Unparalleled Duo
Chapter 78 - 78 53 Capture Bai Ruhong Alive

78: Chapter 53: Capture Bai Ruhong Alive 78: Chapter 53: Capture Bai Ruhong Alive Lin Yuancheng and Song Zhixiu’s duel was indeed worthy of the term “decisive battle.”

This competition between sword and blade was not only the highest level and most exciting bout of the Youth Hero Conference, but Lin and Song were also representatives of the pinnacle of martial arts for their generation.

Lin Yuancheng was a prodigy, destined to become a peerless master.

His background was much lower than that of Song Zhixiu; the Seven Star Swordsmanship he learned from childhood was indeed first-rate, but the Inner Strength that came with the swordsmanship was quite ordinary, hardly considered to be of superior quality.

Later, Lin Yuancheng joined the Cangzhou Xingyi Sect, where although he learned many martial arts, they were basically all second-class.

However, these did not hinder his development.

As the saying goes…

Those with poor talents mimic mechanically and awkwardly.

Those who are too clever neglect the essence and add what is unnecessary.

Those with exceptional talents apply what they learn and deduce infinitely more.

And those one in ten thousand, understand profoundly with a single hint and carve their own path.

A true genius like Lin Yuancheng was never hindered by mere moves, he was only limited by understanding: the same basic long fist, which appeared clumsy in others, he could execute with vigor; the same martial art, where others learned to full capacity, he could comprehend beyond that, reaching more profound understandings and even making suitable modifications.

Throughout history, nearly all top-level masters had either created a couple of superior martial arts or elevated some ancestral Divine Skill to a realm never reached before by predecessors.

Such phenomena aren’t coincidental but are rather a testament to natural talent.

Taking characters familiar from Mr.

Jin’s writings as examples: Individuals like Guo Jing and Shi Potian, though also capable of becoming top-level masters due to various serendipities, can’t create superior Kung Fu themselves; while individuals like Xiao Feng, Zhou Botong, Yang Guo, and Huang Yaoshi can refine the Twenty-Eight Dragon Subduing Palms, invent techniques like fighting with both hands independently, Soul Destroying Palm, and Finger Flicking Magic.

Lin Yuancheng belonged to those types who could consistently derive new insights and improvements from an array of varied martial arts.

As for Song Zhixiu, her talents were also excellent, but compared to Lin, she could not be called a “prodigy.”

Fortunately, her background was illustrious.

Divine Blade Manor in Liao Dong was the foremost sword sect in the martial world.

The current manor owner, Song Wudi, who was Song Zhixiu’s father and known as “Song Invincible,” wielded sublime sword skills and was nearly unbeatable in the martial world.

Moreover, Master Song was just forty-two years old, in his prime as a master, and he was also one of the few top-level masters still active in the martial world today.

As his only daughter, Song Zhixiu was naturally taught extremely profound Inner Strength and Sword Skills from a young age, and with over a decade of practice, plus her own gifted talents, it was justified that she excelled over her peers.

Sadly, today she faced Lin Yuancheng.

Song Zhixiu lacked much in comparison to Lin Yuancheng: she had not traveled much, lacked practical experience, and had never personally taken a life, being unaware of the nature of life and death struggles.

Her blade had not yet reached the true essence of “martial arts,” so how could she compete in martial arts with Lin Yuancheng?

Thus, even though they exchanged dozens of moves in this decisive battle of the martial examination, Lin Yuancheng never felt for an instant that he would lose.

In fact, if he wished, he could have ended the fight more swiftly, but…

he wanted to observe more of the Divine Blade Manor’s techniques, thus he delayed for a while longer.

In the end, Lin Yuancheng still claimed the victory, sending his opponent’s saber flying.

Song Zhixiu did not lose gracefully, at least she herself did not notice anything unusual; even among the high-ranking elders watching, only Master Bai Ruhong of Silver Dao subtly perceived that Lin Yuancheng was holding back his strength, the rest were unaware.

Thus, this session of the Youth Hero Conference in both literature and martial arts came to a conclusion.

By the time they finished fighting, it was nearing mealtime.

That evening, the Justice Sect hosted a dinner for all guests, which was not mandatory; those who felt tired or did not wish to attend could simply return to their inns to rest.

However, tomorrow evening, on the 16th of August, there would be a “Hero’s Banquet”—this meal was one everyone was expected to attend.

In nature, this Hero’s Banquet was essentially similar to the “closing ceremony” of the conference; Sect Leader Shen would announce the final rankings of the meeting publicly and fairly distribute prizes to the top three young heroes, then celebrate with heroes and valiant fighters in liberal rounds of drinking and discussing heroes over wine.

Once this Hero’s Banquet was concluded, this session of the Youth Hero Conference would officially end successfully.

By the 17th of August, the attendees would gradually leave Luoyang City, and the night markets in Luoyang City would also nearly close down.

Of course…

all these were just the usual proceedings that were expected.

…

With books, days are long; without, days are brief, and on the day of Mid-Autumn, nothing else happened, and soon, the next afternoon arrived.

At around 1:45 p.m., on a small path outside Luoyang City.

Bai Ruhong was walking alone.

Despite having some silver taels, this Daoist seldom traveled by carriage or horse; he enjoyed walking by foot, which not only exercised his legs but also allowed him to slowly appreciate the scenery along the journey, especially since his life was a drifting one, intermittently performing acts of chivalry or joining in excitement.

He was here now because he did not wish to attend tonight’s Hero’s Banquet.

It was not that he meant to disrespect Shen Youran; he truly disliked such gatherings.

With his forthright nature and blunt speech, attendance would only offend people.

Therefore, right after noon, Bai Ruhong checked out of the inn, packed his sword and belongings, and quietly left Luoyang City alone.

After walking a while, Bai Ruhong seemed to notice something, but he didn’t speak or turn back.

He silently turned from the main road onto a path.

After covering a considerable distance on the path, he suddenly halted, turned around, and spoke to the empty air in front of him, “You’ve been following me this long, won’t you come out and greet me?”

Moments after he spoke, someone indeed emerged slowly from the woods beside the road.

It was a middle-aged man, neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, with an extremely ordinary face; dressed like a laborer, there was nothing noteworthy about him.

Such a person, on an ordinary day in the street, would not attract a second glance.

And when he concealed his Inner Strength, even those who practiced martial arts could not sense any sign of it on him.

However, Silver Dao was no ordinary martial artist; he was a just-less-than-top-level master.

If someone had followed him without his knowledge, he would have long been dead.

“My name is You Jing, and I have seen Master Bai,” You Jing said with politeness, but his eyes held no respect.

“Do I know you?” Bai Ruhong did not offer courtesies and asked directly.

“No,” responded You Jing, “but you should know my master.”

“Who is your master?” Bai Ruhong asked.

In response unrelated to the question, You Jing said, “If you come with me to see him, you will know.”

“Hmph…” Bai Ruhong scoffed, “And what if I don’t wish to go?”

Then, without expression, You Jing replied, “Then I must apologize for the offense…”

“Oh?” Bai Ruhong raised an eyebrow, “Just with you?”

“With my martial arts alone, naturally, I am no match for Master Bai,” You Jing admitted truthfully.

“Then you…” Bai Ruhong started to ask further, but as he was about to speak, he suddenly realized something was amiss—the focus of You Jing’s statement wasn’t on ‘I’ but on ‘martial arts.’

In other words, You Jing had ways other than using “martial arts” to subdue him.

But by the time Bai Ruhong realized this, it was too late.

He saw that You Jing’s palm was now holding a small bell-shaped metal object, slightly smaller than a chicken egg.

Ting-a-ling…

Just then, You Jing lightly shook the object, and Bai Ruhong suddenly felt an unbearable itch all over his body, then extreme cold followed by extreme heat, and suddenly felt a suffocating sensation, followed by a feeling as if his lungs were about to burst.

As an experienced master accustomed to battles, Bai Ruhong’s first reaction to this anomaly was to try to protect his organs by channeling his energy, but just as he stirred the energy in his dantian… An unimaginable pain erupted from his qi residence, surging throughout his body and shooting up to the top of his head.

In an instant, Bai Ruhong spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and fell to the ground, unable to rise…