Chapter 26: Promotion to Grade 3
Chen Fan!
Hearing this name, Gu Zhan’s brows furrowed, and a piece of information instantly surfaced in his mind.
He had once gone through the files of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Linjiang Prefecture at the Hundred Households Office, and had some impression of this Chen Fan—he was a Chief Banner of the West City Hundred Households Office, quite famous in the Martial World, a Fourth Grade Martial Artist who had been renowned for many years.
According to the records in the Hundred Households Office,
This Chen Fan was extremely skilled in Short Spear Technique, with numerous battle achievements, and was one of Hundred Households Gao Jun’s main confidants, much valued by Gao Jun.
"Lord Gu, please grant me your guidance!"
Chen Fan removed the wooden box from his back, took out a three-foot-long silver short spear from within, his gaze icy cold.
Gu Zhan’s expression turned gloomy as he said, "Lord Gao, what do you mean by this? You would strike at a fellow officer?"
Gao Jun sneered, shrugged, and said, "Lord Gu, please don’t exaggerate. This is just a simple contest between us. Now that Lord Gu’s reputation is so loud, it’s normal for people to come challenge you!"
Chen Fan said indifferently, "I’ve heard that Lord Gu slew over twenty experts in one battle, including the Broken Sword Scholar Xing Kuan, winning the title Little God of Slaughter. My hands have been itching for a long time, I simply can’t wait to ask Lord Gu for pointers!"
At that moment, Chen Fei, standing by Gu Zhan’s side, spoke: "Chief Banner Chen, my lord is currently injured and not fit to fight. Moreover, you are a Chief Banner of the West City Hundred Households Office, both in rank and age above my lord. Would it be appropriate for you to come asking for guidance?"
Chen Fan replied flatly, "I’ve admired Lord Gu for a long while. For the sake of this exchange, I have already resigned from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Today, I am here only as a common man of the Martial World to ask for your instruction, Lord Gu; I hope you won’t withhold your guidance!"
Gao Jun interjected, "Lord Gu, you are the renowned Little God of Slaughter of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—surely you wouldn’t fear the challenge of a Martial World nobody? We cannot allow the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s name to be tarnished!"
Gu Zhan replied coldly, "And if I refuse?"
Gao Jun shrugged: "Then that’s your business, Lord Gu, nothing to do with me. But you know what Martial World types are like—eccentric, reckless—who knows what they might do, it’s none of my business."
As Gao Jun’s words just fell,
Chen Fan spoke once more: "Lord Gu, I have come to challenge in all sincerity. If you refuse to accept, then you’re giving me no face. In that case I might have to..."
"Clang—"
Suddenly, a jarring clash of metal sounded abruptly in the main hall, a flash of saber light appeared, and then... the saber light was suddenly withdrawn—gone without a trace.
Out in the courtyard, the white snow shimmered; inside the hall, candlelight flickered weakly, and when the saber was drawn, the blade gleamed brilliantly. For the blade’s light to vanish entirely, there was only one possibility: the saber was, at this moment, motionless.
A sword scabbard fell to the ground,
shattering the silence,
Gao Jun and his several guards looked up in a daze.
In that instant,
blood splattered forth,
An ordinary-looking Horizontal Saber was now lodged in Chen Fan’s arm, the broad saber deeply wedged halfway into his shoulder.
Blood spurted violently,
with a metallic clatter,
the short spear in Chen Fan’s grasp fell to the ground. He gave a muffled groan and bellowed, "You... You have no martial virtue, how dare you launch a sneak attack..."
Gu Zhan said nothing,
he yanked his left arm like lightning, the saber’s edge scraping along Chen Fan’s shoulder, making an excruciating noise—the sound of steel grinding against sturdy collarbone,
as a severed arm arced through the air.
Chen Fan let out a miserable scream, stumbling continuously backward; having lost an arm, not to mention continuing the fight, even staying upright was a struggle.
Gu Zhan leaped forward and kicked Chen Fan hard in the head.
"Bang!"
Chen Fan crashed into a pillar with a thundering crash.
Gu Zhan gripped the saber hilt with both hands, and brought the blade straight down towards Chen Fan.
This slash fell directly towards Chen Fan’s neck.
That previous surprise attack,
was also aimed at Chen Fan’s neck. But Chen Fan, a seasoned expert, and with Gu Zhan injured, couldn’t exert his full strength—so Chen Fan managed to dodge the fatal blow in his haste.
But now, with this strike,
he had no chance to evade, forced to watch that flash of white arc downwards.
"Stop!"
Just then, Gao Jun shouted in alarm.
But the only answer he got was a "splurt"—like the sound of a bell,
a head flew up,
and blood sprayed from the neck like a fountain.
[Experience Points +250]
With the system’s notification, Gu Zhan simply kicked the head toward Gao Jun’s feet, wiped the blood from his face, then grinned, saying, "Sorry, Lord Gao, this reckless Martial World fool came to challenge me and lost his life for it—I hope I didn’t trouble you!"
Gao Jun’s face darkened as he roared, "You actually dared a sneak attack?"
Gu Zhan narrowed his eyes and said, "Didn’t you hear just now, Lord Gao? This reckless Martial World type was saying if I didn’t accept his challenge, I’d be depriving him of face. I’ve always cared for the common folk’s feelings—so I decided to give him face, right then and there..."
"Gu... Zhan..."
Gao Jun ground his teeth, each word forced out between clenched jaws, voice icy with threat: "Very good. Very good..."
"A man that Gu Chuan recognizes as a brother is always excellent!"
At that moment, a voice echoed from outside the hall.
Everyone looked over,
It was Gu Chuan, Hundred Households of the South City Hundred Households Office.
Though both were Hundred Households, as soon as Gao Jun saw Gu Chuan, his expression changed dramatically; all the anger on his face melted away and he immediately had his men carry the corpse away.
But Gu Chuan suddenly blocked Gao Jun’s path, and said in a low voice: "Go back and tell Luo Bingsheng to stop playing these cheap tricks—shameful!"
Gao Jun’s face went blue then white, he dared not say more, and left with head lowered.
"Are you alright?" Gu Chuan stepped in, sizing up Gu Zhan as he asked.
"No problem," Gu Zhan shook his head.
Gu Chuan nodded and said, "As soon as I heard that old fox Gao Jun was coming, I guessed they’d play this kind of dirty trick. He’s done it before—give some money and send away anyone who’s willing to join them, challenge and cripple those who won’t. By the time I make trouble, it’s too late to save anyone. These old dogs are all ferocious as wolves in their internal struggles, but when facing outsiders, they’re worse than dogs themselves!"
After saying this, Gu Chuan smiled: "But today, they tried to steal a chicken and lost the rice—intending to attack while you were injured, yet you killed him directly. With that killing intent of yours, I doubt you’ll ever lose the nickname Little God of Slaughter!"
Gu Zhan gave a wry smile, "I just think the ’Little’ in the title is a bit much!"
As they spoke, the two left the room for another.
In that instant, Gu Zhan summoned the system,
[Use 1,000 Experience Points]
[Profound Yuan Skill increases to Seventh Floor]
[Current Realm promoted to Third Grade]