Li Sanlang was a man, a true gentleman, proud and unyielding...
But whether Li Sanlang was actually good or bad, a benevolent soul or a heartless villain, no one knew for sure; the matter remained shrouded in mystery.
Some said he was a great righteous hero.
Yet others said, “He is an evil arch-demon!…”
Li Sanlang had studied the classics of the sages, and had also learned the art of the sword.
In terms of scholarship, his talent was peerless, his prose exquisite and elegant, his writing profound and sharp, and he was highly proficient and skilled in poetry, music, and chess.
As for his swordsmanship, though he had only emerged in the last two or three years, no one had yet proven to be a worthy opponent; many formidable masters could not withstand more than three of his strikes.
He often shut himself in his study to pore over history and the classics; yet he also frequented taverns and pleasure houses, living a life of romantic and luxurious indulgence.
At times, he killed men before they could even blink; yet at other times, he could not bear to harm even a worm or an ant.
As for his age, public opinion was even more divided.
Some believed he was no more than twenty, because he was so romantic and charming.
Some asserted he was around thirty, judging by his bearing and mannerisms, which were indeed those of a mature man. Some even insisted he must be fifty or older, for only then could he possess such profound and vast knowledge, and have had the time to hone his swordsmanship to such a supernatural level…
So, what was Li Sanlang truly like?
Everyone knew for certain that Li Sanlang existed, and all acknowledged his world-shaking talent and skills. Yet, no one had ever met Li Sanlang face-to-face.
Nevertheless, everyone could say this or that about him, and no two accounts were ever the same.
Ultimately, Li Sanlang remained a fleeting, mysterious figure, his whereabouts completely elusive…
* * * * *
“Li Sanlang is in the Guandi Temple!”
No one knew where the news originated, but in a short time, it spread like thunder far and wide.
Thus, young and old, men and women from all corners of the jianghu flocked to the Guandi Temple.
The Guandi Temple: an ancient temple that had weathered the passage of time. Though it had suffered no small amount of decay, the extent of the ruin was not too severe. However, it was gloomy and chillingly cold, as no one had offered incense there for a long time.
Normally, the Guandi Temple was familiar to many, as they had passed by and looked inside countless times. But no one ever bothered to stop by, for there was nothing to arouse curiosity.
Today was completely different. The Guandi Temple had become the most eagerly sought-after destination for the entire martial world.
The surrounding area, especially the clearing in front of the temple, was packed with a dense crowd of people.
Heads bobbed like waves of the sea; the sound of chatter, people calling out to one another, bickering over spots, and arguments over all sorts of reasons… it was incredibly noisy and bustling. Amidst this sea of people, even if two stood face-to-face, they could hardly hear each other speak.
The two doors of the temple were tightly shut. They were made of wood, but the old black lacquer made them look as though they were made of iron.
Inside the temple, it was completely, deathly silent.
In front of the closed doors, an old man stood as motionless as a statue. He wore a green robe, his figure tall and hale, with phoenix eyes, long eyebrows, a straight, well-shaped nose, and a square mouth; one look was enough to tell that in his youth, he must have been a handsome and dashing gentleman.
He stood facing the crowd, his back only a few paces from the temple doors.
No one knew when he had arrived. They only saw him now, hands clasped behind his back, looking indifferently at the clamorous sea of people.
The crowd jostled and surged forward, pressing closer and closer to the blue-robed old man.
Suddenly, he waved his hand and spoke coldly:
"There is no need for such impatience. The Guandi Temple is surrounded so tightly that not even a drop of water can leak out, nor a single mouse escape. If Li Sanlang is indeed inside, you will surely see him. Why scramble in such chaos? If you happen to bring down this ancient temple, I fear you will never lay eyes on Li Sanlang again!"
Despite the clamor surrounding the Guandi Temple, the blue-robed old man did not need to raise his voice; his words carried clearly, drilling straight into everyone's ears.
Having spoken, he paid no further attention to the crowd. But his words had already halted them, and they stopped their chaotic surging.
People stood with lowered heads, panting as they wiped away their sweat and adjusted their disheveled clothing.
Just then, a figure flickered, and a young woman in white appeared. Her snow-white garment clung tightly to her body, accentuating her voluptuous, seductive curves and alluring charm.
Swaying her slender waist, she glided toward the blue-robed old man, causing his indifferent eyes to light up as he stared intently. With a sweet, intoxicating smile, she asked:
"Elder, is little Sanlang truly inside the Guandi Temple?"
The blue-robed old man frowned, feigning indifference as he asked the woman in white:
"May I ask what relation Li Sanlang has to you, young lady?"
The woman in white smiled as bright as a flower and raised her eyebrows.
"He is the lover of my dreams."
Before her voice could fade, a shrill voice rang out from the crowd behind her:
"Shameless! You already have a husband, yet you're still out chasing men!"
Everyone's vision blurred, followed by a sharp *smack*. Before the man could even finish his sentence, he received a resounding slap, leaving five long, red finger marks clearly imprinted on his sallow face. No one could see how the woman in white had struck. When they looked again, she was still standing in her original spot, her beautiful face smiling as sweetly as ever, as if nothing had happened.
Yet the slapped man seemed entirely unfazed, offering a sleazy grin instead:
"If you don't have a husband, or if he's already dead, then you've got me! I'm a widower, and strong too. Coming home to be my wife would be your best bet."
The woman in white did not grow angry; instead, her face flushed with a shy blush. Emboldened, the man lunged forward, reaching out to grab her.
Her white robes fluttered. No one could see how she dodged, but the man's hand missed awkwardly, grasping nothing but thin air.
The man cried out:
"Ah! The beauty knows martial arts! But you can't escape me!"
He lunged again, his technique bizarre and lightning-fast.
But once more he grabbed empty air. Whether from overextending his momentum or being pulled by some invisible force, he stumbled forward awkwardly.
The woman in white narrowed her eyes and giggled:
"That is what they call 'suffering for the love of a flower'! Even if you die, you'll die a romantic ghost, won't you? But if you want to touch me, you alone are not enough. Why don't you call your three brothers over to try?"
The crowd erupted into laughter.
Flustered and enraged, the man stepped forward, his face darkening as he said:
"Very well! Since the beauty speaks so boldly, you must be highly confident in your martial arts skills!"
"Allow the three of us to entertain the beauty..."
Even as he spoke, two more men stepped forward side-by-side.
The woman in white arched her willow-leaf brows and sneered:
"The Three Ghosts of Badong! You won't regret this, will you?"
Though she asked, she did not wait for his reply. Stepping forward with an elegant, graceful gait, she raised her soft arm and gave a gentle flick, her five fingers, poised like the tip of a writing brush, thrusting straight toward the chest of the man standing in the middle.
As if suddenly bitten by a venomous snake, the man's face paled with terror, and he blurted out in panic:
"Sanhua Shou!"
The two men standing nearby also turned pale. All three retreated two steps in unison, hastily turned around, and slipped quickly into the crowd.
The young woman in white barked, her voice as cold as ice:
"Halt!"
The three men froze as if nailed to the spot, not daring to make even the slightest movement.
The young woman in white regained her radiant smile and spoke in a sugary-sweet voice:
"Come back here and let me see your cruel might, to see if it truly lives up to your long-renowned reputation..."
The three men immediately turned back and suddenly fell to their knees.
The man who had been causing trouble hastily spoke in a trembling voice:
"Miss Du, we brothers of Ma Junwu 'had eyes but failed to see'..."
The young woman in white smiled even more brightly and said:
"Today, as I am on my way to meet my Xiao Sanlang, I only want to keep a happy heart and do not wish to have blood-stained hands when I see him. So, you three brothers can just kneel here... for fun, alright?"
Having said that, as if everything was settled beautifully, she no longer spared a glance at Ma Junwu's group, but turned to the green-robed old man with a smile, repeating:
"Old gentleman! You still haven't answered my question from earlier."
The green-robed old man spoke in a slightly gruff voice:
"How can I give a definite answer! Whether Li Sanlang is actually inside the Guandi Temple, who would dare say for sure?"
The young woman in white said:
"Then wouldn't opening the temple doors make everything clear?"
The green-robed old man shook his head and replied:
"We must not!"
The young woman in white asked:
"Is there someone forbidding it?"
The green-robed old man shook his head again:
"No one is forbidding it."
The young woman in white asked again:
"Then what are you waiting for, old gentleman? Why not open the temple doors?"
The green-robed old man replied:
"I will not open them. I am waiting for someone else to do it."
Showing a flicker of surprise, the young woman in white asked:
"Waiting for someone else to open the temple doors? But who are we waiting for? You are already standing so close, old gentleman. A simple push of your hand would open them, wouldn't it?"
The green-robed old man shrugged and said:
"It is not that simple. These two doors are not so easy to open!"
Suddenly, a middle-aged man stepped out of the crowd, walked over quickly, and said:
"What is so difficult about opening two temple doors? Let this humble one open them for you."
The green-robed old man swept his gaze over the middle-aged man and asked coldly:
"Whoever is the first to open these temple doors will drop dead right at the threshold. Are you seeking your own death?"
The middle-aged man froze instantly, then, lowering his head, turned on his heel and quickly vanished back into the crowd.
The young woman in white let out an "Ah," then smiled charmingly and said in one breath:
"So there is such a terrifying thing. No wonder no one has dared to open the temple doors until now. Since that's the case, surely I shouldn't be the one to open them. I do not fear death, but I do not want to die before meeting my Xiao Sanlang. And if I must die, I would only be content dying in his arms..."