Shi Qingxuan was the daughter of the Evil King Shi Zhixuan and Bi Xiuxin, the most outstanding disciple of the previous generation of Cihang Jingzhai. With her connections to both Buddhism and Taoism, she possessed the most elite teachings of both sects. Additionally, what many didn't know was that Shi Qingxuan herself was an exceptional healer.
As Daniel Davis pondered Shi Qingxuan's background, a loud explosion suddenly rang out. Ba Fenghan and Ouyang Xiyi had already begun their fight.
Facing Ouyang Xiyi, Ba Fenghan didn't dare to be as arrogant as before. With a sword in his right hand and a saber in his left, he clashed head-on with Ouyang Xiyi.
The result of this clash was that Ouyang Xiyi only swayed slightly, while Ba Fenghan was forced to take two steps back. However, Ba Fenghan immediately adjusted his footing, circling to Ouyang Xiyi's right side and thrusting his sword toward Ouyang Xiyi's face.
Ouyang Xiyi snorted coldly, his sword unleashing his famous "Sinking Sand Sword Technique." Ouyang Xiyi's sword technique was powerful and heavy, and as he executed it, Ba Fenghan, though at a disadvantage, relied on his unique footwork to circle around Ouyang Xiyi, making it difficult for Ouyang Xiyi to gain the upper hand.
The clashing of swords and sabers continued incessantly. As the battle progressed, Ouyang Xiyi's killing intent grew stronger. Ba Fenghan was a foreigner, and at such a young age, he could become a threat to the Central Plains in the future. If they hadn't crossed paths, it would have been one thing, but since they had, Ouyang Xiyi didn't mind eliminating a potential threat.
The fight between the two captivated Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. This was the first time they had witnessed a true grandmaster-level battle. Although they had seen Du Fuwei in action before, Du Fuwei hadn't shown his full strength due to the nature of his opponents.
As the two fought, their sword energy crisscrossed the courtyard, turning the fine marble floor into a spiderweb of sword marks. The courtyard would need extensive repairs after this.
"Ba Fenghan is quite clever."
In terms of pure cultivation, Ba Fenghan was no match for Ouyang Xiyi, who had decades more experience. However, battles were never solely about cultivation. To compensate for his lack of cultivation, Ba Fenghan relied on his footwork to counter Ouyang Xiyi.
Although Ouyang Xiyi understood this, he couldn't immediately decipher Ba Fenghan's footwork, so the battle remained at a stalemate. The outcome would depend on who could outlast the other, waiting for the moment when the opponent's strength waned to launch a counterattack.
Ouyang Xiyi had the advantage in cultivation, but Ba Fenghan had the upper hand in youth. It was hard to predict who would emerge victorious.
"Brother Daniel, who do you think will win in the end?" Kou Zhong whispered to Daniel Davis as the battle dragged on.
"Probably a draw," Daniel Davis replied softly. As he spoke, Ouyang Xiyi seemed to realize that continuing like this wasn't working and decided to risk injury to finish off Ba Fenghan. However, at that moment, a strange flute melody filled the air.
The flute music was incredibly intricate, with irregular pauses and rises. It seemed to appear and disappear within the gaps of the clashing swords and sabers. The brilliance of the melody lay in its lack of a fixed tune, as if it were an impromptu composition. Yet, it blended seamlessly with the sounds of battle, with each note and phrase flowing naturally into the next.
The enchanting melody immediately captivated the audience, making them forget about the life-and-death struggle before them.
Even Ba Fenghan and Ouyang Xiyi slowed their movements as the flute music played. Eventually, they both stepped back and stopped fighting.
"Truly remarkable." In the world of Qin's Moon, Daniel Davis had some understanding of music. After all, the guqin was a required skill for many, including Han Fei, Gai Nie, Wei Zhuang, and even Fusu. However, even their skills paled in comparison to Shi Qingxuan's flute playing. The only one who could rival her was probably Nong Yu's "Heartstrings Melody."
Shi Qingxuan's flute music wasn't just ordinary music; it could be considered a form of sound-based martial arts.
"Enough, enough. After hearing Miss Shi's performance, I fear I will never hear such exquisite music again. Miss Shi, your flute skills not only match your mother's but surpass them. Wang Tong bows in admiration."
The sudden flute music made Wang Tong sigh deeply, especially when he mentioned Shi Qingxuan's mother. His eyes glistened with tears, indicating that he had held deep feelings for Bi Xiuxin. His decision to abandon martial arts for scholarship was likely influenced by this.
"Since Miss Shi has graced us with her presence, why not come in and let us see how much you resemble Xiuxin?" Ouyang Xiyi also set aside his killing intent, his eyes filled with tenderness. His expression suggested that he, too, had once admired Bi Xiuxin.
"Cihang Jingzhai is truly remarkable."
Seeing Wang Tong and Ouyang Xiyi's expressions, Daniel Davis couldn't help but marvel at the charm of Cihang Jingzhai's disciples. In comparison, Shi Feixuan seemed slightly lacking, at least in Kou Zhong's eyes.
If Kou Zhong had also fallen for Shi Feixuan, it might have led to a conflict between the Twin Dragons over a woman. However, considering the bond between Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, such a scenario was highly unlikely.
"If I could see Miss Shi's face, I, Ba Fenghan, would die without regret." Ba Fenghan called out loudly. This time, no one mocked him, given his earlier display of skill.
"Meeting is not as good as not meeting. I came here on my mother's behalf to play a tune for my two uncles. Now that this is done, I shall take my leave." A sweet, gentle voice came from the eaves of the roof. Everyone turned to see a beautiful figure, but she disappeared before anyone could get a clear look.
Ba Fenghan and the woman in white immediately chased after Shi Qingxuan, their figures also vanishing. The crowd was left in a daze, many feeling a sense of loss.
Daniel Davis grabbed the Twin Dragons' shoulders and followed Ba Fenghan and the woman in white, disappearing from Wang Tong's residence. Originally, Daniel Davis hadn't planned to bring the Twin Dragons, but considering Wang Shichong's interest in them, he decided it was best to take them along.
"Alright, it's time for us to part ways. We'll meet again in Luoyang." After leaving the Twin Dragons by the roadside, Daniel Davis left them with these words before vanishing.
The Twin Dragons had their own path to follow, and Daniel Davis couldn't stay with them forever. Even if he hadn't encountered Shi Qingxuan, he would have left them soon.
Bang!
After leaving the Twin Dragons, Daniel Davis summoned a shadow clone and said, "You handle Wang Shichong."
"Got it. Go chase your beauty," the shadow clone replied casually.
"This isn't about chasing beauty. It's about serious business." The Evil King Shi Zhixuan was an important figure Daniel Davis planned to recruit. Helping Shi Qingxuan solve some troubles was only natural.
"Indeed, Ba Fenghan and that woman are still no match for Shi Qingxuan." Although Ba Fenghan and the woman in white moved quickly, their lightness skills were inferior to Shi Qingxuan's. Despite their best efforts, they could only barely keep up with her. If this continued, they would eventually lose her.
"You two, stop right there." Daniel Davis appeared in front of them, blocking their path.
"Get out of the way!" Ba Fenghan, eager to catch Shi Qingxuan, snorted coldly. His aura surged as he drew his sword and thrust it toward Daniel Davis's chest with killing intent.
"You're the one who should get out of the way." Facing Ba Fenghan's deadly strike, Daniel Davis raised his right hand and, to Ba Fenghan's shock, caught the tip of the sword between his index and middle fingers. With a slight flick of his wrist, Ba Fenghan was sent flying backward, sword and all.
The woman in white, who had been running alongside Ba Fenghan, immediately retreated several steps, her expression mirroring Ba Fenghan's shock and disbelief. She knew Ba Fenghan's strength well, which made her even more astonished than he was.
Even her master, Fu Cailin, might not have been able to do what Daniel Davis had just done. However, she didn't believe Daniel Davis was a grandmaster. After all, there were only three grandmasters in the world, and Daniel Davis didn't fit the profile. Song Que's strength was known in the Central Plains, but in Goguryeo, only Fu Cailin truly understood Song Que's power.
The three grandmasters—Fu Cailin in Goguryeo, Bixuan among the Turks, and Ning Daoqi—were almost deified. In Goguryeo and among the Turks, Fu Cailin and Bixuan's approval was necessary for the king or khan to ascend the throne.
Ning Daoqi, however, didn't hold such a position. Of course, he probably wouldn't dare to. In Goguryeo and among the Turks, Fu Cailin and Bixuan's status was due to their absolute strength. In the Central Plains, trying to assert such authority would be met with resistance from figures like Song Que, the Four Holy Monks, and the True Words Master who taught Xu Ziling the Nine Word Mantra.
As for the Taoist sect, there were also hidden experts.
For the deified Fu Cailin, the woman in white naturally didn't believe that someone as young as Daniel Davis could be a grandmaster. In her eyes, Daniel Davis must have used some trick. Even so, she remained highly vigilant.
"This is impossible." Ba Fenghan, who had fallen to the ground, immediately jumped up, drawing his sword and saber as he charged at Daniel Davis again. For someone who aimed to challenge Bixuan, the fact that he had been so easily defeated was hard to accept.
Ba Fenghan couldn't fully grasp the gap between himself and Bixuan. Although there was only one character difference between a grandmaster and a master, the difference in strength was vast. Most masters couldn't withstand a single move from a grandmaster, though exceptions like the Evil King Shi Zhixuan and the rising Twin Dragons existed.
"Nothing is impossible. The reason you think it's impossible is that you lack experience. Remember, there's always someone better, and there's always a higher sky." As Ba Fenghan charged at him, Daniel Davis flicked his fingers twice, sending Ba Fenghan's sword and saber flying over ten meters away.
Losing his weapons left Ba Fenghan momentarily disheartened. He had never suffered such a crushing defeat in all his years.
"So this is the Yijian Technique? It's nothing special."
Ba Fenghan's despair prompted the woman in white to act. With a sharp ring of her sword being drawn, she thrust her blade toward Daniel Davis. Though it seemed like a simple move, it contained countless variations—this was the Yijian Technique, which treated combat like a game of chess.
Anticipating the opponent's moves and striking later was effective against opponents of similar strength, but against someone like Daniel Davis, the gap was too wide. With a flick of his left hand, Daniel Davis sent the woman's sword flying.
After all, she was a beauty comparable to Shan Wanjing. Daniel Davis couldn't bring himself to kill her.
"Have you stopped?" Although Daniel Davis was engaged with Ba Fenghan and the woman in white, he continued to monitor Shi Qingxuan's movements with his Observation Haki. After all, Shi Qingxuan was his primary concern. Ba Fenghan and the woman in white were just incidental encounters.
"Don't be too arrogant in the Central Plains, or you might get beaten." With that, Daniel Davis left the stunned pair and headed toward Shi Qingxuan.
"Miss Shi, you have quite the refined taste." When Daniel Davis arrived, Shi Qingxuan was sitting by a clear stream, quietly observing the scenery.
"So, you're the one who's been following me." Shi Qingxuan didn't seem surprised by Daniel Davis's appearance. She turned to look at him, her expression calm.
As she turned, Daniel Davis finally got a clear look at her face—a flawless, ethereal beauty. Compared to her, even Shan Wanjing, Shang Xiufang, and the woman in white seemed slightly lacking.
However, there was one flaw: a large, unsightly nose on her otherwise perfect face. To anyone else, this might have been a disappointment, but Daniel Davis knew it was fake.
"Indeed. Please forgive me, Miss Shi. The reason I followed you is that I have a question." Daniel Davis sat down on a rock opposite Shi Qingxuan.
"A question?" Shi Qingxuan asked softly.
"Yes. Are Shi Qingxuan and Shi Feixuan the same person?" Daniel Davis asked a question he had occasionally pondered in his previous life.
Shi Qingxuan and Shi Feixuan were always portrayed as two different people, but they had never appeared together, even when in the same location.
Given Cihang Jingzhai's modus operandi, Daniel Davis found it hard to believe they wouldn't exploit the daughter of the Evil King Shi Zhixuan. While others might see Cihang Jingzhai as a righteous sect, Daniel Davis knew better.
If they truly acted with integrity, would they have orchestrated the "Heavenly Selection of the Emperor"? Daniel Davis's suspicion that Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Chan Sect deliberately sowed chaos wasn't baseless. After all, they had chosen Li Shimin twenty years ago. What if the Sui Dynasty hadn't fallen? Their choice would have been wasted.
This was similar to the Third Hokage—many things couldn't withstand scrutiny.
Shi Qingxuan was stunned. As intelligent as she was, she had never expected someone to ask such a question.
(End of Chapter)
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