12dz Chapter 26: Xue's broadsword does not harm the old or the young.
Chapter 26: Xue's broadsword does not harm the old or the young.
These words moved everyone present.
Overjoyed, Bai Tianyong quickly raised his glass, saying, "We, the entire Divine Blade Hall, will forever remember this generous gift from Scholar Li!"
Madam Bai was overwhelmed with gratitude, and carefully accepted the seemingly ordinary small knife with both hands, holding it tightly in her palms.
"Uncle Li, thank you, that's not what I meant..."
Although Bai Tianyu remained as steady as ever, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
They all knew, of course, that what Li Xunhuan had given them was not just a simple throwing knife.
It was a promise.
To receive a personal promise from the world-renowned Little Li Flying Dagger is worth far more than a thousand or ten thousand gold pieces; it is something the Divine Blade Hall could never obtain in a lifetime.
Not to mention that Li Xunhuan publicly promised that he might pass on his unique skills to the child in the future.
His signature move, of course, is the Little Li Flying Dagger.
That was the skill that made Li Xunhuan famous; there is probably no one else in the world who could do it!
It's utterly unbelievable and absurd that a top master would be willing to pass on their skills to a stranger they've only met a few times.
This would be absolutely impossible for anyone else.
But when applied to Li Xunhuan, it seems so reasonable.
Because Li Xunhuan is none other than anyone else.
Li Xunhuan is Li Xunhuan!
The atmosphere at the banquet became even more lively because of this unexpected promise.
Bai Tianyu and his brothers repeatedly toasted each other, their hearts brimming with pride.
Xue Bufeng raised his bowl to Li Xunhuan in a toast, but then drank it himself.
Clearly, he wasn't the main character tonight; he was just there to watch the show.
Hua Baifeng whispered in Xue Bufeng's ear:
"This Uncle Li is a kind-hearted man who cherishes old friendships. Is he really going to pass on his famous martial arts skills to others like this? Good senior brother, you should also ask Uncle Li to teach me a flying knife technique. Then I can roam the martial arts world with impunity."
Xue Bufeng smiled, looking at Hua Baifeng who was blinking her big, watery eyes:
"Can't you shut up even with food?"
He handed Hua Baifeng a large chicken leg.
Hua Baifeng immediately let out a cute "ah-woo" sound, opened her little mouth and bit it, her cheeks puffed up like a little hamster hoarding food.
Ding Baiyun stared silently at the throwing knife in Madam Bai's hand, without saying a word.
The Thousand-Handed Rakshasa silently finished the remaining wine in her bowl, her beautiful face expressionless, lost in thought.
Actually, they were both thinking the same thing:
Li Xunhuan was once famous throughout the martial arts world, not only for his unerring throwing knife skills but also for killing many notorious figures.
It's no exaggeration to say that he was a great hero in his youth.
Later, he willingly fell into depravity and became infatuated with brothels, which was a matter of romance and had nothing to do with his character.
Logically speaking, Li Xunhuan should have been someone who hated evil to the core.
But why, when faced with Bai Tianyu, a madman who is already a foregone conclusion and even has the intention to wipe out his entire family, did he not only refrain from taking action but also promise to pass on his unique skills to Bai Tianyu's descendants?
Isn't this aiding and abetting evil?
This was the biggest thought in the two women's minds at that moment.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
outside the window.
The night wind of the border town swept through the poplar forest, making a series of mournful sounds.
Another round of wine jars has been emptied.
When Li Xunhuan made that promise, his expression was indifferent and his words were light, as if he were just casually agreeing to a trivial matter.
But everyone in the room, including the most arrogant Bai Tianyu, understood the weight of that promise.
The three-inch-seven-point throwing knife, as thin as a willow leaf, which rested in Madam Bai's palm, now felt heavier than a thousand pounds of iron.
Although Thousand-Handed Rakshasa and Ding Baiyun did not speak, they were filled with doubt.
How could the famous and righteous Li Xunhuan, known for his flying daggers, so easily agree to pass on his skills?
Moreover, the person who will pass on the teachings in the future will be a descendant of Bai Tianyu, the most arrogant and domineering leader of the Divine Blade Hall in the border town.
This is something that is very difficult to understand.
But this is simply because too many people in the world cannot understand Li Xunhuan.
Li Xunhuan was not actually someone who liked to take on apprentices.
In fact, he had no apprentices at all.
But today he actually made that promise.
Not for any other reason, but simply because Li Xunhuan liked Bai Tianyu's character.
—Of course, it's not that I like Bai Tianyu's violence, arrogance, or conceit, but rather his straightforwardness and boldness, his unconventional and unrestrained spirit that goes against the grain and defies the rules of the martial arts world.
This is also why he and Xue Bufu were able to become friends.
Whether it's Li Xunhuan, Xue Bufu, or Bai Tianyu, they are all the same kind of people, "outliers" in this world of chivalry and social interaction.
They judge people by their clothes, their names, and their morality.
They're looking at the core of things.
Li Xunhuan looked down on nine out of ten prominent figures in the martial arts world.
They spout platitudes about morality and righteousness, yet their actions are always despicable.
On the surface, they are all glamorous and righteous, but in reality, they allow their family members to bully men and women, collude with officials to exploit the local people, and then turn around and blame everything on so-called evil forces and bandits, while they themselves are still revered by thousands.
Such hypocrites are just as despicable as true villains.
Therefore, Li Xunhuan was more willing to drink with a devil like Xue Bufu.
Xue Bufeng came from a demonic sect, and it is true that countless souls should have perished under his demonic blade.
Li Xunhuan once asked him:
"The Demonic Sect is known for its ruthless actions; how come your blade has never been stained with the blood of innocent people?"
Xue Bufeng, who had just killed a notorious womanizer from beyond the Great Wall, sat to the side, still reeking of blood. Hearing this, he looked at him strangely and asked in return:
Why should I kill innocent people?
"My blade is destined to be an extraordinary demonic blade. Since it is extraordinary, the people it kills must also be extraordinary. Isn't that a matter of course?"
He looked up at the vast expanse of snow, his voice carrying a chilling quality:
"And most people in this world like to bully the weak and fear the strong."
"Even those self-proclaimed righteous heroes are the same. When dealing with villains without a background or unarmed civilians, they are very powerful. But when facing a prominent family, even if the other party has done all sorts of bad things, they only dare to turn a blind eye or even help to whitewash the situation."
He withdrew his gaze, looked at Li Xunhuan, and said, word by word:
"But I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to bully the weak and fear the strong; I prefer to tackle tough challenges!"
"Those lowlifes take pleasure in humiliating the weak, while I do the opposite, finding pleasure in killing these prominent 'big shots.' Isn't this the very kind of heresy that the demonic cult should be doing?"
"So don't think that just because I killed a womanizer today, I'm a good person. I'm no different from them in essence; we're all complete villains, just with different ways of having fun."
"If you're planning to use moral blackmail to get me to do something good for you, then your wishful thinking is in vain. I never do good deeds unless there's something in it for me."
Li Xunhuan laughed when he heard this.
He naturally didn't believe Xue Bufu's later words; perhaps it was just a more extreme form of pride.
But he believed the first part of the sentence—Xue Bufu's sword never kills the innocent.
This is enough.
To possess such a demonic blade in a place like the Demonic Sect, and to be able to maintain this line of defense, is already an immense feat.
Since Li Xunhuan was willing to befriend a "demon" like Xue Bufu, he was naturally also willing to befriend someone like Bai Tianyu, and even promised to pass on his skills to him.
Bai Tianyu is different from Xue Bufu, who comes from the Demonic Sect and acts unpredictably.