The wind swept away the dust, revealing the figures of two people.
They stood on the stage, two meters apart. Judging by their appearances alone, one could not tell who had won or lost in this strike.
These two were incredibly powerful!
Just as everyone was speculating who among them would prove superior, Gu Santu suddenly turned and leaped off the stage.
"I concede!"
He stood below the stage, cupped his fist in a salute towards Nan Shiying.
"You are too kind!"
"Thank you!"
This 'thank you' came from an unknown source, but the crowd at this moment had no time to ponder their conversation.
Why?
Why did Gu Santu admit defeat?
They couldn't understand, only feeling deeply shocked.
This martial arts大会 was not only rife with upsets but also somewhat inexplicable. What in the world was going on!!
The match between Gui Yidao and Xuan Xiao was without suspense. Gui Yidao, still injured, was no match for Xuan Xiao. He was ultimately whipped off the stage by Xuan Xiao.
Thus, the top three were decided.
...
"The person is fine!"
Before Mu Xiaoxiao was sent into the Lin manor, Du Lao seized the chaos to check her pulse. She had only been shaken by internal force, and the little maid named Dai had given her medicine, so she was no longer in serious danger.
Nan Shiying nodded slightly, clutching the letter she had just received.
Mu Xiaoxiao had sneaked out, and the Princess Consort was frantic with anger, directly fainting. Wei Yuan had gone to check on her; she was not in serious danger, but the Princess Consort had vowed to break Mu Xiaoxiao's legs upon waking.
"Alright, I won't delay your reading the letter."
Du Lao drank a cup of tea and withdrew from the room. He closed the door, clicking his tongue.
People in love, it's like three years apart in just one day~
The letter detailed recent events in the capital. Ji Hong had restored Nan Chaoyin's official post, Zou Yun'er's pregnancy was showing, and by calculations, she would give birth in three months. Ji Hong intended for Nan Yuan'er to enter the palace this Mid-Autumn Festival.
Enter the palace, but not as Empress.
Nan Shiying read the letter at lightning speed and, upon finishing, burned it.
As it neared midnight, there was movement at the door. The window was pushed open from the outside. Gu Santu placed one foot on the windowsill and the other against the wall. Nan Shiying looked at him. Seeing her nod, Gu Santu then leaped in.
"Sit!"
Nan Shiying pointed to the chair in front of her, inviting Gu Santu to sit.
Gu Santu closed the window behind him, walked to the chair, and sat down. Nan Shiying picked up the teapot and poured his teacup about seventy percent full, then made a gesture of invitation.
Although somewhat eager, Gu Santu still picked up the teacup and drank the tea in one gulp.
"I..."
He had many things he wanted to ask, but didn't know where to begin.
"You want to ask about Shaoyang Jianzhi?"
Nan Shiying thoughtfully broke the silence.
Gu Santu nodded and shook his head. "I don't know. I also want to ask who you really are!"
Nan Shiying pursed her lips and smiled. "Didn't I tell you? Fengying of the Shadow Pavilion."
Gu Santu fell silent for a moment. He clearly didn't believe Nan Shiying, but he knew that if he insisted on asking, he might not get any other answers.
Shaoyang Jianzhi was the secret, unpassed down art of their Living People Tomb. Apart from disciples of the Living People Tomb, no one else could learn it. Moreover... Shaoyang Jianzhi had been lost for a long time.
"How did you learn Shaoyang Jianzhi?"
"The manual was lost, wasn't it?"
Gu Santu nodded. "Lost for a hundred years. If..."
"No!"
Nan Shiying interrupted Gu Santu.
"That's impossible!"
Without a manual, how could you have learned this technique?
"I saw it before."
Nan Shiying explained, "The manual... I threw it away."
Back then, she had made rubbings of the techniques inscribed on the stone wall by the Living People Tomb, compiled them into a manual, and placed it on the bookshelf in the imperial study. After the Living People Tomb found its successor, she had returned all the manuals. At that time, she had perused and studied it in her leisure. Gradually, as time passed, her memory began to fade. It wasn't until she went to the Medicine King Valley and stepped into the cave where her body had once rested that...
Past memories, like a dilapidated house being repaired and repainted, became clear once more – those faded, blurred, even those people and events long gone in the river of time. Nan Shiying didn't know if this was a side effect of her eye ability upgrading again, or if, on that day, at that time, someone had anticipated her going to that cave and made some arrangements.
She had no way of knowing, but during this period, she retrieved the manual stored in her mind.
She had recently been practicing the manuals of the Living People Tomb, as she had the most of those stored in her mind. The Dragon Subduing Fist was too rigid and not suitable for her, so she learned Shaoyang Jianzhi.
In fact, besides Shaoyang Jianzhi, there were also Shangshang Jianzhi, Guanchong Jianzhi, Shaoze Jianzhi, and Zhongchong Jianzhi.
However, the time was too short for Nan Shiying to master all the sword fingers. In truth, the power of Shaoyang Jianzhi was far inferior to the Dragon Subduing Fist, but Shaoyang Jianzhi countered the Dragon Subduing Fist.
"You..."
Gu Santu's expression changed, and the killing intent on his body surged, but the momentum came quickly and dissipated just as fast. He moved his lips, his expression somewhat dejected.
"Where did Shang Chong go after the Great Yuan Empress died?"
Nan Shiying suddenly asked.
Gu Santu was slightly taken aback. He looked up, his expression somewhat strange.
"Nanming."
After the Great Yuan Dynasty was destroyed, their ancestor left the capital and relocated the Living People Tomb to Nanming.
"Nanming?"
Nan Shiying repeated the word.
Shang Chong had gone to Nanming.
"Then why was the sect's manual lost?"
Gu Santu did not want to answer, but he wanted to obtain the whereabouts of the manual from her.
"There was a traitor."
Nan Shiying asked no further. She simply raised her hand and tapped her temple. "The manual is here."
"Conditions?" Gu Santu asked.
"Help me find someone... no, find a jade token."
"What kind of jade token?"
Nan Shiying took out a piece of paper from her懷 and handed it to Gu Santu. Gu Santu glanced at it.
"Just this one thing?"
"Just this one thing!"
"Alright!"
Gu Santu folded the paper and carefully tucked it into his懷. "If I find it, how should I give it to you?"
"No need. You just need to tell me where the jade token is or who has it. I will send someone to verify. If it's true, the manual is yours."
"It's a deal!"
Gu Santu leaped out the window again.
Nan Shiying stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the bright moon overhead.
They say the ancients did not see the moon of today, but this moon once shone upon the ancients.
But who could have imagined that the moon overhead would shine upon her from a hundred years ago, and then upon her now.
Yue Sinan.
You have returned too, haven't you?
Or perhaps, you never left?
...
Gu Santu was gone.
At the competition site the next day, only fourteen people remained.
Today was the day to decide who would become the Martial Alliance Leader. Yet, the three people standing on the stage were those who, before the competition began, no one had expected, and whom no one had even considered.