Chapter 264: Chapter 222: A Tree of Plum Blossoms, Blocking the Gate to Challenge
"Look, look! Someone’s blocking the gate to the Broken Sword Sect!"
"Holy shit, who’s this badass? Daring to block the gates of the Broken Sword Sect?"
Amid the noisy chatter, the crowd on the street flocked toward the alley’s entrance.
The diners in the nearby shop couldn’t sit still, running out with steamed buns still in hand.
A tremor ran through Old Gao. He suddenly remembered something and ran over as well.
There in the alley stood a young man, poised and calm. It was the same person who had just been eating buns in the shop.
He stood before the gates of the Broken Sword Sect without a word.
And yet, from this simple act of standing there, no one from the Broken Sword Sect dared to emerge and accept the challenge. Not a single person even came out to question him.
The main gate of the Broken Sword Sect, which should have been bustling with people coming and going, was now deserted and silent because of one man.
His imposing presence alone was enough to leave many speechless.
Then, someone in the crowd finally recognized the young man and let out a hushed gasp.
"He’s Wu Liangchen!"
The name sent a shockwave through the crowd.
Even Old Gao had heard this name more than once recently.
’He’s the Wu Liangchen who defeated Shan Rui in a single move?’
Old Gao was stunned.
Shan Rui had eaten at his shop before, and living so close, Old Gao had come to admire him greatly. He had even considered Shan Rui the finest of Kyoto’s younger generation.
But just two days ago, that notion had been shattered.
And Wu Liangchen was the reason.
’But he already defeated Shan Rui, so why is he here blocking the gate now?’
Old Gao was confused.
But someone in the crowd knew what was going on. His voice trembled with excitement as he spoke.
"It’s Gu Yi! He’s here for Gu Yi!"
Understanding dawned on the crowd.
Everyone had heard that Wu Liangchen intended to challenge Gu Yi, but with Gu Yi making no appearance, the matter had been shelved.
No one had expected that Wu Liangchen would resort to such a drastic measure today.
This action meant there was no longer room for de-escalation between him and the Broken Sword Sect. The only path left was one of life or death.
’Why is this happening? Can’t they just talk things over peacefully? Must it come to drawn swords?’
The thought flashed through Old Gao’s mind, but he didn’t dare say it out loud.
This was not something a bun seller like him could influence.
Wu Liangchen remained oblivious to the commotion around him. He stood before the gates of the Broken Sword Club, eyes half-closed, meditating and preserving his energy.
His purpose was simple: to force Gu Yi to show himself.
If, before, Wu Liangchen had sought out Gu Yi merely to test his skills against a famed master of the Imperial Capital’s martial world, then Chen Sujin’s words had completely changed his mind.
Now, Wu Liangchen no longer saw Gu Yi as a touchstone, but as a man who had to be killed.
Wu Liangchen had decided that he would not leave until Gu Yi appeared.
Just then, the sealed courtyard gate was suddenly pulled open, and Shan Rui walked out with an indignant expression.
He had been in the back courtyard for the past few days, honing his sword and nursing his wounds, completely unaware of what was happening out front.
It wasn’t until his two junior sisters, Da Jiao and Er Lan, rushed over to tell him they had seen Wu Liangchen at Old Man Gao’s bun shop that he took it seriously.
But at the time, he still wasn’t quite sure what Wu Liangchen wanted.
’I’ve already lost, and Master isn’t here. What’s he doing here?’
It was only after Wu Liangchen blocked the Broken Sword Sect’s gate that the reality of the situation hit Shan Rui, and he ground his teeth in fury.
’This is utterly humiliating!’
’You don’t kick a man when he’s down! We’ve already backed down, but this Wu Liangchen is still relentless.’
If he didn’t show his face now, he would never be able to hold his head high again, even if his master returned and defeated Wu Liangchen.
So, he ignored all attempts to stop him and came to the front courtyard, intending to demand what exactly Wu Liangchen was trying to do.
But when he saw Wu Liangchen’s icy gaze, half of his initial rage instantly dissipated.
Still, he summoned his courage and said in as calm a tone as possible, "Wu Liangchen, what is the meaning of blocking our Broken Sword Sect’s gate?"
"It has no meaning. Your master refuses to show himself, so I was forced to resort to this last measure," Wu Liangchen said lightly.
"You... You’re going too far!" Shan Rui said in a cold voice, suppressing his anger.
Wu Liangchen smiled.
"Going too far... I think those words are more fitting for your master."
At this, Wu Liangchen raised his head and said coolly, "Enough nonsense. If you want me to leave, it’s simple. Defeat the saber on my back, and I will turn and leave, never to set foot in Plum Blossom Alley again."
"If you can’t, then shut up!"
After saying this, Wu Liangchen lowered his gaze again, completely ignoring Shan Rui and the other Broken Sword Sect disciples behind him.
Shan Rui’s expression flickered with uncertainty.
His blood as a Martial Artist boiled, urging him to rush down and fight Wu Liangchen to his heart’s content.
But reason held him back.
Because that could actually get him killed.
"Senior Brother, let’s go back for now. At worst, we can just use the back gate for a while."
"That’s right, Senior Brother! Let’s just wait for Master to come back. We’ll see if he still dares to be so arrogant when Master returns!"
His junior brothers and sisters all tried to persuade him.
In the end, Shan Rui could only retreat dejectedly and shut the main gate once more.
Meanwhile, the events before the Broken Sword Sect’s gate spread like a hurricane throughout the entire martial world of the Imperial Capital.
「Shuntong Escort Agency.」
After Jiang Feng recounted the incident, Jiang Minghai was silent for a moment, then laughed.
"That old bastard Gu Yi has finally met his match. Let’s see how he handles this."
"Father, if Gu Yi and Wu Liangchen really fight, who do you think will win?" Jiang Feng couldn’t help but ask curiously.
"It’s hard to say right now. Although Wu Liangchen became famous at a young age, his foundation is too shallow. He’s only had two years. I don’t believe he could break through the bottleneck and attain the rank of Grandmaster in such a short time."
"But Gu Yi also has his disadvantages. First, he has lived a life of comfort and privilege for so many years that he has lost his original fire. On top of that, he doesn’t even dare to answer a challenge at his own doorstep. You could say he’s lost his edge."
"So, right now, I have no idea who would ultimately win."
Jiang Feng frowned in confusion. "Father, why do you think Wu Liangchen would suddenly show up and provoke him?"
Jiang Minghai snorted coldly. "As they say, ’he who lives by injustice will die by it.’ I once advised Gu Yi not to be so ruthless in his dealings, but he refused to listen, acting as he pleased. Now look, disaster has come knocking. He brought this upon himself."
Although Jiang Feng didn’t know the specifics, he had heard rumors over the years.
Because of this, he sighed inwardly.
There’s a saying: "Ten years of drinking ice can hardly cool hot blood." In Wu Liangchen, he suddenly saw the kind of youthful passion that had long vanished from the martial world of the Imperial Capital.
"So, do you think Gu Yi will dare to accept the challenge?" Jiang Feng asked again.
"Gu Yi has only two paths before him now. One, he can ask someone with enough clout to mediate and convince Wu Liangchen to back down. Other than that, if he dares not to fight, his Broken Sword Sect will be utterly ruined," Jiang Minghai said with certainty.
And as expected of a veteran, his words hit the nail on the head.
Just as Plum Blossom Alley was growing more and more crowded, with many busybodies going out of their way to watch the spectacle, an exceptionally luxurious carriage suddenly appeared at the end of the street.
Then, a squad of elite soldiers was seen forcibly clearing a path through the crowd, escorting the carriage into Plum Blossom Alley.
Although the crowd was pushed aside, they didn’t disperse. Instead, they watched from a distance with even greater excitement.
They knew that a truly important person had arrived.
And in the Imperial Capital today, the number of people of that caliber could be counted on one hand.
Many had already guessed who it might be, their hearts filled with a mixture of fear and excitement.
With such a major figure making an appearance, how would this affair end?
Meanwhile, the carriage drove straight through, stopping right in front of the Broken Sword Sect’s gate. The carriage stopped, and the curtain was lifted.
A wave of warm air, thick with the scent of expensive incense, billowed out, even overpowering the fragrance of the nearby plum blossoms.
Immediately after, a man in magnificent robes stepped out of the carriage with his head held high. He smiled faintly at Wu Liangchen, who stood not far away.
"I have long heard of your name, Young Hero Wu. It is a pleasure to finally meet you today!"
Wu Liangchen looked up at the man, at his meticulously maintained face and the air of imperious arrogance in his eyes, and then spoke.
"Prince Jing?"
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