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墨書 Inktalez
Cui Ming asked, "How are things between you and Xiaobo?" This was a key question.
Mi Xiaonan had not spoken for a long time. After about half a minute, he finally replied, "We used to communicate frequently. When I was at Roni Islands, I even left the address of the Dawn Empire Navy dock. The dock received and shipped goods every fifteen days. At first, I would receive three or four letters from her every fifteen days, but then it dwindled to one letter, then one a month, and eventually I heard nothing from her for six months. There was no television at Roni Islands, so I would speculate about the plot and developments of TV dramas based on her letters and discuss them with her. As her letters became fewer, I wondered if she was dissatisfied with my wild imaginings. After returning to the mainland, I started catching up on TV dramas and got a phone. However, every time I called, she wouldn’t talk about the dramas; she would ask me about Roni Islands, whether there were any developments, and discuss matters related to the alliance and practitioners."
Cui Ming patted Mi Xiaonan's head. "Poor child, her interests have shifted away from TV dramas. She thinks you like them, but since she doesn't watch them herself, she has little to say, which is why her replies have decreased. Women can be fickle; you need to embody the qualities of a man."
"The qualities of a man?"
"Being easily attracted to new things and more changeable," Cui Ming replied.
Mi Xiaonan gazed at the distant white clouds and jumped up. "I need to work harder. Regardless of whether she will like me or not, I must first respect myself."
"Well said! To make a woman respect you, you must first respect yourself." This was something Cui Ming had learned personally; one should not always cater to Beiyue's preferences. First, you need to earn Beiyue's respect. Just look at how the Seven Dwarfs devoted so much to Snow White, yet in the end, an inexplicable prince who had never been seen took her away. If one of the dwarfs had spent the time and energy serving Snow White on improving himself instead, he might have become a general in some kingdom. Then he could seize power; what is a prince compared to a king? Why did Snow White fall head over heels for a prince she had only met once? One reason is that he was handsome; the more important reason is that he was a prince. Try swapping him out for a handsome stable boy and an ugly prince—still the prince wins out. Cinderella is another example; her dream was to break into high society and attend social events there. Why? So she could market herself; if she remained in the lower class, she could only market herself to the poor.
Why is this so? The main issue lies in a man's inner qualities; a man's strength is an essential part of his character. Whether it’s inherited strength like that of a prince or the strength of a hero slaying dragons, having strength gives depth and attracts women. Perhaps improving one's strength won't make women favor you immediately, but at least they won't look down on you.
This was Cui Ming's personal view as a fledgling; he didn't know if it was right or wrong. Mi Xiaonan was a good brother who could speak his mind freely. From the perspective of friends and companions, he also hoped Mi Xiaonan would improve his strength.
...
Ding Ze still looked the same as ever—if he could sit down instead of standing or lie down instead of sitting, he would do so. His craving for cigarettes had not diminished despite years of quitting; rather, those years had made him cherish every moment spent with cigarettes even more. In Ding Ze's words: smoke as much as you can.
As night fell, Cui Ming received a phone call. He called Li Qing and they headed to the arena where a duel was taking place. This was an arena set up by Wandering for practitioners from the Magic System; they entered through the back door thanks to some connections. The duel was between Feng and Sister of the Wind.
The bet was that if Sister lost, she would no longer attack or pursue Feng, and the alliance would conduct a thorough investigation into her master's death. If Feng lost, he would have to find the murderer within five years; otherwise, he would commit suicide to prove his innocence. If Feng could not find the murderer within five years and refused to take his own life, he would bear the label of murderer and become a wanted criminal in the alliance again.
The second part of the bet stated that regardless of victory or defeat, Sister must participate in the Alliance Assessment scheduled for several days later. If she won in that assessment but lost against Feng, she would work for hunters for five years. If she won both in the assessment and against Feng, she would serve as a volunteer for one year in support of the alliance. If she failed in both respects while losing against Feng, she would work for Hunter Headquarters for ten years; if she failed but defeated Feng, she would work there for seven years.
No matter what, the Alliance Hunter always profits. Cui Ming sat down beside Wandering and tilted his head to ask, "How did you force her to sign that unequal treaty?"
Wandering replied, "When I saw the Wind intentionally show weakness, displaying fear and trepidation, she felt her chances of winning had greatly increased. I then said, 'There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Since the Alliance has provided you with a venue to solve your problems and has expended considerable manpower and resources, then…'"
"Experience speaks volumes," Cui Ming praised, then asked, "At the same time, I don't quite understand. Does Sister of the Wind really need to damage her own reputation to trap her?"
Wandering countered with a question, "Who do you think will win?"
"If it were me, I would bet on Wind," Cui Ming analyzed. "Wind plays the fool to catch the tiger; I know his abilities well, and he understands his junior sister very well. There’s no situation of suppression or countering. They are competing in skills—combat techniques."
Wandering Path said, "I would bet on her junior sister Lauren."
"Why?"
"This is my second time meeting Lauren. The first time was when you all went missing. My first impression of Lauren is that she is like a sword; among sword masters, I even think she is stronger than Cao Yi."
"That’s quite a high praise," Cui Ming remarked in surprise. He had previously asked Wind about his match against Cao Yi, and Wind had said that Cao Yi focused more on intention than technique, while he emphasized technique over intention. If it were a competition between novices, he would easily defeat Cao Yi. However, when both reached their peak during a confrontation, the odds were 37 to 3 in favor of Cao Yi.
Wandering Path continued, "Lauren and Cao Yi are actually similar. Wind is not purely about combat techniques; he places more emphasis on forms. The reason he has yet to grasp the true essence of the Wind Sword Technique is because of this focus on forms. And Wind is formless… This was something he just told me; he understands his shortcomings but finds it difficult to change them. Unless he deceives even me and has already comprehended the true essence of the Wind Sword Technique."
"It has begun."
A platform roughly five acres in size appeared in the center. Wind and Lauren stood near the center, about a hundred meters apart, on very flat ground. Wandering picked up the microphone Feng Dao and said, "Let’s begin."
The two did not move. Wind lowered his head, gripping the sword sheath with his left hand while holding the hilt with his right. Lauren raised her sword towards Wind; it was an ordinary slender sword that could be produced by any factory. Yet in Lauren's hands, it felt extraordinary.
Li Qing was a master of combat techniques; he observed through a crystal ball. When even Wandering couldn’t comprehend what was happening, Li Qing explained: "Although they stand still, there are changes occurring. Lauren is looking for Wind's flaws while Wind maintains his posture; it appears effortless but he is currently on defense. In combat between masters, results do not come from single moves; true experts accumulate their advantages gradually until they can deliver a fatal blow. Among us Monks, we place great importance on footwork—disrupting an opponent's steps causes them to lose balance. Once balance is lost, it leads to changes in how force is applied throughout the body. Typically, people train under normal conditions but few train specifically for scenarios where they have lost balance. If Wind wants to win, he must make a move; the longer he delays, the more unfavorable it becomes for him. Lauren is an expert at finding flaws and weaknesses."
Wind moved; his upper body maintained its stance while his legs sprinted towards Lauren. Lauren stood still with her sword raised. Li Qing commented, "Right now, Wind hasn’t revealed any flaws; Lauren is waiting for that moment when Wind draws his sword. The instant he draws his sword marks a change in his defensive state—transitioning from offense to defense or vice versa—inevitably leading to a flaw appearing. Wind understands this but cannot afford not to attack."
The battle had begun, and the Blade of Wind was finally drawn. In that fleeting moment, Lauren leaned forward, thrusting a sword ten centimeters forward, piercing Wind's wrist. The attack was immediately halted, but Wind was no ordinary opponent. He spun his blade to create a dazzling display, confusing Lauren, and with the momentum of his body, he moved like the wind itself—blade in front, body trailing behind, merging with the weapon as he rushed toward Lauren.
Lauren chose to parry, channeling her strength into her slender sword to clash against Wind Blade. Wind represented the technique, while Lauren embodied intent. Engaging head-on clearly put Lauren at a disadvantage; she staggered back. Yet as she retreated, her sword flicked twice—one thrust broke through the wall of blades and pierced under Wind's arm, while another struck again at his shoulder blade. The force in those two spots seemed to vanish, and blood spurted out, but soon after, the force began to mend the external wounds.
"Those aren't vital points; they won't stop Wind's continuity," Li Qing explained. "In the era of cold weapons, swords are deadlier than knives because swords stab. A stab to a vital area can be fatal. I suspect Wind is aware of this outcome; he must have anticipated injury and chose to take hits in non-vital areas to protect his critical spots. This slender sword is impressive; unlike the Greatsword which primarily cleaves and slashes—due to its large surface area—it can only inflict external wounds. The slender sword acts like a needle, specifically designed to penetrate protective forces."
Cui Ming remarked, "Senior brother, I may not understand much, but isn't it too disadvantageous for the slender sword to play defense against Wind's knife?"
"Exactly," Li Qing replied. "Thus, Wind's strategy is to clash with the sword. Meanwhile, Lauren's tactic is to evade and look for openings to strike." He continued, "However, Lauren isn't afraid of clashing blades. You see how she has intentionally created variations with each clash despite losing her footing? Each collision is deliberate, drawing out Wind's weaknesses for her slender sword to exploit and inflict damage."
Cui Ming asked, "Will Wind lose?"
"From what I see now, defeat is inevitable," Li Qing said. "But I haven't witnessed any use of the Wind Sword Technique aside from him gliding his blade with the wind."
After several exchanges, Wind retreated a few steps; his body bore eight wounds already, blood pooling on the ground beneath him. He turned his blade and fixed his gaze on Lauren. Her pupils constricted—was it coming?
Li Qing noted, "Wind is now adopting an offensive stance to pressure Lauren... Hmm, it seems a bit like bluffing; I can't quite decipher it."
Cui Ming added, "From his expression, it appears he's trying to lure Lauren into attacking first."
"Is that so?" Li Qing pondered uncertainly. (To be continued.)
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