Chapter 96: Tricks and Taoism

Within the Jing Family’s caravan encampment, a piece of news spread like wildfire.

“What? That tigress made a bet with someone? Is it that new young hero?”

“Ah? Someone actually dared to argue with that tigress? Oh, he’s also a high-grade master, right? This is going to be a good show.”

“Did you hear? It seems that woman’s sword was even cut in half, and he said her proud sword Dao was nothing but a minor trick, which infuriated that tigress to death!”

However, contrary to Li Qi’s expectation that he would be isolated by the entire caravan for offending the original guards, everyone in the Jing Family caravan seemed to be gloating, with some even running over to cheer Li Qi on.

He instantly transformed from an unknown guard hired by the Manager Jing into everyone’s hero.

He even hallucinated hearing someone shout, “Don’t lose! Big brother with the long saber!”

Damn it, how bad was Jing Yan’s popularity normally?

But looking at her stubbornly obsessed attitude towards swordsmanship, she was probably very arrogant. Even Manager Jing described her as such when introducing her: “Her mother died early, and her father was strict, which led to her isolated personality. Besides martial arts, she has almost no other hobbies.”

Fortunately, although she was isolated, she was not an unreasonable person. So, to prove her cherished swordsmanship, she agreed to Li Qi’s bet.

What kind of bet, you ask?

The situation at the time was like this.

“A bet? What are we betting on?” Jing Yan withdrew her hand and looked at Li Qi suspiciously.

“I have already said that my little sister is not without cultivation, she is just not good at fighting. However, the Dao she cultivates is extremely skilled at discerning weaknesses and flaws. Why don’t you switch to another sword and demonstrate your swordsmanship—your Sword Dao—to my little sister? I will go back for one night, and we will try tomorrow. I will break it. This way, we can verify whether my little sister is speaking wildly. What do you think, Sister Jing?”

“If I lose, I will certainly have her apologize to Sister Jing. Sister Jing, being a magnanimous person, can give her a slight punishment, just as educating a child, so she won’t dare to speak wildly again in the future.”

“If I win, it will prove that my little sister’s words are true. I won’t ask for an apology, and I will even present the discovered weaknesses with both hands, helping Sister Jing’s martial arts improve further. What do you say?”

Li Qi’s words were clear and well-reasoned, and his attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, which made Jing Yan look at him with newfound respect.

So, she didn’t refuse, but instead asked, “Do you use a saber or your fists?”

“How can a Physical Body block weapons? Naturally, I use a saber,” Li Qi replied.

“Your saber technique is far worse than your fist technique,” Jing Yan said with a hint of mockery.

Li Qi smiled helplessly.

There was nothing he could do. He didn’t know saber techniques in the first place. Even for Carp Current Intent, he only had the cultivation method, not the combat method, and he didn’t know the corresponding weapon cultivation methods.

It wasn’t that Shen Shuibi was being stingy; it was because she didn’t know them either.

For something that was used to prop up tables on Mount Luofu, her understanding of the cultivation method was already a sign of her being very idle. Combat method? Was it necessary?

How could she, a dignified Fifth-Grade, still need the combat method of an Eighth-Grade cultivation method?

Therefore, Li Qi still used the Wave-Breaking Force combat method, relying on the progress bar and Carp Current Intent’s instantaneous burst ability, forcefully interrupting the opponent’s movements. This was how he could be praised for his “decent fist and foot skills.”

As for saber technique…

Let’s put it this way: when Li Qi used a saber, he couldn’t interrupt anyone’s progress bar.

To him, this long saber was probably equivalent to a sharp, enchanted firewood chopper, adding some attack power at crucial moments, but otherwise it was just a fire poker and a walking stick.

As for why he always held it in his hand?

Of course, it was to show off.

And to mislead others, making them think he used a saber, then at the critical moment, untie a willow branch and whip someone, ensuring instant effectiveness.

However, despite his helplessness, Li Qi still cupped his hands and replied, “Naturally, using a saber is better. If even my clumsy saber technique can break through Sister Jing’s Sword Dao, wouldn’t that prove my little sister’s words are even more true?”

“Good! Then I will demonstrate it for you! Let your little sister watch carefully! If you lose, I want her to kneel and apologize!” Jing Yan said arrogantly, then had someone bring a common longsword and began to demonstrate her Sword Dao.

Shen Shuibi listened to the entire conversation from the side and knew what her duty was. Moreover, since this matter started because of her, she naturally watched it very, very seriously.

Honestly, Li Qi had never seen the rabbit so serious before.

That was the situation at the time. After the bet was made, it was impossible to delay the caravan because of it, so they still departed that night.

Li Qi also took the time to go and see the old horse one last time. He found that the fellow was well-fed and well-rested, incredibly lazy and comfortable. He munched on fruit in the morning, ate grain at noon, had hay and beans in the afternoon, and even different late-night snacks.

Li Qi even gave him an extra thousand coins because his appetite was too large, and the prepaid money wasn’t quite enough.

Never mind, the goal was to fatten him up, so this was good.

After taking care of this matter, he quickly returned and set off with the caravan. In the ox cart, he began to communicate with Shen Shuibi.

Since he was a Ninth-Grade master, a special ox cart was cleared for Li Qi and Shen Shuibi.

It wasn’t exactly “special”; there were still some goods in the ox cart, but unlike others who were squeezed together, their ox cart was much more spacious.

“Tomorrow, I will definitely make you defeat that boastful person!” Shen Shuibi’s face was full of indignation. She waved her small fists and said fiercely.

Though she said it fiercely, she actually looked adorable. After all, she had no expressions of killing intent or hatred, but rather looked like a child who had been wronged and was holding back her Qi.

“Alright, alright, I will definitely make her apologize to you! But, what did you see today?” Li Qi asked.

“It was all flaws, all weaknesses! There was nothing commendable about it, and she still dared to call it Sword Dao… Can a sword, of all things, even be called a Dao?” At this point, Shen Shuibi became even angrier.

“It’s just a man-made object. Even if many people use swords, do they dare to presumptuously call it a Dao? A minor trick!” Shen Shuibi said very unhappily, “A Dao must have a representative concept, a complete system of thought, methods to achieve its ideological goals, and unique theories for analyzing heaven, earth, myriad things, and all living beings! Only then can it be called a Dao!”

“How can anything dare to call itself a Dao! It’s truly infuriating!” Shen Shuibi even jumped up and down. It was the first time Li Qi had seen her so angry.

She was even more annoyed than when he had stroked her rabbit ears.

It seemed that someone disrespecting the concept of “Dao” truly displeased her.

However… she had a point.

In Li Qi’s understanding, “Dao” was a rule, a law of the universe.

A sword, however, was merely a man-made weapon. The ability to use a sword, at best, was called swordsmanship. To presumptuously call it Sword Dao was simply an insult to the word “Dao.”