Chapter 6, nothing more than this
Liu Xiu smiled a little awkwardly and said, "Actually, I don't have much to say. Everyone is just making a bet, and there's no need to resort to violence, right? This is the Mao family's estate, and we are here to study. We will see each other often in the future, and swords have no eyes. It wouldn't be good for anyone to get hurt. How about this... you can just compare your skills in martial arts; as long as a winner is determined, there's no need to fight to the death."
In the midst of their conversation, Gongsun Zan and the Military Marquis had already engaged in combat. Gongsun Zan launched a full-scale attack, fierce as a mad tiger, sparing no effort, while the Military Marquis merely retracted his smile, adopting a serious demeanor as he countered each move, his hands guarding in front of him, consistently blocking Gongsun Zan's attacks at critical moments
Wu Junhou held a knife in one hand, concealed behind his back, standing there casually with his feet slightly apart, nodding at Gongsun Zan: "Come on!"
Liu Xiuyue found it increasingly uninteresting. He had originally hoped to witness a duel between experts, but instead, he ended up watching a match that resembled a brawl among street thugs, which was truly disappointing. Just as he was contemplating this, a change occurred in the arena. Wu Junhou, who had been on the defensive, suddenly advanced instead of retreating in response to Gongsun Zan's straight punch. He used his right hand to deflect Gongsun Zan's fist to the right and stepped forward.
Liu Xiu felt embarrassed, realizing that they referred to martial arts as hand-to-hand combat, inadvertently revealing his own ignorance. Before he could reflect further, Liu Bei stepped back holding Gongsun Zan's sword and stood beside him, softly praising, "Elder brother, your method is excellent. Even if one loses, it only results in a few punches, and ultimately, it will not endanger one's life"
Gongsun Zan gritted his teeth, took a step forward, and raised both hands above his head, just about to strike down with all his might, when Liu Xiu suddenly called out, "Wait!"
Gongsun Zan had been holding his breath, preparing for a desperate fight. However, he was called to a halt midway, finding himself in a predicament where he could neither advance nor retreat. His face turned crimson from the strain. After much hesitation, he refused to seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Wu Junhou, and could only withdraw a step, looking at Liu Xiu with some annoyance.
Wu Junhou chuckled softly, stood up, and walked over to the white horse, leading it away. Strangely, the horse had been quite unruly when the young man from the Mao family rode it, yet it was very calm in Wu Junhou's hands. After leading the horse a couple of steps, Wu Junhou turned back to glance at Liu Xiu, hesitating as if to say something, then helped the young man from the Mao family onto the horse and entered the valley.
I can't believe it, what a master! I can do these things too, Liu Xiu thought to himself while watching. He suddenly recalled the martial arts competitions he had seen in his past life, which were quite similar. Each performer looked like a caricature of a scholar, and when it came to actual combat, it was nothing more than punches, kicks, and grappling. The impressive moves practiced during training were hardly ever used; regardless of whether it was Tai Chi, Wudang, or Liuhe, once on stage, it all boiled down to one style—random fighting.
"There is bloodshed." Wu Jun pointed a finger at Gongsun Zan, his tone revealing his admiration: "I really like a man like you; you truly are from Liaodong."
"You have lost." Wu Junhou stepped forward, using one hand to pin Gongsun Zan to the ground. Gongsun Zan struggled a few times, his face turning red, but he was unable to break free. In frustration, he could only relax his body and fall to the ground.
Gongsun Zan, without a moment's hesitation, sheathed his sword, drew it along with the scabbard from his belt, and handed it to Liu Bei. He smirked and said, "I will not take advantage of you; instead, let us compare our skills in hand-to-hand combat."
Liu Xiu watched the duel for the first time, unwilling to let it pass easily, his eyes fixed on the two combatants exchanging blows, his arms subconsciously trembling slightly, without him even realizing it. Liu Bei was also unaware; he merely held his breath, focusing on the two figures entangled in the arena, feeling a sense of anxiety for Gongsun Zan. Although Gongsun Zan had been on the offensive, his attacks had not been effective. The military candidate, despite being more defensive, would likely spell Gongsun Zan's defeat the moment he launched his own attack. Although Liu Bei had only just met Gongsun Zan, he found himself instinctively standing by his side.
Upon thinking of this, Liu Xiu suddenly shivered. As someone who had been able to secretly observe a formidable opponent for ten years, he was certainly not one to act impulsively. How could such an emotion arise? Could it be the personality of the original body? Would that mean he was somewhat experiencing a form of split personality?
Wu Jun looked at the cold-faced Gongsun Zan with a sense of ease. His gaze inadvertently swept over Liu Bei, who was frowning and clearly hesitant, as well as Liu Xiu, whose expression was changing. He then returned his gaze to Gongsun Zan's face and smiled lightly: "So, what will it be? Shall we fight, or should I just take the horse away?"
Be careful of your feet! Liu Xiu instinctively exclaimed. Before his words had finished, Wu Junhou had already taken a step forward, placing his foot behind Gongsun Zan, his right hand flipping over Gongsun Zan's arm, the tiger's mouth wide open, heading straight for his neck
Liu Xiu was taken aback; there was actually such a vast expanse of peach orchards here. Indeed, the mountains possess a unique charm, distinct from the mundane world.
Wu Junhou saw Gongsun Zan raise his sword, preparing to attack. With a flick of his wrist, the long sword hidden behind him trembled slightly. However, he heard Liu Xiu call for a halt, and his poised figure was drawn back again, looking at Liu Xiu in confusion, frowning and asking, "What do you have to say this time?"
Liu Xiu cast a glance at him, thinking to himself, "So, this great hero is also afraid of death. I thought I was the only ordinary person who feared it." Indeed, his suggestion to compete with fists rather than knives stemmed from the fear of causing a fatality. In any case, hand-to-hand combat is certainly safer than using a knife. The impact of strength can be understood relatively well; after all, there is a saying that a brute can kill a master with sheer force, but the concept is entirely different when it comes to knives. No matter how strong one is, it cannot compensate for the gap in knife skills, and one might even end up injuring oneself.
"I am unworthy of such praise." Gongsun Zan slowly drew his sword, taking half a step back. With both hands gripping the sword, the blade pointed upward at an angle, he assumed a stance ready for battle. His eyes fixed on Wu Junhou, he said in a deep voice: "Please enlighten me!"
Liu Bei rushed forward to help Gongsun Zan up. As soon as Gongsun Zan stood up, he broke free from Liu Bei's grasp, took the knife, and tucked it into his belt, walking ahead in silence. Liu Bei let out a bitter smile, caught up with the ox cart, and followed it into the valley. Liu Xiu also remained silent, walking alongside Liu Bei. The three of them entered Yangtoufu quietly, traversed a mountain path of about ten steps, and suddenly found themselves in a relatively large basin, where peach blossoms were in full bloom all over the mountains. Several small houses were nestled among the trees, and a few people dressed in Confucian robes were leisurely conversing in the peach grove.
Liu Xiu did not possess such awareness; he was merely focused on watching the duel between the two. Initially, he felt a bit excited while observing the match, but after a short while, he became somewhat disappointed. Although the two were engaged in a lively contest, there were no exquisite techniques displayed. The actions were limited to punches, slashes, and sweeps, along with twisting and grabbing arms, grappling, and throwing, which were fundamentally not much different from a children's fight. If one had to point out a difference, it would be that their strikes were more decisive, there was less hugging, and their hand movements were more ferocious and quicker.
Wu Junhou pondered for a moment, then turned to glance at the young man from the Mao family. The young man hesitated for a moment before nodding. Wu Junhou let out a light laugh, tossed the knife in his hand to the servant standing beside the Mao family, and clapped his hands, saying: "I am unarmed; you may use the knife without hesitation."
I have lost. He paused for a moment and then said: I will not sell the horse; you may borrow it to ride for three days.
Gongsun Zan heard Liu Xiu's reminder, but for some reason, he did not react at all. He raised his left hand to block his neck, just in time to intercept the tiger's mouth of the military candidate. However, he failed to lift his feet in time, and his entire body was swept back by the strong arm of the military candidate, losing balance and flying a step back. With a loud thud, he fell on his back to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
"Do you want to lead my horse, Gongsun Zan?" Gongsun Zan gritted his teeth and squeezed out a sentence through clenched jaws: "You must first win my heart and convince me with your words, right?"