Chapter 296 - 157: Escape

Chen Zixuan’s brow tightened as he watched the two interlopers who had just burst in.

His eyes were filled with impatience.

And when he heard Scholar Jingtan announce his intention to borrow the zither, a faint killing intent rose within him.

But before he could speak, Gu Xizhi cut in.

"Young man, don’t lend it to him. Lend it to me!

"You can’t trust a word this man says. He’s completely unreliable and notorious for breaking his promises.

"If you lend the zither to him, he’ll probably just take it and run, disappearing to the ends of the earth, never to be seen again.

"Trust me. I have something of a reputation in the martial world. I would never break my promise like he would!"

"You... You’re spouting nonsense!"

Scholar Jingtan ground out through clenched teeth,

"When have I ever gone back on my word? How have I ever broken a promise?"

"Years ago, when we dueled, we agreed the loser would leave the field. You clearly lost to me by half a move, yet you refused to go. You stayed and kept stirring up trouble, giving Jin Qiu no peace.

"That’s why she angrily married someone else! And you still dare claim you keep your promises?"

"Preposterous! You were clearly the one who lost back then! You were the one who refused to let it go, putting Jin Qiu in an impossible position until she had no choice but to marry a man she didn’t love.

"And for you to bring this up now... it’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard!"

Seeing that the two of them were about to start bickering again,

Chen Zixuan almost let out a laugh of pure exasperation.

Ever since the Blood Saber Hall had been ranked among the Thirteen Great Sects, this was the first time anyone had ignored him so completely.

He stared coldly at the two of them.

"Do you two have any respect for my Blood Saber Hall?"

The moment he spoke, Gu Xizhi and Scholar Jingtan exchanged a look, then roared in unison,

"Get lost!"

Each man flicked a sleeve, unleashing a gale of force that swept directly toward Chen Zixuan.

Stunned, Chen Zixuan immediately thrust out a palm, but the force of the gale sent him stumbling back more than ten feet.

He flew into a volcanic rage.

"The audacity! In all the martial world, you’re the first to treat the Blood Saber Hall with such utter contempt!"

"Ignorant child,"

Gu Xizhi’s brow twitched. "And still so arrogant?"

"Even Xuanyuan One Slash himself wouldn’t dare speak to me like that."

Scholar Jingtan let out a cold snort.

"I suggest you leave at once, lest Xuanyuan One Slash has to suffer the grief of an old man burying his young son."

Chen Zixuan was so furious he could only point a trembling finger at them, his body shaking with rage, utterly speechless.

Jiang Ran watched the scene unfold, finding it rather amusing.

"I was already planning to hold a Tea and Zither Appreciation Gathering at Sunset Plateau on Three Immortals Mountain.

"If you two seniors are interested in this zither, you are more than welcome to attend..."

"Well..."

Gu Xizhi hesitated for a moment. "We were indeed planning to go to Sunset Plateau, but... well, we’ve run into you now, haven’t we?"

"Young friend Jiang, to be perfectly honest, this zither may not be so important to you.

"You know how dangerous the Jiaowei is. You may possess the zither, but you can’t play it, so why insist on keeping it?

"Neither I nor this old fool have any intention of stealing it. We only wish to borrow it for a time... Once we’ve fulfilled an old friend’s wish, we will return it to you just as we received it, I swear. We have no desire to keep it for ourselves.

"Please, young friend, I implore you to help us!"

Having said this, Scholar Jingtan cupped his fists and bowed deeply.

Seeing this, Gu Xizhi quickly followed suit, cupping his fists and bowing nearly to the ground. "Please, young friend, help us!"

Ruan Yuqing and Tang Huayi were both rather surprised.

’What sort of charm did this Jin Qiu possess, to make both the Celestial Dragon Divine Sword and Scholar Jingtan go to such lengths?’

Jiang Ran looked at them, momentarily silent.

In the end, however, he shook his head.

"I’m afraid I must refuse. I have already announced the Tea and Zither Appreciation Gathering, and I cannot go back on my word.

"Surely, you two wouldn’t want me to be known as a petty man who breaks his promises, would you?

"On the eighth day of the tenth month, if you two still wish to borrow the zither, you can try borrowing it from the winner of the gathering.

"Alternatively, if the zither is still in my possession by then, I would not be opposed to lending it to you."

Gu Xizhi sighed. He knew Jiang Ran was not going to lend them the zither.

Scholar Jingtan also stood up, then suddenly glanced back at the enraged Chen Zixuan.

"Why haven’t you gotten lost yet?"

"Kill them!!!"

Chen Zixuan had been simmering with rage for some time. He could finally no longer contain it. With a wave of his hand, his subordinates drew their sabers with a great SHING of steel.

Jiang Ran raised an eyebrow slightly, just as he heard Ruan Yuqing sigh.

"I’ve heard of this Chen Zixuan before.

"He’s long had a reputation for arrogance, but I’d never seen it for myself. Seeing him today, I can confirm it’s true. No wonder the Blood Saber Hall has grown so conceited in recent years..."

Jiang Ran smiled at her words.

"So conceited... I wonder how long until their downfall?"

The instant Jiang Ran’s words fell, the surrounding disciples from the Blood Saber Hall attacked, lunging to kill Gu Xizhi and Scholar Jingtan.

Jiang Ran’s group, on the other hand, was left alone for the moment.

Gu Xizhi let out a hearty laugh as he brandished his longsword. His footwork was a blur, moving in all directions at once. A series of crimson flashes followed. The seven Blood Saber Hall disciples in the front ring cried out as blood spurted from their wrists. They lost their grips on their sabers, which clattered to the ground as they let out stifled groans.

As for Scholar Jingtan, with a mere flick of his sleeve, the first few disciples to charge him were sent flying right back where they came from.

With a single move from each of the two masters, a wide clearing was instantly formed in the middle of the crowd.

Chen Zixuan’s expression changed. He knew he was up against masters.

But he showed no sign of retreating. He shouted sharply,

"Formation!"

The remaining Blood Saber Hall disciples immediately changed their movements, each one using their Body Technique to take up a different position.

They completely encircled Gu Xizhi and Scholar Jingtan.

Chen Zixuan let out a cold laugh.

"So what if you’re masters? Let’s see how you handle the Blood Saber Hall’s Blood-Pricking Grand Formation!"

Gu Xizhi stood with his sword in hand, a broad smile on his face. He looked from one side to the other, his eyes filled with a look of great novelty.