Eight, wield the sword.

Note: In the sayings of Neijiaquan, there are indeed phrases such as "hitting someone is like kissing" or "practicing boxing is like kissing." According to the book "The Lost Martial Arts" (orally narrated by Li Zhongxuan, compiled by Xu Haofeng, published by Contemporary China Publishing House in 2006), the modern Xingyiquan master Shang Yunxiang explained this saying as follows: "... when the lips of a man and a woman touch, they immediately feel different. Practicing boxing solely for strength is insufficient; the body and mind must undergo transformation. This saying 'practicing boxing is like kissing' succinctly conveys the profound principles of 'refining essence into qi, transforming qi into spirit, and cultivating spirit to attain emptiness.'"

Su Lie then said: "It is good that everyone has no objections; the remaining seat is indeed difficult to decide. To be fair, anyone who wishes to serve the country may come to the stage tomorrow at noon to showcase their skills. Everyone will compete in martial arts, and we will all be able to see whose skills are superior. However, I must state in advance that weapons are merciless; they should only be used to kill bandits and eliminate enemies. Our own competition should only be for show, and we must not cause any serious injuries or loss of life." Before he finished speaking, someone in the audience shouted: "Su Duwei! If we are to compete, let us do it today; why wait until tomorrow? I heard that a soldier named Cao Canjun came today and defeated Guo Yi Duwei on his first day of duty. I, Meng Jiuwu, would like to challenge him!" The speaker, Meng Jiuwu, was a lieutenant under Zhu Yun. He had arrived late today, just hearing that Zhu Yun had been defeated, and seeing Su Lie calling for a martial arts competition, he thought it was a good opportunity to show his loyalty and quickly shouted to force Guo San to come out for a fight. Guo San, hearing the commotion in the crowd, sighed and said: "Is there really such a rush to seek death?" Although his voice was low, it was heard by Meng Jiuwu, who became furious. Grabbing a large spear, he leaped onto the platform and shouted down: "Who just answered me? Come up if you have the guts to compete!" Guo San shook his head, looking helpless, and slowly walked up to the stage.

Li Jing was ordered to issue a decree for the military offices across the land to select capable warriors. When the military order reached the Kuangdao Prefecture, where the Deputy Commander Su Lie was reviewing military texts, two officers rushed in, panting heavily. Upon seeing them, Su Lie recognized his subordinates, the resolute Deputy Commander Zhu Yun and Qiu Wan. Noticing one had a swollen cheek and the other a crooked nose, Su Lie thought to himself: "Usually, it is you two who bully others; how is it that you have been beaten so badly today?" Puzzled, he asked, "Who is so bold as to injure you both like this?" Qiu Wan, disregarding his difficulty in breathing through his nose, spoke in a muffled voice: "Deputy Commander Su, it is truly infuriating. Today, a new military officer has arrived, and we, seeing him new and not understanding the rules of our Kuangdao Prefecture, called him over to explain some military orders and regulations, intending it as a good deed. Who would have thought that after a disagreement, he would use some underhanded tricks to leave us in this state? This fellow is simply too arrogant; I have already sent my brothers to surround him, waiting for your orders to properly punish him." Su Lie pondered: "I have often heard that newcomers are usually required to meet Zhu Yun and Qiu Wan on their first day. They claim to explain military orders and regulations to newcomers, but it is merely an opportunity to swindle money. If one has neither money nor letters of goodwill, they will be scolded by these two and assigned some hard and tedious tasks. It seems this time they have encountered a tough character who does not understand the situation and have suffered for it." Curious, he said, "Please lead the way, I would like to take a look."

Before long, the soldiers in the training ground had formed their ranks, and Su Lie ascended the platform, proclaiming in a loud voice: "The Minister of War has issued an order that Governor Kuang must select four skilled martial artists to accompany me to the Ministry of War for duty. With over a thousand brothers in the府, many of whom are highly skilled, it is indeed a difficult task to choose only four." After he finished speaking, many thought: "This must be a great opportunity for promotion, but how to select these four?" In an instant, everyone held their breath and listened intently, only to hear him continue: "Last year, during the martial arts competition with Governor Chong, Xin Kaidao, Lü Tao, and Zhao Ang brought great fame to our Kuang府. They should certainly have their places among the four going to the Ministry of War. Does anyone have any objections?" Governor Chong is another military府 in Chang'an, and many thought: "This must be a great opportunity for promotion, but how to select these four?" In an instant, everyone held their breath and listened intently, only to hear him continue: "Last year, during the martial arts competition with Governor Chong, Xin Kaidao, Lü Tao, and Zhao Ang brought great fame to our Kuang府. They should certainly have their places among the four going to the Ministry of War. Does anyone have any objections?" Governor Chong is another military府 in Chang'an, which holds martial arts competitions with Kuang府 every year. Each side sends three soldiers to compete, and the winners can serve as instructors in the opposing府 for a month. Traditionally, both sides have had their share of victories, but last year, Kuang府 sent Xin Kaidao and the other two to compete, and they won all three matches, gaining great prestige. Each side sends three soldiers to compete, and the winners can serve as instructors in the opposing府 for a month. Traditionally, both sides have had their share of victories, but last year, Kuang府 sent Xin Kaidao and the other two to compete, and they won all three matches, gaining great prestige. Therefore, as soon as Su Lie's words fell, the audience erupted in applause. Some recalled the scene of the competition that day, filled with passion, while others secretly calculated: "Now there is only one position left; I wonder who will be sent."

Xu Guan was taken aback and asked, "What?" Guo San continued, "Have you ever kissed Miss Xiao Yan?" Xu Guan's face turned crimson as he replied, "What nonsense are you talking about!" Guo San, with a serious expression, said, "When my master taught me the art of Taoism, he once said, 'Practicing is like kissing.' The act of kissing between a man and a woman is merely a physical interaction, yet both body and mind undergo transformation. When reciting incantations, one must embrace the essence and maintain unity, focusing on the flow of energy; both body and mind must also undergo change for the incantation to be effective. For instance, if you are reciting a rain incantation, you should visualize the Dragon Kings of the heavens moving clouds and bringing rain; if you are reciting a purification incantation, you should envision a clear sky and a tranquil earth, with impurities vanishing. If you merely think that memorizing incantations will allow you to master Taoism, then there is no such simple matter in the world.

After a while, Xiao Yan suddenly asked, "By the way, why is it that the sword technique you just used only consists of a left slash and a right slash? Did Guo San only teach you these?" Xu Guan replied, "Brother Guo said that when using this spell, one must chant the incantation aloud and visualize it in one's heart. What I was thinking about just now was the master of a noodle shop in Jinzhou." Xiao Yan asked in surprise, "What does a noodle shop master have to do with sword techniques?" Xu Guan explained, "When I was young, my adoptive father often took me to a noodle shop in the southeast of Jinzhou to eat noodles. The master of that noodle shop came from Jinzhou and had a unique skill. What I was thinking about just now was the master of a noodle shop in Jinzhou." Xiao Yan asked again, "What does a noodle shop master have to do with sword techniques?" Xu Guan continued, "When I was young, my adoptive father often took me to a noodle shop in the southeast of Jinzhou to eat noodles. The master of that noodle shop came from Jinzhou and had a unique skill. He was bald and when he made noodles, he would place a layer of white cloth on his head and balance the dough on top. Holding a large knife in each hand, he would stand in front of a boiling copper pot, and with both knives flying up and down, the thin and long noodle sheets would fall into the water one by one." Xiao Yan, with a serious expression, said, "So you were treating me as the dough just now." Xu Guan hurriedly replied, "I didn't... this... I... I didn't know it was you." Seeing him flustered and blushing, Xiao Yan burst into laughter and said, "I was just joking with you, who would really get angry? But this can also teach you that Guo San is indeed remarkable." Xu Guan finally felt relieved, but suddenly his face turned red again as he recalled that Guo San had asked him last night whether he had kissed Xiao Yan.

Xu Guandao said, "So that's how it is, I will try again." He was originally a person eager to learn, and when Guo San mentioned that learning swordsmanship was not easy, it instead ignited his determination. Xu Guandao walked aside, pondering silently and thinking carefully. Guo San no longer disturbed him, sitting at the eaves with his legs dangling in the air, taking out a black porcelain wine flask to drink alone under the moonlight. It was unclear how much time had passed, but Guo San seemed to have drunk himself into a stupor, resting his chin on his hand and gently falling asleep, softly snoring. The iron sword resting on the tiles, however, seemed to suddenly awaken from its slumber, emitting an increasingly loud buzzing sound. It was unclear how much time had passed, but Guo San seemed to have drunk himself into a stupor, resting his chin on his hand and gently falling asleep, softly snoring. The iron sword resting on the tiles, however, seemed to suddenly awaken from its slumber, emitting an increasingly loud buzzing sound.

Xu Guan saw Meng Jiuwai leap back, reaching out to remove a mask, revealing a familiar and charming face. It turned out that Meng Jiuwai was actually disguised as Xiao Yan. Her skill in disguise was unparalleled, and those familiar with Meng Jiuwai were far away, leaving no one in the audience to see through it. Xu Guan suddenly realized: "She was worried that Captain Meng would harm me, so she disguised herself as him to participate in today's competition. She treated me this way, yet I... I almost hurt her." With this thought, Xu Guan felt both grateful and ashamed, rushing forward to say: "Xiao Yan, it’s all my fault. I didn’t hurt you just now, did I?" Xiao Yan, however, looked uncertain and asked: "How did you learn sword control?" Xu Guan hurriedly recounted how Guo San had taught him the spell the previous night. Xiao Yan pouted and said: "If I had known Guo San secretly taught you such skills, I wouldn’t have come." Xu Guan, however, felt a surge of emotions, his blood rushing, and he grasped her hand, saying: "You treat me so well." Xiao Yan's face flushed, she shook off his hand and said softly: "It’s not for you. I’m just afraid that if you were to hurt that reckless man, I would be left all alone in this world." Xu Guan saw her brows furrowed and her eyes glancing sideways, feeling an immense joy, not knowing how to cherish her properly. The two of them gazed at each other, completely forgetting that they were on the stage of the competition, with thousands of eyes watching them.

Outside of Dingxiang City, the movement of troops was reported to Chang'an by scouts. On this day, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin held court, and among the civil officials, one person stood out: Zheng Yuanshou, the Minister of Rites, who had just returned from a mission to the Turks. The Emperor said, "You have returned from the Turks; do you have matters to report regarding them?" Zheng Yuanshou replied, "Your Majesty, you are perceptive. I observed the people in the Turks suffering from hunger and their livestock in poor condition. The Emperor said, "You have returned from the Turks; do you have matters to report regarding them?" Zheng Yuanshou replied, "Your Majesty, you are perceptive. I observed the people in the Turks suffering from hunger and their livestock in poor condition. I believe that the Turkic nation, which measures its rise and fall by the condition of its sheep and horses, will perish within three years." The Emperor nodded and asked, "Based on your view, what should be done?" Zheng Yuanshou said, "The Turks are facing internal strife and natural disasters; why not take the opportunity to send troops to defeat them and eliminate future troubles?" The Emperor smiled and said, "You have always advocated for peace; why do you now advise me to send troops?" He then asked the officials, "What do you all think?" The officials all submitted their opinions, most advocating for an attack on the Turks, but Duke Changsun Wuji of Qi remained silent. The Emperor asked Changsun Wuji, "Do you think the Tang should go to war or not?" Changsun Wuji stepped forward and said, "Currently, the Turks have not invaded our borders. To send troops now would violate the trust established by the Weishui alliance, which is not the conduct of a ruler; furthermore, it would strain our forces and incur great costs. Therefore, I believe it is appropriate to remain stationed and uphold our promise." After listening, the Emperor found this reasoning quite agreeable and stood up, saying, "What the Duke of Qi said is very true. Our Tang has not been allied with others for three years; to break our promise now would be untrustworthy; to take advantage of others' misfortunes would be unkind; to exploit their crisis would be unjust. Even if all the Turkic tribes rebel, and their livestock are exhausted, I do not wish to raise troops. The Turks must eventually be dealt with, but only when they have committed a crime will I take action against them." He then addressed the Minister of War, Li Jing, saying, "You may train elite troops in preparation for future western campaigns."

It turned out that he carried a Moonstone, moving with unparalleled swiftness. Onlookers saw him standing far away at the foot of the stage, and in the blink of an eye, he was beside Meng Jiuwai. Those soldiers who had clashed with Guo San the day before felt that his figure was like that of a ghost.

Xu Guan had no choice but to follow her to a nearby hill. Xiao Yan said, "You have no foundation in martial arts. Tomorrow, when you go into battle, it is too late to learn martial arts now. I can only teach you some basic techniques, which might help you scare those people away." Xu Guan replied, "I do not harbor any ill intentions towards him, so why would he want to harm me? I think it is better not to learn these techniques." Xiao Yan then pointed her finger and gave his forehead a hard flick. Xu Guan winced in pain and exclaimed, "Why did you flick me?" Xiao Yan said, "You do not wish to harm me, but I have the intention to harm you." Xu Guan rubbed his forehead and said, "I will learn, I will learn. I think it is better not to learn these techniques." Xiao Yan flicked his forehead again, and Xu Guan cried out in pain, "Why did you flick me again?" Xiao Yan replied, "You do not wish to harm me, but I have the intention to harm you." Xu Guan rubbed his forehead and said, "I will learn, I will learn. Consider it that I am afraid of you." Xiao Yan huffed, "Clearly, this is for your own good, yet it seems as if I am begging you to learn these skills."

In the training ground, everyone was astonished to see Meng Jiuwai on the platform suddenly transform into a young woman, who was flirting endlessly with Xu Guanquan. Zhu Yun could no longer contain himself and leaped onto the command platform, shouting: "Who are you, woman, and why are you disguised as Captain Meng?" Xiao Yan giggled and replied: "Of course, it is to save his life. Did you not see the swords flying around just now? If that fool named Meng had come out to spar, he would have been cut down to size long ago." Zhu Yun angrily asked: "Where is Captain Meng now?" Xiao Yan said: "You mean that fool? It seems he has been thrown into the storeroom. No, perhaps it was the stable, or maybe the kitchen." Her words were vague, and Zhu Yun did not know which statement was true, his anger boiling over, leaving him momentarily speechless. At that moment, Su Lie stepped onto the stage and whispered to Zhu Yun: "As for Jiuwai's matter, it can be investigated slowly; do not lose composure in front of the troops." He then turned to Xu Guan and asked: "Is this young lady your friend?" Xu Guan replied: "Captain Su, this is Miss Xiao Yan." Su Lie remarked: "Though she is a woman, her martial skills are exceptional, which is truly rare." Upon hearing his polite words, Xiao Yan also smiled and said: "You flatter me, Captain."

As the crowd looked on, Meng Jiuwai was as robust as a bear, while Guo San was at least half a head shorter than him. Except for the more than ten soldiers who had just sparred with Guo San, everyone felt that the outcome was already clear without the need for a contest. Meng Jiuwai glanced at Guo San and forcefully jabbed his spear onto the platform, causing the command platform to tremble slightly, as if it had been pierced by his spear. His initial move was imposing, and while the crowd was secretly astonished, Guo San laughed and said, "Are you planning to hang clothes by sticking a pole into the ground? Let me show you a thing or two as well." Just as the crowd was eager to see his skills, Guo San suddenly fell to the ground with a thud. Meng Jiuwai was taken aback and said, "Are you trying to feign death?" But then he saw Guo San slowly waking up, seemingly transformed into a different person, wide-eyed and looking around, asking, "Where is this? Who are you?"

The soldiers had never witnessed such a fierce battle, and they were all left in a daze. After more than ten exchanges, the swordplay became increasingly rapid. Suddenly, cutting through the shadows of the spear, Meng Jiwei threw away his flower spear and exclaimed, "Enough, you win this time." Upon hearing the opponent concede, Xu Guan thought to himself, "I must not chant this incantation again." However, his sword control was still not entirely under his command. Although he stopped the incantation, the sword still slashed towards his opponent. With a clang, it knocked off Meng Jiwei's helmet, revealing a head of silky long hair.

A soldier helped Xu Guanshuan fasten his armor and then asked him what weapon he would use. Xu Guanshuan tried out the swords, spears, and halberds on the weapon rack, finding them all too heavy. Finally, he chose a very light saber and walked up to Meng Jiwei, bowing respectfully, saying: "Meng Xiaowei, there are many details here that cannot be explained at once, but since Brother Guo has agreed to compete with you, it is as if I have agreed to..." Meng Jiwei replied: "If you want to fight, then fight; there is no need for so much nonsense!" With a shake of his spear, he bowed and said: "Meng Xiaowei, there are many details here that cannot be explained at once, but since Brother Guo has agreed to compete with you, it is as if I have agreed to..." Meng Jiwei replied: "If you want to fight, then fight; there is no need for so much nonsense!" He shook his spear, creating several flower-like patterns, and thrust it forward. Xu Guanshuan had never faced anyone in combat before; the white light flashing before his eyes filled him with fear. He thought to himself: "It seems I can only try the incantation that Brother Guo taught me." He then focused his mind, recited the sword control incantation, and with a whoosh, the saber in his hand shot straight up into the sky.

The boy sitting on the ground was Guo San, who was attached to Xu Guan. After Xu Guan fell unconscious due to the Soul Capturing Spell, his soul had already switched places with Guo San. Coincidentally, Xu Guan had been appointed to the position of military officer under Kuang Daofu, so Xiao Yan sent Guo San to take over for Xu Guan. To Guo San's dismay, he lamented that he had been idle for too long to hold an official position. Xiao Yan argued that if he hadn't used the Soul Capturing Spell, Xu Guan wouldn't have fainted, and after much coaxing and persuasion, he finally forced Guo San to take office. With no choice, Guo San arrived at Kuang Daofu, where he was first led to Zhu Yunqiu to listen to a plethora of rules, which made him feel drowsy. Zhu Yunqiu spoke for a long time, becoming parched and irritated as he waited for Guo San to produce money, and in his growing frustration, he turned hostile and berated Guo San harshly. Guo San, who was on the verge of falling asleep, was jolted awake by the scolding and thought to himself: "What kind of official position has Xu Guan obtained? I am not here to take his place; I am clearly here to take his scolding. I might as well not take this position." He resolved to teach Zhu and Qiu a lesson, secretly employing a sword technique to summon a ruler that flew over and gave the two of them a thorough beating.

Xu Guan woke up the next day, only to find the sunlight blinding, and it was already close to noon. He hurriedly jumped out of bed, tidied himself up, tucked the Wave Moon Stone close to him, and rushed to the Kuangdao Prefecture training ground. By the time he arrived at the training ground, it was already a sea of people. Meng Jiuwai, clad in armor and holding a flower spear, stood on the platform. Upon seeing Xu Guan arrive, he shouted loudly: "Xu Canjun, you truly have guts. Come, come, come! Let us get started quickly, so as not to keep our brothers waiting too long." Xu Guan leaped onto the platform, and the crowd erupted in a chorus of gasps.

Meng Jiuwei was taken aback, withdrawing his gun to shield his chest, staring at the sword flying in mid-air, his eyes filled with astonishment. The crowd in the training ground, witnessing the sword's ability to fly, also gasped in surprise. Xu Guan thought to himself: "Yesterday, when Brother Guo taught me, he said that if I wanted to attack my opponent, I needed to think of something else, but he didn't specify what that should be. That's it, let's give this a try." He made up his mind, continuously chanting incantations, focusing intently on one thing in his heart. The sword flew in front of Meng Jiuwei, slicing left and right without pause. Meng Jiuwei turned with his gun, attempting to strike the sword. The gun barrel repeatedly clashed against the sword, yet the sword did not fall to the ground; it merely swayed a little before flying back, coming and going endlessly. Meng Jiuwei wielded his flower gun, the red tassel shaking, the gun tip glimmering, as if woven into a net made of gun tips, preventing the sword from advancing for the time being. The sounds of the gun and sword clashing echoed continuously. Meng Jiuwei could not help but shout: "What a skill! How impressive!"

Xiao Yan said, "You should try reciting it too." Xu Guan followed his words and recited the incantation, but there was no unusual occurrence around them. Xiao Yan taught Xu Guan the incantation word by word and asked him to try again, but to his surprise, Xu Guan still produced no effect after finishing the recitation. Xiao Yan remarked, "This is strange. Could it be that you are not destined to use this incantation?" Xiao Yan casually mentioned this, unaware that it was indeed the reason behind the situation. The truth was that the Reverse Dream Incantation required the caster to silently contemplate various delusions in their heart; the more intense the feelings of greed, anger, ignorance, and resentment, the greater the power of the incantation. Xu Guan was originally a simple and honest person, and having read Buddhist scriptures since childhood, he rarely entertained ignorant thoughts, which is why he was unable to use this incantation at that moment. Xiao Yan continued, "Although this incantation is long, it is quite simple. Normally, an ordinary person could summon some cats and dogs after reciting it. You truly cannot learn any magical arts." Xu Guan's face turned red, and he said, "I must have recited it incorrectly; I will practice a few more times." Xiao Yan sighed, "I had hoped to teach you a magical art in just a few days, but it seems that it cannot be done. It is already late; let us not practice any further today. Go home and get a good night's sleep, and we will think of a way tomorrow."

Su Lie spoke loudly to the soldiers, "Today, we will test our skills to select a brother to be sent to the Ministry of War. Just now, everyone witnessed the techniques of Military Officer Xu Guan. If anyone believes they can defeat him, come up and show your skills!" Upon hearing that Xu Guan possessed extraordinary abilities, and having seen him defeat the two Deputy Commanders upon his arrival at Kuangdao Prefecture, as well as witnessing him wield a flying sword just moments ago, none of the soldiers dared to step forward to challenge him. After Su Lie finished speaking, no one came up to the stage. He asked several times, but seeing that no one dared to respond, he said, "In that case, we at Kuangdao Prefecture will recommend Xu Guan to the Ministry of War." As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted in applause. Except for Zhu Yun and Qiu Wan, everyone else cheered, while Xu Guan appeared utterly bewildered. Su Lie approached Xu Guan and said, "You may return for now. Three days from now, at the hour of the dog, a carriage will be waiting for you at the back gate of the prefectural office to take you to the Ministry of War for your appointment."

Xiao Yan then transmitted a spell to him. This spell was quite long and rather difficult to pronounce, but fortunately, Xu Guan had an excellent memory and had memorized it after listening a few times. Xiao Yan said, "This spell is called the Inverted Dream Spell, which can summon phantoms to assist. The summoned entities vary from person to person, but it must be remembered that whatever is summoned is merely an illusion and cannot last long. If the enemy sees through it, one must be extremely cautious. I will recite it once for you to see." After saying this, she began to chant the spell. At that moment, a flickering light gradually increased in the distance, revealing a dark mass of wolves, their eyes glimmering like emeralds. This wolf pack was several times larger than the one encountered in front of Prince Zhen's residence, stretching endlessly. The wolves slowly closed in, and a leading white giant wolf suddenly howled at the sky. The pack seemed to receive a command and surged toward Xu Guan and Xiao Yan like a tide, reaching within a yard of the two in the blink of an eye, their white, sharp teeth clearly visible in the moonlight. Xu Guan was both startled and frightened, thinking, "This is bad. Brother Guo is not here, we are surely doomed." Just then, he heard Xiao Yan giggling, "Are you scared?" Seeing her smiling at him without a trace of worry, Xu Guan felt inexplicably relieved and replied, "I am not afraid. What about you?" Xiao Yan laughed, "It's not fun. I shouldn't have told you beforehand that these are just illusions." Xu Guan looked around again, only to see the cool night, with only a cheerful girl beside him, and there was no sign of any wolf pack.

The crowd was in an uproar, all thinking: "This person must be afraid, pretending to be mad and foolish. But if he is indeed afraid, why would he come on stage?" Meng Jiuwai was both angry and amused, cursing: "You rascal, first pretending to be dead and now acting mad. Let me poke you with a shot to see if you are truly mad or just pretending." With a shake of the gun, he aimed it at Guo San's chest. As fate would have it, Guo San had come on stage to compete with Meng Jiuwai, just as the effect of the soul-capturing spell had expired, and he had swapped souls with Xu Guan. The one who awakened was Xu Guan, who naturally did not understand what was happening around him. He only felt a darkness before his eyes, as if riding through clouds and mist, arriving on a high platform. When he opened his eyes again, he found a big man in front of him, brandishing a spear aimed at him.

Meng Jiuwei thrust his spear fiercely, aiming for Xu Guan's chest, but felt that the spear could no longer advance an inch. Looking again, he saw that the spear shaft had been grasped by Su Lie, and he was taken aback. He then heard Su Lie coldly say: "I just mentioned that the duel is scheduled for tomorrow at noon. Did you, Officer Meng, not hear me? Or do you think my words are as insignificant as flatulence?" The Zhechong Duwei is the head of the military office, and seeing Su Lie's stern expression, Meng Jiuwei hurriedly threw down his spear and knelt on the ground, saying: "I know my crime, my subordinate." Zhu Yun also bowed and said: "I, a lowly subordinate, have not taught properly, please calm your anger, Su Duwei." He then kicked Meng Jiuwei, and Su Lie coldly said again: "I just mentioned that the duel is scheduled for tomorrow at noon. Did you, Officer Meng, not hear me? Or do you think my words are as insignificant as flatulence?" The Zhechong Duwei is the head of the military office, and seeing Su Lie's stern expression, Meng Jiuwei hurriedly threw down his spear and knelt on the ground, saying: "I know my crime, my subordinate." Zhu Yun also bowed and said: "I, a lowly subordinate, have not taught properly, please calm your anger, Su Duwei." He then kicked Meng Jiuwei again, scolding: "Still lingering here and embarrassing yourself, get out of my sight quickly." Su Lie frowned and said: "Enough. Since both of them have agreed to the duel, the first match tomorrow at noon will be Meng Jiuwei against Xu Guan. If either of them fails to show up on time, military law will be enforced." After saying this, he left the crowd and swept his sleeves as he departed. Meng Jiuwei awkwardly retreated, catching a glimpse of Xu Guan glaring at him, saying: "I will allow you to live one more day; we will settle the score tomorrow at noon." The soldiers dispersed, and there was no further discussion. Xu Guan remained on the platform, feeling as if he were lost in a cloud, unable to comprehend the situation.

Guo San opened his eyes and saw his iron sword, the Little Green Sword, pointing skyward, fluttering up and down in the air, not as if it were attacking an opponent, but rather dancing alone. He noticed Xu Guan sitting nearby, silently reciting a spell, and asked curiously, "What are you thinking about?" Xu Guan was startled, forgetting to chant the spell, and the iron sword suddenly fell from the air. Guo San extended his finger in a hooking motion, and with a whoosh, the Little Green Sword flew back into the scabbard on his back. Xu Guan said, "I was thinking about the scene of studying at night in the temple. In Jinzhou, I often borrowed the oil lamp in the main hall to read, and there were always many moths fluttering around the lamp. Some would fly into the flame and get burned. Later, a compassionate master in the temple made a lampshade out of gauze. As a result, the moths could still fly around the lamp without suffering the pain of being burned, only dancing beside the lampshade." Guo San asked, "Were you just thinking about the scene of the moths dancing?" Xu Guan replied, "Exactly." Guo San said, "That's right. However, if you want to attack the enemy, you need to think of something else next time." Just as Xu Guan was about to practice again, he suddenly felt his body lighten and began to float, having been sent back to his own room by Guo San. Guo San said, "There will be a competition tomorrow at noon, so you can still sleep for a few more hours; don't practice anymore." After saying this, he reached out and tapped Xu Guan on the waist, and Xu Guan immediately fell into a drowsy sleep.