Hu the blacksmith turned his head to take a look, grinning, "Ah Su, you've come! I'm afraid I'll disappoint you; this time's water dispute fight doesn't seem to hold any hope. Our Sanlang has already won two rounds. If he wins this round against Chu Sancha, then the mud-legged folks from Wanghou will have no chance left."
Ah Su carefully scanned the arena and noticed a particularly striking seven-foot tall man in a short jacket and a beast skirt. His body was as solid as iron, and in his hands, he wielded a massive three-pronged iron fork, moving with an intimidating grace that seemed to command the storm. Seeing how fierce he looked, Ah Su felt a pang of anxiety; if he stepped in, he wouldn't last long against a few thrusts.
"Chu Sancha? Is that the so-called best warrior from Wanghou, Chu the Madman? I've heard he possesses divine strength, capable of taking on a giant beast. It's said that no ordinary twenty to thirty men can even approach him. I wonder if Brother Youjiao can win."
"It would be best if he does; if he doesn't…" Hu the blacksmith weighed the heavy hammer in his hand, and it seemed he was not planning to play by the rules. If their side lost, there was a good chance they would charge in all together, using their numbers to win.
Ah Su wasn't too disappointed to think he might not have to join the fight. In these rural skirmishes, weapons could be deadly, and there were often casualties. Although the local people were tough, they weren't reckless; most simply came to make a show of strength, and very few would actually dare to fight to the death. After all, they were ordinary villagers, not soldiers.
With this resolve, Ah Su observed the two fighters closely. There was no need to talk about Chu Sancha's prowess—his divine strength, robust build, and years of hunting beasts in the mountains made him formidable. What intrigued Ah Su was Li Youjiao on their side. Although Ah Su was from Cixi Town, he had spent years traveling to sell goods, and today was the first time he had seen the renowned warrior from Cixi, Li Youjiao, also known as Li Sanlang.
Ah Su was not an ignorant country bumpkin. If one were to speak of the most well-traveled individuals in Cixi Town, he would surely be among them, having ventured to the surrounding areas, from the four counties to as far as Shuangcheng and beyond.
He had seen many martial artists in the Jianghu, and while rural folk often fought with knives, clubs, forks, and rakes, very few wielded swords. This was because ordinary villagers relied mainly on brute strength, and longer weapons were naturally more advantageous. Swords were a privilege reserved for the nobility; without some skill or internal strength, one couldn't effectively wield them.
Ah Su had heard that Li Youjiao came from the prestigious Li family of Shuangcheng, so using a sword would be commonplace for him. However, he noticed that Li Youjiao's sword was peculiar; unlike regular swords, which have blades on both sides for slashing and stabbing, Li Youjiao's was flat, thin, and lacked a double-edged blade. It had only a sharp tip for stabbing, making it truly unusual.
What puzzled Ah Su wasn't just the sword itself but also the swordsmanship that Li Youjiao employed. He had seen others duel with swords in Shuangcheng and, to be honest, those displays were truly impressive—some were graceful, some fierce, some heavy, and some soaring.
Yet Li Youjiao's performance was quite different; he maintained a single stance throughout the fight. His left leg would push against his right, moving only forward and backward, rarely side to side. His feet hardly left the ground, only tapping the ground lightly, while he kept his sword always pointing forward, slightly drooping, with his elbow slightly bent. His strange footwork made him look like a large monkey. Despite his odd movements, he wasn't losing ground against Chu Sancha.
'Could this be some kind of advanced sword technique that I can't recognize? Yes, yes, it must be the Ape Sword Technique; I think I've heard of it before. It has to be that,' Ah Su thought as he continued to speculate in the crowd.
After several exchanges, Chu Sancha's attacks did not diminish, but he started to feel anxious. This fork technique wasn't just any ordinary skill; he had acquired it nine years ago from a wandering Taoist priest who had recognized his innate strength and simplicity. The priest taught him this technique for self-defense, claiming that if he mastered it, he could roam the world freely.
The priest had not exaggerated; after mastering the fork technique, no one in Wanghou could rival him, and even the rogues from the surrounding towns rarely stood a chance against him. However, today, at the water dispute, he encountered such a peculiar opponent.
While others saw his attacks as ferocious, Chu Sancha understood the struggle he faced. Although he seemed to dominate with his attacks, his opponent, Youjiao, moved with incredible speed. From his perspective, it looked like there were no openings, but whenever he thrust, Youjiao would seamlessly step back or forward, closing any gaps. That sword was swift and deadly; the man was like a coiled snake, ready to strike with a lethal thrust. If it weren't for his caution, he would have suffered a major blow by now.
"Enough! If this continues and I run out of stamina, won't I be at their mercy?" Chu Sancha decided that it was time to unleash his ultimate technique—the Three Linking Moves—to take down this strange fellow.
Realizing this, he slowed his attacks, channeling his energy. After a moment, he let out a loud roar, intensifying his fork strikes like a mountain crashing down. His opponent, seemingly unhurried, lightly rested his sword against the strike, using the momentum to step back. Unexpectedly, Chu Sancha didn't retract his fork after the swing; instead, he utilized the follow-through to swing it horizontally at his opponent's waist.
The opponent's expression shifted; he dared not engage in weapon contact and quickly stepped back.
Chu the Madman laughed viciously and lunged forward, attempting to counter with a sweeping attack. This was the essence of the technique the priest had taught him, and no retreat or dodge could evade it. However, he didn't expect his opponent's retreat to be a feint. After only half a step back to evade the fork's tip, Li Youjiao suddenly charged forward. Chu Sancha was still pursuing, his fork yet to rise, when a flash of cold light rushed toward him, leaving him no time to react.
"My life ends here..."
He watched helplessly as the sword pierced through his right shoulder...
The iron fork clattered to the ground, and Chu Sancha pressed his left hand against the wound, his face pale.
"Thank you, Youjiao, for your mercy. I am not your match; this time's water dispute is truly a joke."
He was indeed an ignorant man, but that didn't mean he was without understanding. With his opponent's precision, had that sword struck his chest, he wouldn't be alive now.
"I took advantage," Li Sanlang replied, clasping his fists.
"If Brother Chu has the time in the future, please come to Cixi for a drink. We are still friends."
Chu the Madman's injury wasn't severe; it was merely a flesh wound that would take one or two months to heal, akin to how officials would bind serious offenders with iron chains through their shoulders, which wouldn't cause lasting harm.
"Your strength is impressive, Youjiao...""Sanlang is invincible...""Ah Su, Ah Su..."
Cheers erupted in Cixi Town, and a large crowd surrounded Li Sanlang as they made their way to the town's biggest tavern. Along the way, more and more people joined, and passersby and vendors alike took pride in knowing Youjiao and being able to speak with him. Those who enjoyed gossip boasted about how skilled Youjiao was.
A group of children discarded their bamboo sticks and wooden swords, replacing them with wooden swords, jumping around, imitating Youjiao's monkey-like movements. They feasted from the afternoon until the moon hung high in the sky. During this time, some influential townsfolk came to toast, and compared to previous years of being bullied, this year's festival was perfect for Cixi Town.