le in Yunnan at that time, therefore, without the support of the Baiyi the throne of the Duan clan would not be stable. The Baiyi had always practiced monogamy. Being held in high regard since childhood, Dao Baifeng was even more unwilling to let Duan Zhengchun marry the 2nd wife. Because of his never-ending romantic relationships everywhere, she was so angry that she entered into religion and became a Taoist priestess. In the past, Duan Zhengchun had a love story with each of the 3 women Qin Hongmian–Mu Wanqing’s mother, Gan Baobao–Zhong Wanchou’s wife, and Ruan Xingzhu–A’Zi’s mother.

This time, Duan Zhengchun complied with an order of his brother Emperor to go to Shenjie Temple in Luliangzhou to investigate the circumstances of the murder of Venerable Xuan Bei of Shaolin Monastery. He discovered very many doubtful points, and thought that it might not be the murderous work of the Murong Clan of Gusu. But no high-level Shaolin came there for more than half a month, so he took the 3 Dukes Fan Hua, Hua Hegen and Ba Tianshi, as well as the 4 Grand Bodyguards, to the Central Plains to find out about the truth. Making use of the opportunity, he paid Ruan Xingzhu, who was living in seclusion beside the Little Mirror Lake, a visit. And in these days, they were always in each other’s company and were happy like immortals.

When Duan Zhengchun and his old flame rekindled their love, the 3 Dukes and the 4 Bodyguards, who came along to protect him, scattered all around to guard. They could never have thought that their archenemy would successfully find and come to this place.

Duan Yanqing’s martial arts were formidable hence GU Ducheng and Fu Sigui of the 4 Grand Bodyguards were successively injured. Zhu Danchen mistook Xiao Feng for their enemy and failed to stop him at the bluestone bridge. As for Chu Wanli, he was being caught in A’Zi’s Flexible Silk Net. After rescuing the 2 people GU and Fu, the Minister of War Fan Hua, the Minister of Education Hua Hegen and the Minister of Works Ba Tianshi quickly went to Duan Zhengchun to protect him and ward off the strong enemy together.

Zhu Danchen continuously tried to unloose the fishing net that was wrapping around Chu Wanli. This net, however, could not be untied with hands and nor could its threads be damaged by knives. Zhu Danchen had been so busy with it that he had sweated all over, yet he still had no way that worked. Duan Zhengchun turned to A’Zi, saying: ‘Release uncle Chu, quick. The archenemy is coming. Don’t be naughty anymore.’ A’Zi laughed and said: ‘What will you reward me with, Dad?’ Duan Zhengchun frowned, saying: ‘If you don’t listen to me, I’ll ask your mother to beat your palms. You’ve offended uncle Chu. Why haven’t you made amends?’ A’Zi said: ‘You threw me into the lake, making me play possum for a long time. Why haven’t you made amends to me? I’ll ask Mom to beat your palms, too!’

Seeing that South-Stabilizing Prince suddenly had another daughter who not only was arrogant and naughty but also was not in the least well-behaved towards her father, the people such as Fan Hua and Ba Tianshi were secretly on the alert, thinking: ‘This girl isn’t a legitimate child at all, but she’s still South-Stabilizing Prince’s daughter. Even if she offends me, I shouldn’t take her seriously and should only think that it’s bad luck. Being tied by her in this way, brother Chu must find it very hard to endure.’

Duan Zhengchun said angrily: ‘If you don’t listen to Dad, see if later I’ll be fond of you or not?’ A’Zi twitched her small mouth and said: ‘Of course you’re not fond of me. Otherwise, how could you abandon me for 10-odd years and ignore me all along?’ For a short period of time, Duan Zhengchun was unable to say anything and only sighed sadly. Ruan Xingzhu said: ‘A’Zi, my precious, Mom has something for you. You quickly release uncle Chu.’ A’Zi held out her hand, saying: ‘You give me first. Let me see if it’s good or not.’

Seeing that this little girl was cunning, discourteous and insolent, Xiao Feng was very angry. In his heart, he respected Chu Wanli for being a brave fellow, thinking: ‘You’re a servant of their family so you don’t dare express your emotions. But I don’t need to show respect for them.’ Then he bent down and lifted Chu Wanli up, saying: ‘Brother Chu, it seems these flexible threads will loosen at once when touching water. I’m gonna immerse you in water.’

A’Zi was furious, crying: ‘Bad egg, who told you to be meddlesome again!?’ But having been given a slap in the face by Xiao Feng, she was rather afraid of him and did not dare stretch out her hands to stop him.

After lifting Chu Wanli up, with several steps, Xiao Feng rushed to the side of the lake and immersed him in the water. As expected, the Flexible Silk Net loosened up when coming into contact with the water. Xiao Feng held out his hand and untied the fishing net. Chu Wanli said in a low voice: ‘Thanks a lot for helping me, brother Xiao.’ Xiao Feng smiled, saying: ‘This naughty little girl is very hard to deal with. I already gave her a heavy slap in the face to vent your anger for you.’ Chu Wanli shook his head, looking very dispirited.

Xiao Feng crumpled the Flexible Silk Net up into a piece which was not bigger than a fist. The net was really an unusual thing. A’Zi came near him, held out her hand and said: ‘Give it back to me!’ Xiao Feng slightly waved his hand, assuming a posture which looked as if he wanted to hit her. A’Zi was so frightened that she retreated several steps. But Xiao Feng only wanted to scare her. He then took the opportunity to put the Flexible Silk Net in his bosom. He thought that the middle-aged man in front of him was probably his own archenemy, and that A’Zi was the man’s daughter and this Flexible Silk Net was a useful thing so he certainly should not return it to her.

A’Zi went to Duan Zhengchun and pulled a corner of his robe, saying: ‘Dad, he stole my fishing net! He stole my fishing net!’ Duan Zhengchun saw that Xiao Feng had acted unusually, but he thought that he probably wanted to discipline A’Zi a little, and that he had such outstanding martial arts so it was very unlikely that he coveted an object of a child’s.

Suddenly, Ba Tianshi said loudly and clearly: ‘Brother Yun, I trust that you’ve been well since we parted? Other people’s martial arts become stronger and stronger through practice, why have brother Yun’s become worse and worse? Get down!’ As he finished saying, he brandished his hand and hit a tree. With a crack, a branch fell down following his palm attack. And at the same time, a man fell down. This man was both thin and tall. He was none other than ‘Extreme Ferocity Utmost Evil’ Yun Zhonghe. After being hit by a palm attack of Xiao Feng at Juxian Manor, he had been seriously injured and almost lost his life. With great difficulty, he had recuperated, but his martial arts had become much worse than before. That day in Dali, he and Ba Tianshi had had a lightness skill contest and they had not been far apart. However, today, as soon as Ba Tianshi heard the footsteps of Yun Zhonghe when he went up the tree, he knew that his lightness skill was not as good as it had been in the past.

As soon as Yun Zhonghe saw Xiao Feng, he was frightened, so he turned around and ran to meet 3 people who were coming along the path beside the lake. Among those 3 people, the one on the left-hand side had disheveled hair and short clothes–he was the ‘Fiendish Devil’ South Sea Divine Alligator. The one on the right-hand side was a woman who was embracing a child–she was ‘Stop at No Evil’ Ye Erniang. The one in the middle was wearing a green robe and was supporting himself on 2 thin iron canes and his face looked like a corpse’s–he was none other than the leader of the 4 Evils, known as ‘Full of the Worst Evils’ Duan Yanqing.

Duan Yanqing had seldom showed his face in the Central Plains so Xiao Feng and the ‘Number 1 Arch-Villain under Heaven’ were not at all acquainted with each other. However, Duan Zhengchun had experienced his artifice in Dali, so he knew that even though the ones such as Ye Erniang and Yue the Third were powerful, they were not hard to handle, but Duan Yanqing was really no small matter. He had strong techniques of both the orthodox system and the heterodox system of martial arts. Without doubt he was proficient at the Purely Yang Finger of the Duan family, and he had also mastered unorthodox skills from head to toe, orthodoxy and heterodoxy boosting each other. Not even such an expert as Yellow-Eyebrowed Monk was a match for him, so Duan Zhengchun certainly knew that he himself was not his equal in martial arts.

Fan Hua said loudly: ‘My Lord, this Duan Yanqing is up to no good. You should attach most importance to the country, my Lord. Please quickly go and request high-level monks of Tianlong Monastery to come here.’ Tianlong Monastery was far way in Dali, how was it possible to request them to come? At present, the Lord and the servants of Dali were being faced with a deadly great danger, so those words were meant to request Duan Zhengchun to quickly flee back to Dali at once. At the same time, they were a false show of strength and might make Duan Yanqing think that high-level monks of Tianlong Monastery were nearby, thus becoming somewhat afraid of them. Duan Yanqing was of the direct line of descent of the Duan Clan so he certainly knew very well that the monks of Tianlong Monastery were redoubtable.

Duan Zhengchun knew clearly that the situation was extremely dangerous, but among the people of Dali here he had the best martial arts, if he abandoned the others and retreated, how would he still have the face to see the heroes under Heaven? Moreover, his lover and daughter were around, how could he lose face like that? So, he smiled, saying: ‘A matter of the Duan Clan in Dali, yet we have to go to Great Song to settle, ha-ha, so laughable, so laughable.’

Ye Erniang laughed and said: ‘Duan Zhengchun, every time I see you, you’re always together with some loose and attractive women, both old and young. Your bliss ain’t bad, eh?’ Duan Zhengchun smiled, saying: ‘YE Erniang, you’re also very loose and attractive!’

South Sea Divine Alligator said angrily: ‘This son of a turtle has enjoyed enough happiness. He has a son, but the dude’s unwilling to accept me as master. He can’t be a father. Let this father here cut him down at 1 stroke!’ Then he drew out from his side the Alligator-Mouthed Scissors and rushed at Duan Zhengchun.

Hearing Ye Erniang call the middle-aged man Duan Zhengchun and him admit it without concealing anything, Xiao Feng was sure that he had guessed correctly. He turned to A’Zhu and said in a low voice: ‘It’s really him!’ A’Zhu said in a trembling voice: ‘You want to… launch a joint attack from the side, taking advantage of his precarious situation?’ Xiao Feng’s mind had been fired up. He was both angry and pleased, saying coldly: ‘My parents’ wrongs, my benevolent master’s wrong, my adopted father and mother’s wrongs, and the wrongs I’ve suffered, humph, such knots of intense and deep-seated hatred. Humph, could it be that we’ll still be paying attention to virtue, morality and jianghu customs?’ He said these few sentences very softly but his face was full of enmity, looking resolute and decisive as if chopping nails and cutting iron.

Seeing South Sea Divine Alligator charge up, Fan Hua said in a low voice: ‘Big brother Hua, dear brother Zhu, you two attack this lout jointly! Hit him fast and hard. The faster you beat him the better. Eliminate the accomplices first then everyone will cooperate to handle the boss.’ Hua Hegen and Zhu Danchen replied in agreement and came out. They felt that there was a loss of dignity in using 2 people to fight 1 enemy. Furthermore, Hua Hegen’s martial arts were not inferior to South Sea Divine Alligator’s, so it was unnecessary for someone to help him. But hearing Fan Hua say so, both of them also felt that his words were reasonable. Duan Yanqing was really too formidable. In one-on-one combat, no one could be a match for him, so there was no alternative for them but to rush at him at the same time. Perhaps only then would they be able to defend themselves. Without delay, Hua Hegen grasped his steel shovel and Zhu Danchen brandished his iron brushes and attacked South Sea Divine Alligator from the left and the right in a pincer movement.

Fan Hua continued: ‘Brother Ba, you go fight your old friend. I and brother Chu handle that woman.’ Ba Tianshi replied in agreement, came out and rushed at Yun Zhonghe. Fan Hua and Zhu Wanli also jumped forward in pairs at once. The original weapon of Chu Wanli’s was an iron fishing rod, but it had been thrown into the lake by A’Zi, so in this moment he was raising Fu Sigui’s copper staff. He shouted loudly and rushed up.

Fan Hua went straight at Ye Erniang. Ye Erniang gave a charming smile. Seeing Fan Hua’s movements, she knew that he was a strong opponent, so she did not dare to be careless in dealing with him. She threw the baby she was embracing on the ground. When she turned around, there was already a saber which was both broad and thin in her hand. But no one could have known where she had hidden it previously.

Chu Wanli, however, rushed at Duan Yanqing, shouting like crazy. Fan Hua was very frightened, calling: ‘Brother Chu, brother Chu, come to this side!’ It seemed Chu Wanli did not hear anything. He raised the copper staff and ferociously swung it horizontally at Duan Yanqing.

Duan Yanqing sneered slightly. Unexpectedly, he did not dodge, but thrust at Chu Wanli’s face with the iron cane in his left hand. This stance is mentioned lightly on paper, but it was executed without the least bit of inaccuracy in timing and position. Compared to the move of the staff of Chu Wanli’s, it arrived just a little faster. Coming out later but arriving earlier, it was no doubt swift and fierce. Besides its neutralizing purpose, this stance was also for attacking, so it should be impossible for Chu Wanli not to dodge. In 1 stance, Duan Yanqing had reversed the positions of the host and the guest. However, who would have thought that Chu Wanli would not seem to see the coming iron staff? He put more power in his hands and kept swinging the copper staff at Duan Yanqing’s waist swiftly. Duan Yanqing was scared, thinking: ‘Could it be that this fellow is mad?’ He was unwilling to become entangled with Chu Wanli in a situation that would see both sides injured. Even if he could poke him to death on the spot with this stance, his own waist would be hit by the staff and he would certainly be injured. So he hastily pushed his right cane against the ground, jumped up and dodged.

Chu Wanli quickly put the copper staff up and thrust at his lower abdomen. This copper staff of Fu Sigui’s was thick, long and heavy, so steadiness was the criterion for judging the martial arts of a user of it. But speed and lightness were the strong points of Chu Wanli’s martial arts, so he had difficulties in using this copper staff. However, he brandished it in a disorderly manner with every move aimed for a vital part of Duan Yanqing’s and gave absolutely no thought to his own life and death. ‘A desperado bests 10,000 fellows,’ as the saying goes. Even though Duan Yanqing had powerful martial arts, when facing this madman who fought recklessly with no regard for his life, he was forced to retreat again and again.

In a very short time, the green lawn beside the Little Mirror Lake was already splattered all over with fresh blood. It turned out while retreating Duan Yanqing had executed his stances continuously. Each of his stances had hit Chu Wanli’s body and pierced a hole in the place where it had hit. However, Chu Wanli did not seem to be in pain and kept brandishing the copper staff faster.

Duan Zhengchun called: ‘Brother Chu, fall back. I’m gonna fight this villain!’ He moved his hand backwards and received a long sword from Ruan Xingzhu’s hand. Then he rushed up, wanting to fight Duan Yanqing in a two-on-one. Chu Wanli cried: ‘Fall back, my Lord.’ But Duan Zhengchun would be unwilling to listen. He put the sword up then thrust at Duan Yanqing. Duan Yanqing, propping his right cane on the ground, first blocked Chu Wanli’s copper staff with his left cane, then taking advantage of the opportunity he thrust at the place between Duan Zhengchun’s eyebrows. Duan Zhengchun retreated 1 step in a sloping direction.

Chu Wanli, sounding like a wounded beast, suddenly changed his offence. He grasped 1 end of the copper staff with both hands, brandished it at high speed, creating a circle of yellow light which looked like a huge copper tray, and whirled it towards the iron cane that Duan Yanqing was propping on the ground. Such a way of fighting was not any martial arts technique.

The people such as Fan Hua, Hua Hegen and Zhu Danchen all shouted loudly: ‘Brother Chu, big brother Chu, quickly fall back to have a rest.’ Chu Wanli, screaming out, suddenly jumped up and thrust and whipped at Duan Yanqing chaotically with the staff. At this moment, seeing that his actions were bizarre, everyone, from Fan Hua to Ye Erniang and South Sea Divine Alligator, stopped fighting. Zhu Danchen called: ‘Big brother Chu, move back!’ and rushed forwards to pull him. But he was hit right in the face by a backward elbow attack from Chu Wanli. At once, his nose turned black and his mouth swelled up.

Meeting such an opponent was not what Duan Yanqing wished for. By now, he and Chu Wanli had exchanged 30 stances or so, and he had pierced more than 10 deep holes in Chu Wanli’s body. Chu Wanli, however, was still shouting and fighting violently. Duan Yanqing and the bystanders all were astounded and felt that this matter was very far from what was usual. Zhu Danchen knew that if Chu Wanli kept fighting, he would certainly die. Tears rolled down his face. He wanted to rushed forwards to help him, but when he had just taken a step, suddenly he heard a ‘hu’ sound. Chu Wanli had thrown the copper staff at the enemy with all his might. And it went with great force. Duan Yanqing thrust out with his iron cane and hit the copper staff right in the middle, then, with a light upward movement of the iron cane, the copper staff flew to his back. When the copper staff had not yet fallen on the ground, Chu Wanli spread his 10 fingers and rushed at Duan Yanqing.

Duan Yanqing, sneering slightly, made a thrust of the cane at chest high. The 4 people Duan Zhengchun, Fan Hua, Hua Hegen and Zhu Danchen exclaimed in unison and went forwards to help him at the same time. But this thrust of the cane by Duan Yanqing was too swift. With a ‘pu’ sound, the cane stuck in Chu Wanli’s chest squarely then pierced from the chest through to the back. After his right cane had pierced through Chu Wanli, he pressed his left cane on the ground and floated away several zhang (3.333 m).

Blood spurted out wildly from the wounds on Chu Wanli’s chest and back but he still wanted to chase after Duan Yanqing. However, after taking 1 step, he had no strength to lift his foot, so he turned around and talked to Duan Zhengchun: ‘My Lord, Chu Wanli prefers death to dishonor. All my life I’ve never let the House of Duan of Dali down.’

Duan Zhengchun fell on his right knee and said tearfully: ‘Brother Chu, it’s because I fathered my daughter but didn’t teach her that she offended you. Zhengchun is extremely ashamed of that.’

Chu Wanli turned to Zhu Danchen and smiled, saying: ‘Good brother, this elder brother must go first. You… you…’ When he had just said 2 ‘you’ words, his breathing stopped, and he died. But his body still stood upright without falling.

Hearing he say the words ‘prefers death to dishonor’ in his dying moment, everyone knew that he disregarded his life and recklessly attacked Duan Yanqing like that because the intention of dying had geminated in him long ago as a result of the humiliation of being caught in A’Zi’s fishing net. People in wulin all knew the principle of ‘There are still people stronger than strong people and there are still mountains higher than high mountains.’ It was not a burning shame when a person was bested in martial arts, because if they practiced intensely for 10 years, it was not like there would not be a day when they would have their revenge. However, because Chu Wanli was a servant of the Duan Clan and A’Zi was Duan Zhengchun’s daughter, there was no way for Chu Wanli to get rid of this humiliation in his life, thus he was willing to lose his life in battle. Zhu Danchen wept loudly. Even though Fu Sigui and GU Ducheng had not yet recovered from their serious injuries, they both rose and wanted to fight Duan Yanqing to the death.

Suddenly, there was the clear voice of a girl: ‘This man’s martial arts were too bad. Bringing about his own death like that for nothing, wasn’t he a big fool?’ It was none other than A’Zi who said that.

The people such as Duan Zhengchun were being sorrowful, so hearing these cold and unkind mocking words of her they could not help getting furious. The people such as Fan Hua glowered at her, but because she was their Lord’s daughter, it was inconvenient for them to express their emotions. Duan Zhengchun’s anger surged up. He turned his hand and swung it at her face in a heavy slap.

Ruan Xingzhu raised her hand to block it, saying sulkily: “You abandoned your own daughter to other people for 10-odd years, not knowing if she was dead or alive. Today you’ve met her again, yet you still have the heart to beat her?”

Duan Zhengchun had always felt ashamed that he had not treated Ruan Xingzhu well. Moreover, he had always been obedient to her, and was unwilling to dispute with her in front of other people. Hence when this palm attack was about to hit her arm, he hurriedly drew it back. He said angrily to A’Zi: ‘Uncle Chu was harmed to death by you, do you know that?’

A’Zi slightly twitched her small mouth and said: ‘They call you ‘Lord’ so I’m his little master. Killing 1 vassal or 2–What’s so serious about it?’ Her expression was very disdainful.

At that time, the dividing line between rulers and subjects were very strict, so as much that ‘when a ruler wanted a subject to die, the subject was not allowed not to die.’ The people such as Chu Wanli were officials in the imperial court of the State of Dali, so they certainly deeply revered the Duan Clan. However, the House of Duan had its origin in the wulin of the Central Plains and had always complied with jianghu customs, therefore even though the people such as Hua Hegen and Chu Wanli were subjects, Duan Zhengming and Duan Zhengchun had always treated them like brothers. In his youth, Duan Zhengchun had frequently travelled jianghu in the Central Plains. Chu Wanli had followed him to go through life-or-death situations and experience not a few dangers. How could he be the same as an ordinary vassal? Hearing those words of A’Zi, the people such as Fan Hua was even unhappier. So long as it was not at a court or a temple, even Emperor Baoding always added the word ‘brother’ when he addressed them, much less Duan Zhengchun, who had not yet been enthroned, and A’Zi, who was merely an illegitimate daughter with no proper status of his?

Not only was Duan Zhengchun distressed at the death of Chu Wanli, he also felt ashamed to have such a daughter. Putting up his sword, he floated out and pointed at Duan Yanqing, saying: ‘If you want to kill me–then just come to take my life. The Duan Clan uses ‘benevolance and righteousness’ to manage state affairs. If you kill innocent people excessively, even if you get the country, it won’t last long.’

From the bottom of his heart, Xiao Feng secretly sneered: ‘The words from your mouth are so pleasant to hear. At this moment you’re still acting the gentleman.’

With a press of his iron cane, Duan Yanqing was already in front of Duan Zhengchun. He asked: ‘You wanna fight me one-on-one with no outsider involved, right?’ Duan Zhengchun replied: ‘Yes! You only want to kill me then go to Dali and kill my Emperor elder brother. Whether you can achieve your goals–depends on your fortune. My subordinates and family members have nothing to do with the matter between you and me.’ He knew Duan Yanqing’s martial arts were really too formidable so today he himself would probably lose his life here. But he hoped that Duan Yanqing would not make things difficult for Ruan Xingzhu, A’Zi and the people such as Fan Hua. Duan Yanqing said: ‘Kill your family, but spare your subordinates. It was because my Emperor father was benevolent and didn’t kill your brother and you in the past that there is this disaster of usurpation and rebellion of today.’

Duan Zhengchun thought: ‘I, Duan Zhengchun, will die with honor and won’t leave behind anything for other people to sneer at.’ He folded his hands in salute to Chu Wanli’s corpse, saying: ‘Brother Chu, today Duan Zhengchun is going to fight the enemy with you side by side.’ Then he turned to Fan Hua and said: ‘Minister of War Fan, after I have died, my tomb and brother Chu’s will be side by side, and with no master-vassal separation.’

Duan Yanqing said: ‘Ha-ha, hypocrite, you’re still trying to win the hearts of other people. You think they’d help you with all their strength?’

Duan Zhengchun did not say anything. With his left hand forming a sword, he thrust out with the long sword in his right hand. This ‘That Sharpness Cuts Metal’ stance was the starting stance of the ‘Duan Family Sword.’ Duan Yanqing certainly knew its variations profoundly. He reacted calmly at once with a stance of his cane. As soon as the two fought, they both used the martial arts of the Duan family that had been handed down from generation to generation. Duan Yanqing used his canes like swords. His purpose was to kill Duan Zhengchun with the ‘Duan Family Sword’ swordsmanship. He and Duan Zhengchun became the enemies of each other not because of any personal enmity, but because they both contended for the throne of Dali. Now, all the 3 Dukes of Dali were here, if he used heterodox martial arts to kill Duan Zhengchun, the court officials of Dali would certainly disapprove of him. But if he used the orthodox ‘Duan Family Sword’ of his family to defeat the enemy and win the battle, his actions would be perfectly justifiable, and no one would be able to have a word of dissent. The fight for the throne between the brothers of the Duan Clan had nothing to do with the officials, so in the future if he ascended the throne and became the Emperor, it would be very convenient for him.

Seeing Duan Yanqing using their family’s skills with the canes, Duan Zhengchun was somewhat calm. Holding his breath and concentrating his mind, he did his best to execute his sword stances properly. His footwork stable, his sword movements were light and quick, and there was no stance that was not up to standard in offence and defence. Duan Yanqing used the ‘Duan Family Sword’ with the canes. His swordsmanship had big and liberal movements, and looked dignified. Even though its stances were extremely light, swift and elegant, those qualities came at no cost to its kingly air.

Xiao Feng thought: ‘This good chance today is hard to come by. I’ve always worried about the Purely Yang Finger and the ‘Six Meridians Divine Sword’ of the Duan Clan. Luckily this thief Duan Zhengchun has been found by a tough enemy, and his enemy is exactly a member of his clan. In the blink of an eye I’ll be able to see clearly how powerful these 2 elite skills of the Duan family are.’

After watching more than 20 stances, he saw that the iron canes in Duan Yanqing’s hands seemed to have become heavier gradually. His movements were more sluggish and less smooth than before. But when Duan Zhengchun’s long sword clashed with a cane, it rebounded off farther and farther. Xiao Feng secretly approved, thinking: ‘Real skills have been put into play. Using these thin light iron canes just like a 60 or 70 Jin (0.6 kg) Buddhist staff made of refined iron–this achievement is very outstanding.’ The people with good martial arts were often capable of ‘lifting heavy objects as if they were light’ and using heavy weapons like nothing, but ‘lifting light objects as if they were heavy’ was a skill of the next level. Even though it seemed ‘as if they were heavy’, they were not ‘really heavy.’ They had to have the fierceness of heavy weapons and the intrinsic deftness of light weapons. Seeing Duan Yanqing using the thin iron canes like steel staves, moreover they were getting heavier and heavier with apparently no end, inwardly Xiao Feng praised him for possessing an exceptional internal energy.

Duan Zhengchun did his best to receive the enemy’s stances but he gradually felt that the canes were becoming heavier, which pressed him so much that he was unable to channel his inner breath as he pleased. The martial arts of the House of Duan paid particular attention to internal energy. Therefore, having an unsmooth inner breathing was an indication of inferiority and defeat. But Duan Zhengchun did not panic in the least. Actually, he did not hope that he would be able to win this match of mortal combat by luck. He thought that he had enjoyed a very happy life, so if he lost his life beside the Little Mirror Lake today, there would not be any wrong. Morever, with Ruan Xingzhu watching him with her affectionate eyes by his side, if he died he would be a romantically successful ghost.

All his life, he had had romantic relationships everywhere. In fact, the affection he had for Ruan Xingzhu was not greater than the affection he had for his wife Dao Baifeng or for any other woman of his. But whenever he was together with a lover, he always treated her wholeheartedly, and even if he had to lose his life for her, he would not hesitate. As for having a new happiness after parting from her, that was a different matter.

The internal energy in the iron canes of Duan Yanqing’s became heavier