HEAVEN SWORD DRAGON SABRE Book 2 of 2

No Hero Under The Heavens Able To Withstand Part 3

A middle-aged man in dark-green coarse long robe stood up and said, "Although Kong Zhi Chanshi does not know, Xie Shi Wang certainly does. Let us invite him to come out and inquire of him. Afterwards, each one of us can play around with our true skills. Whose martial art skill is number one under the Heaven will be clear to us; naturally, he is worthy to bear the 'wulin zhi zun' title. No matter in whose hands the Saber is, he should hand it over to the 'wulin zhi zun'. If you ask me, I'll say we must agree to this first to avoid any dispute in the future. If he refuses to hand it over, all the heroes under the Heaven will rally together to attack him. Gentlemen, what do you think?"

Zhang Wuji recognized the speaker as one of the three Qinghai Pai sword masters who joined the attack to the Jin Gang Fu Mo Quan the other night.

Situ Qianzhong said, "Won't that be a martial art competition? [orig. da2 lei4 tai2 – beating drum on the platform; as martial art competition on those days was usually held on a raised platform, with people beating drums on the side] I think it is completely inappropriate."

"Any why not?" that man in the dark-green robe coldly asked, "Are you saying that we should not compete in a martial art, but compete on liquor capacity? If that's the case, then which thousand bells [Situ Qianzhong means Situ (surname) 'thousand bells'] is not drunk, whoever gets drunk but does not die [Situ Qianzhong's title was 'zui bu si' (drunk but did not die)], will be crowned the 'wulin zhi zun'."

The crowd broke up in laughter. Some in the crowd said with a strange voice, "Why do we have to compete then? This 'wulin zhi zun' title would certainly belong to the 'zui bu si', Mr. Situ!"

Situ Qianzhong tipped his wine gourd to pour a cup of wine, and then tilting his head backwards he drank it in one gulp. "I don't dare, I don't dare!" he said earnestly, "To win the title 'jiu lin zhi zun' [the most revered in the wine world], I, 'zui bu si' might have a thirty percent chance; but 'wulin zhi zun', ha ha .. I don't dare to accept the challenge; I don't dare ..." To the man in the dark-green robe he said, "Since Sire has raised this issue, your martial art knowledge must have transcended the mortal world attainment. Under my faulty vision, I actually do not know Sire's illustrious name."

That man coldly said, "I am Ye Changqing of Qinghai Pai; both my drinking capacity and my clowning skills are inferior to Sire's." He implied that 'in martial art skill, I am much stronger than Sire.'

Situ Qianzhong tilted his head sideways and thought for half a day. "Qinghai Pai?" he said, "Never heard. Ye Changqing? Hm, hm ... never heard either."

Everybody thought, "This Old Situ has such a nerve. Insulting Ye Changqing one man is all right, but he dares to insult the entire Qingjai Pai; wonder if he has a formidable backer behind him? Or did he have an unresolved enmity against Qinghai Pai? Just based on these few words, I am afraid Qinghai Pai would not let him go easily." Only those who knew Situ Qianzhong well realized that he was always alone, without anybody to back him up. He also did not have any enmity against the Qinghai Pai. He simply was a brassy man, who loved to argue and did not exercise control over his own tongue. Although he had suffered countless troubles in his life, his behavior did not change.

Murderous intent started to grow in Ye Changqing's heart, but his face remained calm when he said, "Qinghai Pai and the Ol' Ye are indeed obscure names, no wonder Sire did not know. But since Sire said martial art competition was inappropriate, while in drinking wine [orig. 'pouring yellow soup'] competition Sire's skill is unequalled under the Heaven, then how would we resolve this problem? Please advice."

" 'Unequalled under the Heaven' is truly much easier said than done," Situ Qianzhong said, "Truly much easier said than done. Back then, when I was at Jinan Prefecture [capital of Shandong, northeastern China] ..."