Chapter 120: Certainty of Victory

The sunlight was golden and the sword light shimmering. Pink petals danced in the gale, appearing like a flowing curtain of blood. The peach trees at the gate of the Hidden Sword Villa had been stripped of nearly eighty percent of their blossoms by the sword energy of Qi Shiqi and Jin Mailang. This duel was not only heart-stopping and breathtaking, but the blooming flower-rain set against the twilight added a touch of romantic carnage.

Jin Mailang had initially seized the initiative, yet for some reason, his sword style had slowed, and its imposing momentum was no longer as sharp or lethal as before. Qi Shiqi, conversely, found his footwork and positioning growing increasingly nimble and agile. Although he could not deliver a fatal blow to Jin Mailang in an instant, he was slowly gaining the upper hand; if things continued this way, the one to fall would be Jin Mailang.

At this moment, Zhang He felt a genuine sense of appreciation and admiration for Qi Shiqi. He realized that while Qi Shiqi appeared to be fighting aimlessly, he was subtly drifting toward the positions of Yan Jiu and the Fourth Miss. Simply put, he was intentionally drawing Jin Mailang’s attention toward them.

Even the most focused expert is, after all, human, possessing only two eyes. As long as one has eyes, it is inevitable that one’s peripheral vision will catch sight of Yan Jiu and the Fourth Miss. Furthermore, an expert’s mind is complex, burdened with many considerations, so it was only a matter of time before Jin Mailang grew suspicious: Why were Yan Jiu and the Fourth Miss here? Could they have truly defected from the villa and sided with their enemy, Qi Shiqi?

This thought was like a poisonous seed, slowly taking root and sprouting in his heart until it finally bore fruit. This explained why Jin Mailang’s movements grew increasingly stiff—he was distracted.

Swordplay shifts according to the state of one’s heart. The sword is known as the gentleman of weapons precisely because it is full of change—changes far more numerous than those of the saber, spear, staff, or halberd—yet all these changes depend entirely on the state of the mind. A peaceful, joyful, and focused mind naturally produces exquisite sword moves and brilliant flashes of insight. Conversely, when emotions fluctuate and the heart is filled with suspicion, the sword loses its fluidity, becoming rigid and clumsy, eventually leading to self-defeat.

This is one of the reasons why many experts are often routed by novices. Moreover, Qi Shiqi was far from a weakling; he wielded his sword like a viper emerging from its hole, leaving Jin Mailang with only the ability to parry and no room to counterattack. The Fat Mantis and the disciples of the Hidden Sword Villa finally began to relax. Zhang He secretly marveled; intelligence will always transcend raw martial power. Only intelligence, nothing else. Perhaps Young Master Qi’s strength was slightly inferior to Jin Mailang’s, but his ability to adapt on the fly and his tactical acumen were far superior.

The sunset was gradually fading. Jin Mailang was now barely able to parry. His clothes were shredded in many places, and he was covered in wounds and blood, yet he refused to concede. He persisted, not even stopping to consume a medicinal potion. Perhaps he was a proud man, or perhaps the time for the final verdict had not yet arrived.

Sure enough, a strange sound drifted from afar. Aside from the two combatants, everyone turned to look down the mountain. Two figures in black, tight-fitting martial attire were seen ascending the mountain using the "Grass-Skipping" movement technique, their strides enormous and their speed rapid, clearly pushing their internal energy to the limit.

When the two landed steadily at the villa gate with a "Harrier Somersault," the Fat Mantis’s face turned deathly pale. The men who had flown up the mountain were none other than Baili Feng and Ximen Jian, the first and second senior brothers of the Famous Sword Villa. They appeared radiant and full of spirit; judging by their expressions, victory was already in their grasp.

Zhang He’s expression also soured. He finally understood: Jin Mailang had dared to challenge Qi Shiqi alone because he had absolute certainty of victory. In the hands of Baili Feng and Ximen Jian were two severed heads—those of Wedding Dress Qi and Millionaire. Their expressions were frozen in shock and terror, as if stunned that their opponents could kill them, and horrified by their own demise.

This was Jin Mailang’s fatal stroke, his assurance of victory—it had been pre-arranged. The faces on the two heads were mangled, and across them, written in blood, were four large characters: "Four-Fifths!"

Although Baili Feng and Ximen Jian had yet to speak, no words were needed. The heads hit the ground with a thud, trampled under their feet. Their demeanor was as arrogant and provocative as could be. The Fat Mantis raised a hand, stopping the two or three dozen disciples from rushing forward. Now was not the time for impulsive anger, as it would disrupt the duel between the two masters; if they joined the fray, the system would rule that Qi Shiqi had lost.

But even without their interference, Qi Shiqi’s defeat was certain. He had been nimble before, but now that he was distracted, Jin Mailang had regained his ferocity. Clearly emboldened by the success of his subordinates, Jin Mailang’s sword moved like lightning, forcing Qi Shiqi into a corner.

Zhang He sighed silently. Jin Mailang was worthy of being the master of the Famous Sword Villa. His inherent strength surpassed Qi Shiqi’s, and by employing such cunning tactics, his victory, while convoluted, was risk-free. Such is the way of the Jianghu; though many cry out for fair competition and honest duels, when has the Jianghu ever been fair? It is precisely because it is unfair that so many clamor for fairness.

This is true not only of the Jianghu but of reality itself. People often say, "I must be happy, you must be blissful," precisely because they are neither. Thus, fair combat, happiness, and bliss are things that do not truly exist. If you want to win, if you must win, and if you are to win, the necessary means are indispensable, and extraordinary wisdom is essential.

In "Dynasty," one need only look at the various regional martial arts alliance leaders. Before they reached the throne, who knows what price they paid? Beyond defeating opponents with martial arts and crushing enemies with reputation, they had to form factions, buy hearts, coordinate arrangements, and plan meticulously.

Qi Shiqi slumped to the ground, half his body paralyzed. Yet, he had no complaints. Victory is victory, defeat is defeat. No matter what methods Jin Mailang used, as long as he did not violate system rules or use cheats, Qi Shiqi had lost. Jin Mailang’s final strike had been a chopping blow to Qi Shiqi’s shoulder. Not only was his white sword knocked from his hand, but the damage was immense—a red-numbered "418" after breaking through Qi Shiqi’s 230 points of high defense. It was pure luck that he had not been cleaved in two.

His white robes were soaked red. He leaned against the ground, gasping, "It seems... I must admit defeat."

He had to admit it. To continue would be futile and invite further humiliation. If Jin Mailang were to kill him, his reputation and other attributes would be penalized even further. Admitting defeat now was the wise choice, proving that Qi Shiqi still retained a shred of reason. For a man of Jin Mailang’s status, killing was merely a means to an end; since the opponent had conceded, his goal was achieved.

Jin Mailang slowly sheathed his sword. He watched Qi Shiqi in silence, his expression unreadable, as if he were looking at a corpse. Zhang He stared intently, fearing he might miss the slightest change in his expression. Just then, the ghost-mode timer for Wedding Dress Qi and Millionaire expired. Their two heads turned into beams of seven-colored holy light, floating back toward the Hidden Sword Villa—they were respawning at the sect’s main altar.

Not long after those lights flew in, another beam descended from the sky. Clearly, more Hidden Sword Villa members had returned. Indeed, within three minutes, Wedding Dress Qi, Millionaire, and Shao Gong emerged.

Qi Shiqi, now supported by the Fat Mantis, swallowed the medicine Zhang He handed him, and a hint of color returned to his face. "Master Jin, your martial arts are peerless, your swordplay brilliant, your tactics sound, and your strategies astonishing. Qi is completely convinced. As per our prior agreement, the Hidden Sword Villa at Xie Family Station..."

"Wait!" A cold voice cut through the crowd, interrupting Qi Shiqi without ceremony.

Everyone, including Jin Mailang and even Zhang He, turned in surprise, shocked that someone would stand up to intervene at such a time. Shao Gong walked out, his face dark. "I have something to say."

Ximen Jian scoffed mockingly, "What are you? Do you have any right to speak here?"

"I do!" Though Shao Gong’s face remained grim, his attitude had shifted from his usual reserved silence. "Not only do I have the right to speak, but what I have to say is vital to what comes next."

Ximen Jian was about to erupt, but Jin Mailang raised a hand, stopping him coldly. "Fine, speak. But I do not like to hear things I dislike. If you dare to spout nonsense, you should know the fate that awaits the two people beside you."

Wedding Dress Qi and Millionaire immediately looked on with hostility. They had clearly been ambushed; as Qi Shiqi had noted, while their martial arts were passable, one was simple-minded and reckless, and the other had a volatile temper that could be easily baited. That was why they had been outmaneuvered today.

Shao Gong sneered, "I only have one sentence."

Jin Mailang asked coldly, "What is it?"

Shao Gong said, word by word, "Could Young Master Qi please reveal his title now?"

Everyone was stunned. No one had expected such a request, nor did anyone know what he was up to.