Wandering Swordsman |

He Yun nodded and smiled as he replied to Li Fanglin, "Yes."

Upon hearing He Yun's affirmative answer, the people at the neighboring tables began to whisper among themselves. After a moment, one of them, whose voice was the loudest, stood up, took a few steps forward, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Young hero, are you from the Sword Tomb?"

He Yun rose, cupped his hands in return, and said with a smile, "I am He Yun from the Sword Tomb."

A flicker of surprise crossed the man's eyes, and he chuckled, "Young Master He, my apologies for my rudeness. My name is Li Wenbo, a disciple of the Bear Fist Sect. I've long heard of the Seven Swords of the Sword Tomb's renown, and it's a rare privilege to meet them today." He paused, then continued, "It's rather boring for everyone to wait here. I wonder if Young Master He would do me the honor of sparring with me for a few moves, so I can witness the martial arts of the Sword Tomb?"

He Yun's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a polite smile. He thought to himself: This Jing Tian Pavilion is, after all, the territory of the great hero Situ. If he were to fight someone here, and something went wrong, it would likely cause unnecessary trouble. But if he refused, he would appear too cowardly and damage the reputation of the Sword Tomb. He frowned slightly, caught in a dilemma.

Seeing He Yun's predicament, Li Fanglin stood up, cupped his hands, and said to Li Wenbo, "Brother Li, Brother He has only been seated for a short while. Let him rest for a bit. How about I spar with you for a few moves first?"

Upon hearing this, Li Wenbo's eyes flashed with surprise. He thought to himself: Since Li Fanglin has said so, I can't force He Yun to go on stage.

Li Wenbo then smiled and said, "Alright, since this brother is willing to teach me, then I will respectfully accept."

He Yun was deeply grateful to Li Fanglin for coming to his rescue, but also felt uneasy. He only knew that Li Fanglin claimed to have weak martial arts skills, so he was worried that Li Fanglin might suffer a loss. He whispered to Li Fanglin, "Brother Li, be careful, this Li Wenbo's martial arts seem quite strong."

Li Fanglin smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "Brother Yun, rest assured, I will do my best."

After saying this, Li Fanglin and Li Wenbo went to a corner of the lounge, where they assumed fighting stances, ready to spar. The people in the lounge, sensing an impending spectacle, gathered around, watching the upcoming duel with curiosity.

Li Fanglin made the first move, delivering a swift and powerful punch aimed directly at Li Wenbo's chest. Li Wenbo deftly dodged, then countered with a palm strike towards Li Fanglin's shoulder. Li Fanglin hurriedly sidestepped, but Li Wenbo's movements were too fast, and the palm still grazed his shoulder, causing him to involuntarily take a step back.

The two exchanged blows for over a dozen rounds. Although Li Fanglin's martial arts skills were not weak, he was finding it somewhat difficult against Li Wenbo. Li Wenbo's Bear Fist was incredibly powerful, each move carrying a steady force that Li Fanglin found hard to parry.

Finally, in a fierce exchange of blows, Li Wenbo seized an opportunity and landed a powerful punch on Li Fanglin's abdomen. Li Fanglin groaned, his body involuntarily falling backward until he collapsed to the ground.

A gasp rippled through the crowd. He Yun rushed forward to help Li Fanglin up, asking with concern, "Brother Li, are you alright?"

Li Fanglin, slightly out of breath, shook his head and said, "Brother He, I'm fine."

Then, with He Yun's help, Li Fanglin stood up, bowed to Li Wenbo, and said, "Thank you for your mercy, Brother Li. I was simply outmatched."

Seeing the approving glances from the onlookers, as if they were cheering for his victory, Li Wenbo cupped his hands and said, "Brother, you're too kind. Your martial arts are also quite good, but I had a slight advantage."

Seeing this, He Yun was somewhat displeased. So he cupped his hands and said to Li Wenbo, "Brother Li, since Brother Li has been defeated, how about I take his place and spar with you for a few moves?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of excitement flashed in Li Wenbo's eyes, and he immediately smiled and said, "Alright, Young Hero, please." As he said this, Li Wenbo instantly imagined the scene of defeating the person from the Sword Tomb and gaining both fame and fortune.

He Yun took a deep breath and slowly drew the bronze sword from his waist. Holding the sword in his hand, he felt its steadiness and sharpness, and a sense of confidence rose within him.

He looked sharply at Li Wenbo and said, "Brother Li, please give me your guidance."

Li Wenbo also drew his own short sword and said with a smile, "Young Master He, please."

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the two men raised their weapons, wary of each other. He Yun felt a mix of nervousness and, more importantly, a strong sense of responsibility. He knew he represented the honor of the Sword Tomb and could not afford any mistakes.

Thinking this, He Yun made the first move, thrusting his sword towards Li Wenbo's chest. Li Wenbo parried with his saber, and the two weapons clashed with a crisp "clang." He Yun used the momentum to spin, quickly turning the tip of his sword towards Li Wenbo's right rib. Li Wenbo reacted extremely quickly, dodging to the side while simultaneously slashing at He Yun's left arm with his saber.

He Yun nimbly dodged, then thrust his sword at Li Wenbo's back. Li Wenbo spun around, his short blade sweeping across, forcing He Yun to take a step back. The two exchanged blows, locked in a fierce and evenly matched fight. He Yun's swordsmanship was agile and precise, each strike aimed straight for vital points; Li Wenbo's bear-like fists, on the other hand, were steady and powerful, each move carrying the force of a thunderbolt.

The surrounding audience watched intently, occasionally erupting in cheers. The duel between He Yun and Li Wenbo grew increasingly intense, their moves becoming faster and faster. He Yun's swordsmanship gradually revealed its profound essence, each strike imbued with deep internal energy, putting increasing pressure on Li Wenbo.

Finally, in a fierce exchange of blows, He Yun seized an opportunity and stabbed Li Wenbo in the left shoulder with his sword. Li Wenbo groaned, staggered back a few steps, covered his wound with his right hand, and showed a hint of admiration on his face.

He cupped his hands and said to He Yun, "Young Hero He, the swordsmanship of the Sword Tomb is indeed remarkable. I humbly admit defeat."

He Yun sheathed his sword, cupped his hands, and said, "Brother Li's martial arts are quite good as well; I have benefited greatly from your guidance. Thank you for your instruction, Brother Li."

Although Li Wenbo nodded with a smile, a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face. He quickly returned to his seat, afraid that staying next to He Yun would invite ridicule from others.

After He Yun defeated Li Wenbo, the atmosphere around them instantly became lively. Other onlookers rushed forward to introduce themselves, as if they didn't want to miss this opportunity to expand their network. Some of them were disciples from slightly famous sects, while others were lone martial artists from the martial arts world, but without exception, they all admired He Yun's performance.

A young man dressed in a blue robe stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Qin Feng, a disciple of the Xiangshan Sect. Young Master He's swordsmanship is truly breathtaking. I hope to have the opportunity to learn from him."

Before he could finish speaking, another girl dressed in red stepped forward, her eyes filled with curiosity and admiration: "I am Su Wan, a disciple of the Huahai Escort Agency. Young Master He's swordsmanship is truly remarkable."

......