Chapter Twenty-Five: Guiding Gongsun Xi

Pei Min gained immensely from his duel with Gongsun Xi. Not only had he found the key to improving the Sword of the Yue Maiden, but upon careful reflection of Gongsun Xi’s techniques today, he realized his own eclectic sword style could now incorporate many new moves. One must know—the Sword of the Yue Maiden was among the most refined sword arts; to blend some of its techniques into his own would elevate his patchwork style to a new level entirely.

As Gongsun Xi remained utterly oblivious to her own mistakes, Pei Min spoke: “In terms of sheer speed, I do concede you have the edge. But have you considered this? In the hundred or so exchanges we had, you pressed the attack relentlessly, each stroke faster and stronger than the last, consuming far more stamina and strength than I did. After a hundred moves, how could you possibly maintain that speed? You thought I became faster, but in truth, you slowed down and could no longer keep up with me.”

Gongsun Xi pondered Pei Min’s words, thoughtful.

Pei Min continued, “Watching your swordplay, I was reminded of a saying: ‘Of all martial arts in the world, none can withstand speed.’”

Gongsun Xi’s eyes lit up with delight. “You think so too? Who would’ve thought we see eye to eye!” Though she and Gongsun You both practiced the Sword of the Yue Maiden, their interpretations were vastly different. Gongsun Xi believed the sword’s unrivaled sharpness was best unleashed through speed, and she had a particular fondness for swiftness. Her swordsmanship focused on velocity—each strike as sudden as lightning—so that opponents a shade slower or less skilled would not even have the chance to retaliate. This exhilarating style was what she loved most.

On this point, she had even debated with Gongsun You, insisting her theory was correct and trying to pull her sister back from her “misguided” path. Neither could persuade the other; Gongsun You disliked arguing, especially with her younger sister, so Gongsun Xi always had the final word.

This saying—‘Of all martial arts under heaven, none can withstand speed’—perfectly embodied Gongsun Xi’s martial philosophy. For these eight words alone, she now considered Pei Min a kindred spirit.

Pei Min did not disagree. “If you can push speed to its absolute limit, so your opponent cannot even act, then yes—‘none can withstand speed’ holds true in theory. But I have another theory for you to consider: ‘Of all martial arts under heaven, none can withstand strength.’”

Gongsun Xi scoffed and waved him off, “Nonsense! This morning I met a brute with immense strength. But what good did it do him? He couldn’t even touch me, and I left him lost and flustered, wailing like a child—”

“Who was wailing like a child?” Before she could finish, a loud voice boomed from the doorway. Li Yide strode in, face flushed and neck bulging with indignation. “How can you spread such lies about me, little lady? I admit I was outmatched, but I never cried out for my parents! Slandering someone behind their back is not the conduct of a true hero.”

Gongsun Xi shot him a glance as light as a feather. “It’s not slander behind your back, I’m saying it to your face. Sneaking around, hiding in the shadows—did you really think we hadn’t noticed?”

Pei Min sighed, rubbing his temples. He’d long since sensed someone lurking in the dark, watching their duel. He had assumed it was a spy sent by the enemy, so while conversing with Gongsun Xi, he kept an eye on the shadows, planning to tail the watcher when they left, to follow the thread to its source. Who would have guessed the spy was just a dolt? He didn’t believe any mastermind would send such a fool to gather information; this one must have been following Gongsun Xi.

Li Yide grinned sheepishly. “So you noticed long ago. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to stay hidden… Well, young lady, I admit I can’t best you, but that doesn’t mean Youzhou has no worthy fighters. This brother here is even better than you!”

“You!” Gongsun Xi was momentarily speechless, then simply ignored him, treating him as if he didn’t exist. She resumed the conversation, “So, after seeing him, do you still believe ‘none can withstand strength’?”

Pei Min replied, “Of course, I don’t mean his strength specifically, just as an example. Take our city of Ji, for instance—it’s a fortress with thick, high walls. If my strength were great enough, I could destroy Ji from ten miles away with a single punch, reducing the city to dust. In that case, what use would your speed be?”

Gongsun Xi was momentarily at a loss, then snapped, “Are you making fun of me?”

Li Yide, more direct, looked at Pei Min with pity and thought, “How can such a talented fellow be such a fool?”

Pei Min asked, puzzled, “How am I making fun of you?”

Li Yide, eager to assert his presence, chimed in, “Only a god could have that kind of strength! How could us mere mortals ever hope for such a thing?”

Gongsun Xi looked at Pei Min as if to say, “Even a simpleton knows this—how can you not?”

Pei Min laughed. “Since you believe speed can reach the point where your opponent cannot react at all, why not believe the same of strength?” He stepped back two paces from Gongsun Xi. “Right now, we’re about six feet apart—the typical distance in a duel. Your sword is three feet long; your arm is not quite three feet. So to strike me, you must take half a step forward and thrust your sword fully to reach me. For me to avoid your strike, all I need is a slight lean or a small movement of my hand. That means for you to land a blow, you need to be twice, three times, even four times faster than me to achieve ‘none can withstand speed.’ I concede your sword is faster than mine, but to be two or three times faster—so fast I can’t even defend myself—that’s something you’ll never achieve, not even if I stopped practicing swordplay today. Ten years from now, you still couldn’t surpass me by that margin. Both speed and strength have their limits. ‘None can withstand speed’ or ‘none can withstand strength’ may be plausible in theory, but in reality, such things only exist in fantasy.”

In the past, had anyone tried to reason with Gongsun Xi in this way, her temperament would have driven her to draw her sword and prove herself right through action. But now, having just been defeated by Pei Min, she could no longer muster her usual pride. After all, she had lost fair and square, and Pei Min spoke with logic and evidence.

“So, are you saying all my years of diligent practice have been for nothing?” Gongsun Xi stared at her hands, looking utterly dejected.

Pei Min shook his head. “How could that be? Speed is your gift, your advantage—it is far from wasted. But if you rely too much on your strength, that advantage can become a weakness. If you could make the most of your speed, today’s fight might not have ended so easily in my favor.” In other words, even if Gongsun Xi had perfectly wielded her speed, the outcome would have been the same.

Pei Min and the Gongsun sisters, in any era, would have been hailed as prodigies of swordsmanship, blessed by destiny itself. Yet even among such talent, there would always be one who outshone the others.

Pei Min had no doubt that he was the most outstanding of the three.