Sword Among Us

Happy won two continuous battles and retrieved his plate. He then moved to the second arena and discovered a familiar figure at the foot of the second arena, much to his surprise!

He paused for a moment, then could not help but to stop completely.

“Song Qingshu.”

The originally elegant young man was standing in the crowd. He had already switched to his old attire. He was dressed in a brocade robe and was standing with a dark gaze at the two people who fought on the stage.

Song Qingshu had indeed come to Hero’s Mountain Villa.

Happy was delighted.

If Song Qingshu was here, Zhou Zhiruo was definitely here as well. That would save him time searching for those two all over the world.

Compared to last time, Song Qingshu had lost some of the conceitedness and gentleness within him. He had become much colder than before, and he also seemed much more level-headed!

Happy was stunned, then he noticed that Chen Youliang had pointed in his direction while standing beside his companion. Song Qingshu cast him a sideways glance and frowned.

At the instant the duo’s gazes intersected with each other in the air, a clear hint of killing intent flashed in Song Qingshu’s eyes, but the cold feeling came and left very quickly.

Song Qingshu soon concealed it in his eyes. The gentle expression returned, and he headed over.

“Young Swordsman Happy.” His voice was clear and calm, but there were a few hints of false delight in his voice while he walked over to Happy with Chen Youliang.

Happy initially did not have the mood to deal with the two artificial people, but when he thought about how the last page of Nine Yang Divine Skill was in Zhang Sanfeng’s hands, he remembered that he simply had to persuade this brat to return to Wudang Mountain. So, he forced himself to smile and answer.

“Ah, it’s Young Swordsman Song of Wudang Sect. Pardon my rudeness.”

As he spoke, his thoughts raced. He was thinking of a plan to bring Song Qingshu back to Wudang Sect.

“Hehe… Young Swordsman Happy, you’re wrong.” Chen Youliang smiled by the side before he stared into Happy’s eyes. “Young Swordsman Song, it looks like Young Swordsman Happy still does not know that you left Wudang Sect and are staying with Sect Leader Zhou Zhiruo in Emei Mountain.”

Happy said nothing. He knew of this since a long time ago, so he was not affected by Chen Youliang’s words. However, when he noticed that Chen Youliang’s words were intentionally designed to make him displeased, his mind raced. His expression changed, and he could not help but quirk his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

Chen Youliang was a very cunning person.

Since he was doing it intentionally, when he saw Happy’s displeasure, he immediately put on an enlightened and secretive expression. The then pretended as if it’d been a slip of the tongue.

“Young Swordsman Happy, could it be that you also… I didn’t mean to say that. Ah, darn it. It’s like this, Young Swordsman Song has been invited by Sect Leader Zhou to join Emei Sect. There’s no other meaning to it.”

The secretive words made it clear that he wanted to provoke Happy, and if Happy truly loved Zhou Zhiruo, perhaps he would get locked in a fierce struggle with Song Qingshu.

But Song Qingshu merely smiled.

“Brother Chen, you don’t have to mind. Everyone in the world of martial artists knows that I love Sect Leader Zhou, and there is no need for me to hide it. Young Swordsman Happy should know about it as well, isn’t that right?”

“Young Swordsman Song, it’s fine if you don’t mind it, but the key is Sect Leader Zhou Zhiruo’s reputation!” Happy’s tone suddenly became severe. “I do not wish for Sect Leader Zhou’s reputation to be ruined because of certain people’s tongues!

“Elder Chen, Young Swordsman Song, there are certain words that should not be said. I have quite a close relationship with Sect Leader Zhou, and if I hear any similar rumors again, do not blame me for not showing you any respect!”

He looked at Chen Youliang and Song Qingshu with a cold gaze.

Chen Youliang had an awkward expression on his face, and he tactfully chose not to say anything.

Song Qingshu finally could not hold it back, and anger surged into his voice. “You—”

Happy’s tone remained cold, and he continued to embarrass him without showing any mercy. “Besides, Song Qingshu, Miss Zhou is pure and noble, and she is also the sect leader of Emei Sect. While you are only a normal disciple of Wudang Sect, and a worthless disciple who betrayed his sect at that!

“What right do you have to tell others loudly that you like Sect Leader Zhou? Even if you do, I do not think you are worthy of her. That’s why, if I hear you say similar things again, I will not mind helping the seniors of Wudang Sect to teach you a lesson.”

Men were egotistical creatures.

Happy’s words not only belittled Song Qingshu in terms of his strength and status, he even gave him a contemptuous image in terms of moral character. No matter how calm Song Qingshu was, there was no way he could endure that!

“Shut up!”

Clang!

He drew his longsword and pointed the sharp sword at Happy. “I respect you as a powerful martial artist who saved the six great sects and someone who worked hard for the righteous sects in the world of martial artists, but why do you insist on humiliating me repeatedly?! I challenge you to a duel!”

“With what status?” Happy remained calm and just snorted coldly. “Are you going to challenge me as a Wudang Sect disciple who betrayed his sect, an Emei Sect disciple, or a normal wanderer?”

“Obviously as an Emei Sect disciple!”

Song Qingshu gritted his teeth and answered in exasperation, but this was exactly what Happy had wanted.

He scoffed coldly. “If it’s as an Emei Sect disciple, I suggest that you take back your words just now.”

He paused for a moment, and when a group of martial artists had come forward to watch their argument attentively, he said with a myriad of emotions in his heart, “During the battle of Eternal Peace Temple, Emei Sect’s Mistress Annihilation was saved by me, and the current Sect Leader Zhou Zhiruo gave a strict order to the disciples in her sect that I am an honored guest of Emei Sect and they are to treat me with respect.

“Do you think that you are currently higher in rank than the sect leader of Emei Sect, or are you used to being pampered by Great Swordsman Song’s love so much that you are used to ignoring a sect leader’s orders?”

“You—”

Song Qingshu clearly did not expect that Zhou Zhiruo would have given such an order and his expression changed. “If that is the case, I will temporarily cast aside the status of an Emei Sect disciple and challenge you with the status of a normal wanderer.”

“A normal wanderer?” Happy smiled even brighter. “If you are a normal wanderer, then what have you contributed to the world of martial artists? What achievements do you have? What title do you carry? And who invited you to Hero’s Mountain Villa?” He paused for a moment before he put on a smile that said that his plan had worked. “If you don’t have any of that, why should I accept a boring person’s challenge out of the blue?”

Song Qingshu’s face turned pale before it turned red with rage.

Happy had struck where it hurt.

Even though he had also participated in the battle at Light Summit, Happy had displayed great splendor at that time and outshone Song Qingshu to the point that he was like a normal bystander. As for reputation, he was just a normal Wudang Sect disciple, and his experience in wandering about the land was small.

What reputation could he have then? Wherever he went, the people only called him Young Swordsman Song because of their respect for Wudang Sect and Song Yuanqiao.

“Don’t even think about leaving!” When Song Qingshu saw that Happy was about to leave, he quickly moved and blocked him while shouting angrily. “Don’t even think about getting an upper hand over me with words! You’ve humiliated me in front of all martial artists, and I will absolutely fight against you today!”

While Happy and Song Qingshu were in a confrontation, Song Yuanqiao stopped two Wudang Sect disciples who were about to go downstairs from the first floor of a restaurant to mediate the fight. “Don’t go! It’d be good if Young Swordsman Happy taught that unfilial son of mine a lesson.”