmanship. Amidst its fierce might, there is no lack of versatility; it must be a supreme art refined through hundreds of years of relentless tempering. Had I not countered him using the exact same Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship, it would likely not have been easy to win with any other style. While the Grass Saint Sword is fierce and domineering, much like Zhang Xu's calligraphy, it places emphasis on continuous, lingering momentum—flowing like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in an endless succession, with massive waves crashing against the rocks. Merely in terms of the ferocious power of individual stances and moves, it indeed falls short of the Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship. My grasp of this Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship is currently limited to its form rather than its spirit; I must carefully ponder and refine it later!"

Seeing that Luo Lie appeared somewhat dejected, Pei Min saluted him with cupped hands and said: "In martial arts spars, victory and defeat are routine matters. Had I not learned Brother Luo's Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship and caught you off guard, I truly would not have been able to break your sword stances. Today's victory was purely a matter of fortunate coincidence. Brother Luo's swordsmanship is indeed slightly superior to mine! Should the opportunity arise, I shall await Brother Luo's instruction at the Pei Residence at any time." His words were entirely devoid of the slightest arrogance or affectation.

Seeing Pei Min's such calm and open-minded demeanor, Luo Lie realized that though he was twenty years older, his state of mind paled in comparison to his opponent's—something he truly should not have done. Regaining his composure, he said: "The ancients say that there are heavens beyond the heavens and people beyond people, and this is indeed true. Today, I, Luo, have been enlightened. Whether in the refinement of swordsmanship or in mental fortitude and technique, I am utterly convinced in my defeat and have nothing more to say. My mentor's words were right: only by traveling across the land can one truly enrich oneself. If I had not had business down the mountain today, how could I have encountered such an exceptional figure as the Vice-Minister? From this day onward, I shall travel the wide world, and should I ever re-enter the capital, I will surely visit you to seek your guidance. Haha, yet when I return another time, I wonder just what realm of mastery the Vice-Minister will have attained." He had such sentiments not without reason; from Pei Min's initial disadvantage to his ultimate victory, the elevation of his swordsmanship realm defied all logic. Someone like him, capable of continuously improving amidst combat, would only grow increasingly formidable so long as challengers continued to arrive. Having suffered defeat today despite holding the advantage, he feared it would be even harder for him to emerge victorious should Pei Min advance further in the future. Yet precisely because of this, herein lay the true joy of practicing martial arts. Having roamed the Guanzhong region undefeated, he had come to regard victory as an absolute certainty, causing his competitive drive to wane; but today's defeat, witnessing that such a swordsman as Pei Min existed in the contemporary world, had reignited his long-dormant desire to contend for supremacy.

Pei Min's gains today were extraordinary. This ferocious battle had elevated his strength by at least two tiers, and particularly mastering the Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship—a supreme, fiercely domineering sword art of this world—allowed him to wield his power with even greater fluidity. He felt immensely fortunate to have encountered a formidable opponent like Luo Lie, and declared: "It's a deal. The doors of the Pei Residence are open to Brother Luo at all times."

He escorted Luo Lie out of the Pei Residence.

The moment Luo Lie stepped out through the front gates of the Pei Residence, more than thirty young Jianghu gallants gathered around. Half of them had been swept aside by Pei Min, and they had all been eagerly anticipating that Luo Lie would avenge them and restore honor to the people of the Jianghu. After all, most of their ages exceeded Pei Min's; to be utterly defeated by a non-Jianghu youth younger than themselves was simply too humiliating to spread abroad.

They remained silent, gazing at Luo Lie with hopeful expressions.

Luo Lie looked at the crowd, already understanding their intent, and said: "All of you, return. Vice-Minister Pei's swordsmanship is extraordinary. Even I am no match for him, let alone you. There is no shame in losing."

As soon as Luo Lie uttered these words, an uproar instantly erupted.

Even though Pang Yi and Wu Yuan had guessed that Pei Min might win, hearing it now still left them too shocked for words.

Just who was Luo Lie?

He was the personal disciple of the Fire Dragon Taoist. With a single saber-like Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship, he had roamed the eight-hundred-li Qinchuan region completely undefeated. Aside from a few losses in his early twenties, he had never been defeated once he entered his thirties. Hailed as the Tiger Sword, he was universally recognized as the number one swordsman of Guanzhong. Encompassing the imperial capital of Chang'an within its borders, Guanzhong had produced countless talented individuals since ancient times; to be able to reign supreme in Guanzhong meant one was also among the foremost experts in the entire realm.

The surrounding young chivalrous youths of the Jianghu were completely dumbfounded one by one.

A flash of intense fervor sparked in Wu Yuan's eyes: A real man ought to be just like this! He turned directly and walked away. In his early years, having made a modest name for himself, he had believed the Jianghu amounted to nothing much; his crushing defeat not long ago had still failed to make him see the reality of things, but today, discovering the vast gap between himself and Pei Min, he instantly realized that he was still a far cry from being arrogant and complacent. Pei Min's footsteps were the only ones worth following.

The Tiger Sword Luo Lie had actually been defeated!

The title of Guanzhong's number one swordsman had changed hands!

This matter struck the Jianghu of Guanzhong like a massive boulder cast into water, raising monstrous waves. Pei Min's true strength officially entered the sights of Jianghu folk.

Allowing a young upstart to snatch the title of Guanzhong's number one swordsman naturally provoked the dissatisfaction of many members of the older generation. Renowned martial arts veterans in Chang'an City arrived at his doorstep one after another to "seek guidance"...

Pei Min had acquired the Tiger-Slaying Swordsmanship and several other unnamed, exquisite sword techniques from Luo Lie, and was just fretting over having no exceptional experts to spar and practice with; thus, he turned away none of those who came to "seek guidance."

Within the brief span of half a month, Pei Min successively defeated five renowned martial arts veterans—namely Lightning Blade Zhang Xuan, Thunder Sword Cao Mang, Mad Monk Bao Yang, Strange Taoist Master Changqing, and Twin-Hooks Zhu Yun—along with ten other prominent Jianghu experts. Although the details of the duels remained unknown to the public, without exception, every single one of them was convinced of their defeat and submitted wholeheartedly.

**********

The Office of the Left Xiaowei Guard!

Yang Ju, the Grand General of the Left Xiaowei Guard, blinked sleepily, stretched his arms out widely, and let out a soft groan: "Comfortable!" For him, sleeping all the way until the sun set behind the mountains was the most blissful thing imaginable. Ever since the collapse of the Fubing militia system, the number of soldiers under the command of the Left Xiaowei Guard had dwindled day by day, making his role as Grand General delightfully relaxed and carefree. All matters were handled by the subordinate generals of the Left Xiaowei, leaving him with nothing at all to worry about.

Everyone has their own biological clock, and the habit Yang Ju had now cultivated was sleeping during the day and diligently tilling the barren fields at night. Especially recently, he had purchased a Hu woman from the Western Regions. That Hu woman possessed a mane of silver, glossy hair, voluptuous lips, surging mountain peaks, plump and upturned buttocks, and a curvaceous figure that exuded ultimate allure.

Merely thinking about her made Yang Ju feel his throat go dry, and his little brother down below jutted straight up into the air, pushing the waistband of his trousers into a small tent.

Slap! Slap!

Giving himself two firm slaps across the face, Yang Ju suppressed his lust to prevent himself from getting too worked up and having to resolve his urges by hand.

After splashing some water on his face, Yang Ju swaggered out of his bedchamber. He initially intended to make a routine patrol just to put up a front, but after walking halfway, he found it utterly boring. Seeing that the hour was drawing near, he could not be bothered to linger, so he simply gave word and left the Left Xiaowei Guard to return to his estate.

Along the way, his heart flew homewards as he returned to his mansion in Chongren Lane.

Chongren Lane was one of the bustling districts of Chang'an, bordering the Eastern Market to the east and the Pingkang Lane to the south, occupying a prime geographical location.

Of course, Yang Ju purchasing an estate here had nothing to do with the Eastern Market; bordering Pingkang Lane—the notorious red-light district—to the south was his true objective. As a depraved debauchee who could not live a single day without women, his monthly expenditures in Pingkang Lane reached as high as a thousand strings of cash, an amount truly worthy of being described as throwing away a thousand gold pieces on a whim. The Hu woman in his household alone had cost him five thousand strings of cash. To him, money was merely a number, and sensual pleasure came above all else.

Upon returning to his estate, Yang Ju eagerly bolted toward the backyard. Before he had even walked ten steps, the estate steward called out to him: "Master, Master Feng has arrived. He says a new top courtesan has arrived in Pingkang Lane and invites you to go together."

Hearing this, Yang Ju's expression shifted, a flash of excitement sparkling in his eyes as he said: "Alright, understood! I'm going right now!"

Yang Ju struck his left palm with his right fist in delight and strode toward the reception hall.

In the reception hall, a rather ordinary-looking middle-aged man was anxiously pacing back and forth. Seeing Yang Ju enter the hall, he hurried forward, cautiously poked his head out to scan the surroundings of the hall, and checked whether there were any outsiders about.

Yang Ju remarked: "What are you afraid of? Right here in my own estate, are you still worried about information leaking out?"

Feng Yuan said in a deep voice: "This matter is of grave importance; naturally, we must be cautious. Well then, has the task entrusted to you been handled properly?"

Yang Ju smiled benignly and said: "As long as you have the money prepared properly, the items you want naturally exist."

A trace of contempt flashed through Feng Yuan's heart as he said in a deep voice: "Naturally. What status does the Tsanpo hold? Would he ever default on your share? Not only have we prepared it for you, but as a reward, the amount has been increased by thirty percent, guaranteed to satisfy you. Our Tubao emissary has already entered the palace to have an audience with your Tang Emperor; before they depart, everything must be properly prepared."

Greed filled Yang Ju's eyes; colluding with Tubo was precisely his capital for living a life of extravagant profligacy.

Four years ago, Yang Ju was serving as the Governor of Lanzhou. The Tubo people, knowing his fondness for wealth and beauty, arranged for women and heavy bribes to be sent to him in exchange for the Jiqu region.

Yang Ju accepted the bribes from Tubo and submitted a memorial to the imperial court requesting that the Jiqu region be ceded to Tubo. The emperor at the time was Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, who was dim-witted and incompetent, leaving state affairs controlled by Empress Wei and Princess Anle. Astonishingly, they approved Yang Ju's memorial, handing over the Tang Empire's own territory of the Jiqu region to Tubo.

Ever since then, Yang Ju had tasted the sweet fruits of such corruption, complying with every single request made by Tubo. Tubo, equally unsparing with money, fattened Yang Ju up like a pig, leaving him with immense wealth.

"Let's go! To my study, and I'll let you see my achievements over these past few years!" Yang Ju laughed as he led Feng Yuan toward the study.

Yang Ju's study was extremely spacious, housing no fewer than thirteen massive bookshelves filled to the brim with all sorts of miscellaneous books, numbering over one hundred thousand volumes.

Yang Ju introduced them with glee: "Over the past three years, I've put a great deal of effort into collecting these books of the hundred schools of thought. Anyway, I don't read them; just tell me which ones you want!"

Feng Yuan gazed heatedly at the bookshelves and declared: "I want them all!!"