Orderly knowledge constitutes science; an orderly life embodies wisdom.
Jie Shu had always been a man of few words, his demeanor more akin to a scholar than a martial artist of the pugilistic world. This scholarly inclination was strikingly evident in the mathematical formulas that covered his attire.
Either he harbored a dislike for these subjects, displaying them on his clothes merely as a façade.
Or, conversely, he was utterly captivated by them, finding no peace unless they were constantly within his sight.
Anyone who knew him even superficially understood that the latter was true.
Had he not embarked upon the martial path, he might well have become an accomplished mathematician.
‘Jie Shu’ – a name that sounded like ‘solution’ and ‘dispel’.
Upon hearing Jie Shu’s peculiar moniker, those present who were unfamiliar with him couldn’t help but whisper amongst themselves, pondering the true identity of this oddly named individual.
Yu Wusheng, though not knowing much about Jie Shu, was aware that the man had joined the Xingwu Office even before him. He had once sparred with Jie Shu, finding it impossible to discern his sect or lineage from his techniques. It was highly probable that Jie Shu was either a disciple of some reclusive master or an internal agent dispatched by the Polaris Academy, entirely unconnected to the various factions of the pugilistic world.
Before stepping onto the stage, Jie Shu had even shaken Tian Qi’s hand with solemnity, utterly unconcerned by the grease coating Tian Qi’s palm. Now, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, he neither assumed a defensive posture nor initiated an attack, simply observing East Bamboo Immortal.
East Bamboo Immortal understood this as an invitation for her to make the first move. Without a word, she launched a punch directly towards Jie Shu’s chest.
With lightning reflexes, Jie Shu swiftly caught East Bamboo Immortal’s wrist and retreated, deftly neutralizing the full force of her punch. The entire motion was executed with such fluid ease, like pushing a boat along with the current, that it betrayed not the slightest hint of exerted power.
During his spar with Jie Shu, Yu Wusheng’s most profound impression had been this martial art of ‘deflecting and neutralizing force.’ This particular discipline defied conventional wisdom, eschewing offense and direct defense as primary objectives, instead focusing entirely on countering and dissipating enemy attacks. Now, East Bamboo Immortal’s rapid, aggressive assaults yielded not a single advantage against Jie Shu; every sharp, forceful strike was swiftly neutralized, causing the battle to descend into a tense stalemate.
Fenghu and Yunlong, the venerable elders from the Southern Dipper Star faction, found themselves utterly astonished. Jie Shu’s techniques were remarkably refined; several of East Bamboo Immortal’s tempestuous assaults were exceedingly perilous, strikes that even they would struggle to neutralize instantly, often opting for a direct confrontation. Yet, Jie Shu managed to defuse them with such apparent ease. The slightest misstep in this delicate dance, however, would have seen him immediately subdued by East Bamboo Immortal. Indeed, were this not a mere contest but a true battle, his life would have been forfeit at her hands in an instant.
Considering the current state of affairs, Yu Wusheng had to concede Jie Shu’s extraordinary prowess. Nevertheless, a purely defensive strategy could never lead to victory, and with Jie Shu facing a formidable opponent like East Bamboo Immortal, defeat seemed all but inevitable.
As twilight descended, time seemed to blur. Though Jie Shu’s skill in countering was formidable, his cultivation ultimately proved inferior to East Bamboo Immortal’s, leading to his eventual defeat.
Immediately after, Chi Yiheng, the scholarly man, hurried onto the stage, proclaiming the name of his Tianqi Sect, eager to demonstrate that he was a man of action, not merely words. As for the outcome, his crestfallen, disconsolate posture on the stage served as the most eloquent answer. He was swiftly defeated by East Bamboo Immortal not long after his grand entrance. Observing his anxious haste to participate, the onlookers had mistakenly believed he possessed some infallible strategy, or at the very least, could endure for a considerable period. Instead, his defeat was swifter than anyone else’s, a truly self-inflicted humiliation.
In rapid succession, more than a dozen masters stepped forward to challenge, yet each met with defeat. Even Xu Tuzhi and Qi Su were no exception, a sight that caused Yu Wusheng’s estimation of them to diminish considerably.
Ultimately, several adept swordsmen also stepped forward to challenge. They mused that East Bamboo Immortal’s swordsmanship was inferior to her fist and foot techniques; given her considerable exhaustion yet continued victories in close combat, it seemed more logical to target her ostensibly weaker sword skills as a potential breakthrough.
As for the outcome, not a single one emerged victorious. Only the swordsman Mi Douwu, who perpetually clutched a sword to his chest, managed to inflict a minor injury upon East Bamboo Immortal, his sword qi piercing her shoulder.
Among the many who had stepped into the arena, there were indeed some whose prowess rivaled Yu Wusheng’s. However, their practical combat experience fell short of his, consequently inflicting little exhaustion upon East Bamboo Immortal. Chen Chuan, for instance, who introduced himself as Tian Qi’s ‘Uncle Chen,’ appeared utterly harmless yet possessed considerable strength. Nevertheless, his excessive focus on exploiting East Bamboo Immortal’s perceived weaknesses ultimately led to his downfall.
At this juncture, the sole individual from the Polaris faction who had yet to make their move was Daoist Master Chuanyun. Meeting the expectant gazes of those around him, he finally stepped forward.
“Hold on!”
Director Ji’s figure flashed with startling speed, appearing at the cliff’s edge. He looked utterly disheveled, his once impeccably tailored suit now marred by several long rips, leaving him in a state of utter embarrassment, as if he had been accosted and robbed.
“Chuanyun…”
Before he could complete his sentence, Ren Du was already upon him, lunging directly at Director Ji’s back.
Director Ji’s expression shifted dramatically. He swiftly turned and retreated, only to see the ominous black muzzle of a gun in the instant he faced Ren Du.
He quickly ducked low, narrowly evading the projectile that had just exited the barrel. His remarkably agile reaction while in the midst of a retreat genuinely astonished all those present.
As Director Ji ducked, he simultaneously surged forward, closing the distance to Ren Du and striking at his abdomen with a swift palm. Ren Du, however, countered by striking Director Ji’s shoulder, compelling him to retract his attack and fall back.
This maneuver unfolded precisely as Director Ji had intended. He swiftly rolled to the side, now gripping a pistol of his own. Ren Du instinctively reached for his second weapon, only to find his holster empty. A chilling realization dawned upon him: Director Ji’s skill was indeed extraordinary; the attack on his abdomen had been nothing more than a feint, its true objective being the seizure of his firearm.
In their close-quarters entanglement, both men simultaneously raised their pistols and fired, each attempting to disarm the other. For a fleeting moment, fists and palms clashed, while two guns roared in unison, a spectacle that left the onlookers utterly bewildered.
Following a flurry of intense gunfire, both men simultaneously leveled their pistols at each other’s heads, only to find their weapons locked back on an empty magazine. Astonishingly, they had both expended every bullet in their pistols at precisely the same moment. Originally, Director Ji’s firearm had contained one more round than Ren Du’s, but in a moment of audacious display, he had fired a celebratory shot into the air the instant he acquired the weapon, thereby inadvertently leveling the playing field in terms of ammunition.
Ren Du let out a cold sneer, swiftly retreating to reload his magazine. He was well aware that none of the active ‘Yitian’ series pistols used by Polaris shared the same ammunition caliber as those of Southern Dipper Star. With both of his own firearms being of a consistent caliber, any bullets Director Ji might possess in his pockets would be utterly useless.
However, Director Ji, with practiced ease, produced a magazine and swiftly reloaded his weapon. Once more, both men almost simultaneously leveled their pistols at each other.
Ren Du’s expression flickered with uncertainty. He had clearly seen the magazine Director Ji had just loaded; it was not from the ‘Yitian’ series, but rather the retired ‘Qinghong’ series.
He recalled that the Qinghong-3 and Tuanjie Liliang-3 models shared the same caliber, but it was only today that he discovered their magazines were entirely interchangeable (the Tuanjie Liliang-3, developed by Southern Dipper Star after the war, and the Qinghong-3, developed by Polaris before the war, had both drawn inspiration from the Hengdi-3 model, a pre-war creation of the Lianzhen Star Academy, in terms of both caliber and magazine design).
Ren Du slowly lowered his pistol. Director Ji, whose breathing had calmed slightly, then offered a small smile and tossed his gun towards Ren Du.
“Thank you, Manager Ren, for your clemency.”
“Hmph!”
Ren Du cast a contemptuous glance at Director Ji, who, in turn, feigned complete obliviousness.
“Daoist Master Chuanyun, with only you and I remaining to contend, let us conclude today’s proceedings here!” he declared, cupping his hands respectfully towards East Bamboo Immortal.
“East Bamboo Immortal, tomorrow, Daoist Master Chuanyun and I shall return to seek your wisdom once more.”
East Bamboo Immortal nodded in assent. Immediately, Director Ji and the entire Polaris contingent swiftly withdrew, while on the opposing side, Ren Du watched Director Ji’s retreating figure with a chilling gaze.
“Manager Ren…”
“Mr. Zhu, let us return and rest!”
Today, he and Director Ji had fought to a standstill. Though the skirmish appeared deceptively effortless, Ren Du had, in truth, expended every ounce of his skill. As he descended the mountain, his steps were noticeably unsteady, a clear sign to any discerning observer that his cultivation was utterly depleted. It was no wonder, then, that their duel with Director Ji had culminated in the use of firearms—he simply no longer possessed the inner strength for a prolonged bare-handed struggle.
Director Ji, in stark contrast, despite also having expended a considerable amount of his cultivation, appeared remarkably graceful, at ease, and brimming with robust vitality.
“Congratulations, Manager Ren!”
Confronted by Mr. Ji’s congratulations, Ren Du displayed not the slightest hint of pleasure, instead inquiring with an air of cool indifference.
“With my cultivation utterly depleted at this very moment, what conceivable cause for celebration could there be? Should Polaris dispatch someone to launch a surprise attack, I would be utterly defenseless…”
“That assessment is mistaken, Manager Ren. While your cultivation may be exhausted, Director Ji is likely in no better state. At this very moment, he harbors no intention of sending assassins, and indeed, would vehemently oppose any suggestion to do so.”
“Why?”
“Manager Ren, you are merely feigning ignorance!”
Mr. Ji’s words caused Ren Du to cast a slight sideways glance, yet he remained silent, continuing his descent down the mountain.
“Hmph! Director Ji is already at his wit’s end, yet he still insists on parading Polaris’s so-called ‘benevolence and righteousness’ before East Bamboo Immortal. Not dispatching assassins in secret, to put it plainly, is merely to prevent East Bamboo Immortal from witnessing Polaris’s contemptible and shameless true colors. Their momentum has irrevocably waned; they face inevitable defeat tomorrow, yet they persist in this charade…”
Mr. Ji cast a fleeting glance at Yunlong, musing that Yunlong was an outspoken and straightforward man, but alas…
He uttered not a word, made no move, simply following behind Ren Du as they descended the mountain.
In that very moment, offering neither words nor actions was, in fact, the most profound assistance one could provide to Ren Du.
Meanwhile, on the Polaris side, Director Ji appeared remarkably cheerful, much to the bewilderment of his companions, who could not fathom the source of his obvious delight.
“Director Ji, what has you so amused?”
Tian Qi, with a cheeky grin, posed the question.
“Could it be that everyone performed commendably today?”
“Tian Qi, would you perish if you simply kept your mouth shut?”
Chen Chuan glared at Tian Qi, his mood extremely foul after his defeat today. Had he lost after giving his all, it would have been acceptable, but his downfall was entirely due to a moment of carelessness.
Tian Qi merely shrugged, deeply displeased but refraining from outburst. He zipped his mouth shut and vanished in a flash.
“Precisely! Everyone indeed fought exceptionally well today. Even if we lose tomorrow, we can still report back with our heads held high.”
Upon hearing this, everyone present immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Although they hadn’t secured a single victory this time, at least they had demonstrated their utmost effort, ensuring no reprimands upon their return. Le Sishu, however, lying on a stretcher, spoke thoughtfully.
“That assessment is flawed, Director Ji. While we may all be able to report back, we ultimately failed to acquire the East Bamboo. For the Polaris Academy, failing to secure the East Bamboo signifies a loss…”
He had barely finished speaking when the stretcher jolted. The two men carrying him clearly held strong opinions against him, and many others present shared their sentiments.
They felt Le Sishu thoroughly deserved it. The man’s mouth hadn’t stopped all day, and it was only because Fenghu and Yunlong completely ignored him that he hadn’t been summarily silenced. He had no sense of timing; just when everyone was relieved they could report back, his words made it sound as if they had all been slacking, as if their presence had been entirely in vain. How could they not resent him?
Director Ji, as if deaf to the conversation, paused to gaze at the faintly visible wondrous fragrant tree atop Green Peak. After a moment of silence, he resumed leading his group down the mountain.