NOVEL NEXT Chapter 373: Contest
"Disciple Fengling, pays respects to Master." Inside, a gentle and serene woman bowed to a middle-aged woman. The middle-aged woman had a refined appearance, but a persistent melancholy clouded her brow.
The middle-aged woman nodded slightly, suddenly calling out toward the outside of the cave, "Lady Gao, I said I would only stay a few days at Sun and Moon Cliff, and would not see any guests."
"Sister Guo, I... my Master wants to meet you."
The middle-aged woman sighed softly, "Alright, I'll come out."
…
…
Xu Qing and his group waited outside the cave.
Before long, in the shadow of the cave entrance, a middle-aged woman dressed in light yellow appeared, accompanied by a young girl with a delicate and pitiful expression. Her features vaguely resembled Old Master Sun's, undoubtedly the Sun Miss.
The middle-aged woman's gaze passed over Master Kumei and Gao Yana, landing on Zhang Junbao next to Xu Qing, exclaiming in surprise, "Brother Zhang, how many years has it been since we last met, how are you here?"
Zhang Junbao felt emotional seeing she recognized him at a glance, "Miss Guo... I... I came looking for you."
The middle-aged woman smiled, "All these years, I didn't know where you've been wandering around. I asked you to go to my father's place, yet you didn't go. But it's just as well, otherwise, you surely would have been dragged into matters by my elder sister."
Xu Qing secretly thought it amusing; had Junbao gone, he might have ended up as a remnant official of the Yuan Dynasty after decades.
Zhang Junbao really wanted to say, without you, Guo Family is not a place I want to go.
Besides... he didn't like Mongolians.
Actually, he grew up on Shaoshi Mountain, which was no longer under Song Dynasty's territory but he always felt that Mongolians were not good people, yet the Guo Family served Mongolia...
Oh, truly a dilemma.
Zhang Junbao had countless words in his chest, yet at the tip of his tongue, not a single word came out.
Master Kumei coldly spoke next to him, "Second Miss Guo, please hand over Miss Sun to me. If you agree to this, I will personally see you down the mountain, ensuring no outsiders disturb you."
The middle-aged woman asked, "Is Master the Sect Leader Iron Fairy from Queen Mother Palace?"
"Indeed, it is I, the humble Taoist."
"Ah, I've long heard of Master's exploits, have great admiration for you, but regrettably, never had the chance to make your acquaintance."
"As long as Second Miss Guo hands her over to me, we can be friends."
"Does Master think I took Miss Sun to do something bad? In fact, it was her own decision to come out."
Miss Sun beside her nodded and spoke, "I don't want to marry, I want to roam the worldly society."
Master Kumei said, "Nonsense, what is so good about the worldly society. You are a rich family's daughter, you shouldn't do such things."
Miss Sun replied, "The worldly society is great, you can leap onto roofs and vault over walls, come and go as one pleases. If you don't like someone, just punch them, how satisfying!"
Her gentle and serene face was full of yearning when she spoke of the worldly society.
"Miss Sun, you do not understand. Days of violence and killing are only novel for a time. Afterward, you'll inevitably be in constant fear. You are a girl, a life of supporting your husband and teaching your children is how you should pass your days."
"Must girls truly support their husbands and teach their children?"
"Of course, it is the natural order of things."
"Then why hasn't Master married?"
Upon hearing this, Master Kumei was momentarily at a loss, then replied, "I am a monastic."
"Then why didn't Master support her husband and teach children before becoming a monastic?"
Master Kumei frowned, "Miss Sun, if you refuse to see reason, you will harm many people. Come with me."
She brushed her horsetail whisk swiftly towards Miss Sun.
Don't let its soft appearance fool you; this sweep was the "Gentle Breeze" of the Thirteen Forms of Qingfeng, exquisitely wondrous.
Someone capable of withstanding this move would already be able to make a name in the worldly society.
But this brush failed.
Because the middle-aged woman flicked a pebble.
Should Master Kumei insist on capturing Miss Sun, she would be struck on the acupoint of her divine gate, losing control of the whisk.
Master Kumei had no choice but to retract the whisk, blocking the pebble.
The back-and-forth of the whisk happened in a flash, representing the clash of two great Absolute Skills in the worldly society.
Master Kumei inquired, "Peach Blossom Island's Finger弹指神通?"
The middle-aged woman shook her head, "If it were Finger弹指神通, Master wouldn't be able to avoid it. This is a mere imitation of One Yang Finger coupled with my understanding of the Finger弹指神通, please forgive my presumptuousness."
"Second Miss Guo indeed has deep-rooted family skills, you are sure to become a great Martial Arts master in the future," remarked Master Kumei faintly.
After she finished speaking, she drew the Jade Maiden Sword she carried.
This sword could cut through iron as if it were mud.
For a martial artist, having a sharp weapon in hand, the greater the expertise, the greater the combat power increased.
Only a glint of cold light pointed distantly at the middle-aged woman.
The middle-aged woman said, "Master, there's no need to be so aggressive."
"Second Miss Guo, I respect your family heritage. But taking Miss Sun up the mountain is highly detrimental to our sect, I have warned you repeatedly."
The middle-aged woman replied, "I have long wished to experience the Qingfeng Swordsmanship."
Master Kumei said to Gao Yana, "Yana, give Second Miss Guo your Qingfeng Sword."
Gao Yana hesitated greatly.
Seeing this, Master Kumei sneered, her horsetail whisk brushed and Gao Yana's sword was unsheathed, landing before the middle-aged woman.
"In the worldly society, worldly matters must be resolved. The sharpness of the Qingfeng Sword is no less than that of the sword I carry. Second Miss Guo, use this sword to spar with me."
The middle-aged woman sighed, "Too bad I lost the Heavenly Sword, otherwise Master would certainly lose to me today."
As she spoke, she picked up the Qingfeng Sword, and with a move that was neither real nor illusionary, thrust towards Master Kumei.
Master Kumei promptly countered with Qingfeng Swordsmanship.
Master Kumei's swordsmanship, as if a gentle breeze caressing the face, reached everywhere. Whereas the middle-aged woman's swordsmanship resembled scattered falling flowers, with indeterminate reality.
Xu Qing whispered to Zhang Junbao beside him, "Second Miss Guo is using the Luoying Divine Sword, originally a hand technique but derived from swordsmanship, it deeply grasps the martial art of avoiding the solid and attacking the void. However, Master Kumei's Qingfeng Swordsmanship, like a breath from a cave, can touch its cause. In another twenty moves, Second Miss Guo's variations will be exhausted, and she will likely have a flaw seized by Master Kumei's Qingfeng Swordsmanship."
Zhang Junbao naturally saw this, and Xu Qing was spot on.
He couldn't help but feel anxious in his heart.
As expected, after twenty moves, the middle-aged woman's variations were exhausted.
Master Kumei's Qingfeng Swordsmanship, from a breeze blowing willow catkins, transformed in an instant into a violent storm, elevating the offensive dramatically.
The middle-aged woman's Luoying Divine Sword truly became like scattered falling flowers, all feints dissipated.
It was as if she were holding a bare peach branch.
Seeing the cold glint of Master Kumei's sword, it was about to pierce Second Miss Guo.
Suddenly, a crisp sound was heard.
It was Zhang Junbao intervening, with flesh and blood striking Master Kumei's sword blade. This strike, appearing effortless while concealing massive force, caused Master Kumei's wrist to throb with pain from the impact.
Only now did she realize, Zhang Junbao's martial arts had reached an unprecedented, extremely high level.
"Daoist Zhang, your actions likely breach the worldly society's rules," she said.
Zhang Junbao replied, "Master, I am indebted to Miss Guo, I cannot let you harm her."
The middle-aged woman sighed, "Brother Zhang, thank you for your kindness. Just now, I lost."
Before her words had completely left her mouth, Miss Sun suddenly moved her neck toward the Qingfeng Sword in the middle-aged woman's hand.
However, before she could reach the blade, a pebble shot to her acupoint, immobilizing her.
"Miss Sun, why put yourself through this?"
Master Kumei also didn't expect this seemingly gentle and serene young girl to be so determined.
She truly didn't want to marry!
In that moment, Master Kumei felt a surge of mixed emotions in her heart.