As soon as Dong A announced the start of the duel, the two long swords on the wooden platform had already clashed with a resounding ring!
Before the duel, Fang Pengju had tried to evade it in every possible way. But once the duel truly began, he showed no hesitation at all. His swordsmanship was extremely steady, accurate, and ruthless, leaving no room for error. He had earned the respect of Jiang Wang and others and stood out among the outer court disciples of the entire Fenglin Dao Academy, which was not undeserved.
But Jiang Wang was faster, steadier, and more resolute!
Because he had been waiting for fifty-seven days, and during these fifty-seven days and nights, he had been constantly imagining this moment.
Even with severe injuries, even with an ailing body, even on the brink of death several times.
In battle, he accepted the possibility of being wounded or killed. But being betrayed by the person he trusted the most caused him far greater pain and torment than any physical injury.
What sustained him through those days was not only his infinite desire to live but also the deeply ingrained hatred!
With a single sword strike, he broke through Fang Pengju's sword momentum.
As the sword pierced through, he charged forward, colliding with Fang Pengju's long sword with his lower abdomen. Blood splashed everywhere, but Jiang Wang indifferently swung his sword horizontally, severing Fang Pengju's hand tendons!
The two wounds appeared almost simultaneously, but one was active while the other was passive, already determining the outcome.
Jiang Wang pressed forward again, using his elbow and body to smash forward. He collided fiercely with Fang Pengju's chest.
Fang Pengju had just lost control of his sword due to the intense pain, and in the next moment, he heard the clear sound of his bones cracking.
He was slammed into a shrimp-like position, thrown off the platform, and then bounced back by the swaying branches, falling off the platform.
In just one round, Fang Pengju was defeated!
"How could this be? The gap... is so huge?!"
The crowd below the platform was in an uproar.
Everything happened too quickly. The Pulse-Opening Pill, mixed with Jiang Wang's blood and tears, had allowed Fang Pengju's Dao pulse to manifest and his momentum to soar.
The sword, imbued with Jiang Wang's hatred and pain, brought Fang Pengju down to the dust.
"He lost to himself, to his own fear," Zhao Rucheng said in a deep voice. "If it weren't for fear, he wouldn't have chosen to harm Third brother, using despicable means to steal the Pulse-Opening Pill. He knew he had no other way to surpass Third brother. Once the gap widened, he would never be able to catch up."
Ling He couldn't help but sigh, "When Third brother first came to the academy, his strength was still at the bottom, far inferior to Pengju. Over the years, his swordsmanship has become the best among the outer court, recognized by all. Pengju has always been proud..."
Du Yehu angrily said, "In the end, it's still because of incompetence and shamelessness, isn't it?"
Clang~thud!
Jiang Wang slowly pulled out the long sword that had pierced through his abdomen and casually threw it aside.
The bloodied sword clattered to the ground, just like Fang Pengju, who was spitting out blood, helpless and panicked.
With the long sword hanging by his side, Jiang Wang walked forward slowly.
"Help! Dean, save me! I am a member of the Fang family, one of the three major surnames in this city!"
Fang Pengju shouted in terror, with no trace of the wealthy young master's demeanor left.
Dong A's face was expressionless: "Since it is a duel witnessed by the Daoist Sage, it naturally ends only in death. The one who decides your life or death can only be your opponent."
"Third brother, Third brother!" Fang Pengju supported himself with his hands on the ground, constantly retreating, "Spare me, spare me! Just this once!"
"The Fang family is a century-old family! But it has been twenty years since a cultivator from the Fang family has pushed open the Heavenly Gate! One step behind, and you will fall further and further behind! How much time do I have left to wait? I can't stop, I carry the earnest hope of my deceased father, I can't stop!"
He looked at Jiang Wang with tearful eyes: "Your Pulse-Opening Pill, let me tell you, would you give it to me?"
Jiang Wang remained silent.
"I went to Yun Country with my uncle, but I couldn't find a Pulse-Opening Pill. Even if I did, he wouldn't necessarily give it to me. The control over Pulse-Opening Pills is becoming stricter and stricter, only rewarding the most promising outer court disciples. In the entire Fenglin Dao Academy, only you have achieved such merit. I had no choice, I had no choice!" Fang Pengju cried out in pain.
Jiang Wang narrowed his eyes: "I actually understand you. I understand your anxiety, restlessness, and fear. The Fang family is a large family, providing you with a superior environment, but the competition is also fierce. I knew long ago that human desires are endless. I also know how eager you are to prove yourself, how much you want to bring glory to your prematurely deceased father. You have said it all, and I remember. You were eager for success, and you were blinded by greed. Actually, I can understand."
In the fleeting glimmer of hope in Fang Pengju's eyes, he continued: "But understanding does not mean forgiveness."
With these words, Jiang Wang had just walked up to Fang Pengju.
The long sword traced a clear arc in the air, precisely and without a moment's hesitation, piercing through his chest.
"To repay grievances with kindness, how then to repay kindness?"
"So, since I have died once, you must repay with your life."
Jiang Wang said slowly.
Fang Pengju grabbed the sword with his good left hand, allowing the blade to cut through his palm, keeping the sword lodged in his body, delaying death just a little longer.
He struggled, making hoarse noises.
"After... taking your pill, I couldn't sleep at night. I regretted it... I'm sorry. But, but you're fine, aren't you? We are brothers. Why... why can't you forgive me... just this once."
Many people below the platform had complex emotions, unable to bear to watch or listen any longer.
But Jiang Wang just looked at him calmly.
"Do you know what it feels like to be betrayed? Do you know that burning pain and anger inside? You made my trust seem foolish, you made my experiences seem like a joke. You made my suffering meaningless."
Memories flowed like water, yet no longer held any warmth, no longer stirred any ripples.
"Have you ever lain on a pile of straw, weak and powerless, only able to wait helplessly for death to come?"
"I seemed to see two shadows hovering in front of me, and I knew they were the Black and White Impermanence. I seemed to hear their breath, slow, slow, echoing in my ears. I had sworn to defeat fate! But I knew I was about to die, and I had no way out at all."
"If you have experienced what I have, you would understand that some pain cannot be compensated for. I am someone who has already died once. If I forgive you, I would have no right to face myself."
Jiang Wang stopped here, slowly and resolutely pulling out the long sword.
The platform slowly descended, the branches contracted, and finally, the entire dueling ground extended by the Daoist spell turned back into a small sapling, burrowing back into the ground.
Fang Pengju lay quietly on the ground, his right hand dangling, his left hand still loosely gripping in front of him, as if firmly holding the sword that had taken his life. His eyes were wide open, still faintly showing pain, reluctance, and a mix of emotions.
But he was already dead.
Ling He sighed softly, stepped forward, took off his outer garment, and covered Fang Pengju's face with it.
Du Yehu opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to curse, but in the end, he couldn't say anything. The person was already dead.
Zhao Rucheng remained motionless and silent.
Jiang Wang stood quietly in place, his eyes not looking at anyone in the field, but gazing at the infinitely distant sky. As if looking at another self in another time and space.
"Rest in peace," he said to himself.
His mind was clear and empty. The earthworm in his spine suddenly became lively, leaping from the coccyx and smoothly traveling a journey, expelling a round, plump, and beautiful Dao essence.
Jiang Wang suddenly thought of a saying in his mind—Understanding the world is cultivation, and clear thoughts are the provisions.
The original phrase is "Understanding the world is knowledge, and mastering human relations is literature." To fit the context, I adapted this sentence.