Chapter 20 Chapter 19: The night of the full moon twenty-eight months ago

Twenty-eight months ago means twenty-eight months before Ding Ning and Jiang Duanxian met in the execution ground this time. That night, the moon was full. At that time Huacuo was not dead yet. At that time, Jiang Duanxian was still walking in the rivers and lakes under the name of Peng Shisandou. At that time, Peng Shisandou's reputation would never be any weaker than Mr. Wudang Liu, the number one swordsman in the world. Mr. Liu is "undefeated in his life" Liu Buwei. At that time, Peng Shisandou had never lost once. But at that time, Huacuo had already risen, and with a sharp knife like a cactus needle, he assassinated a total of forty-one first-class masters in three years.

Huacuo has never been defeated. At that time, Ding Ning's sharpness was first revealed, like a sudden emergence, he fought thirteen battles big and small, and he was invincible, which made everyone in the Jianghu pay attention. In these thirteen battles, all the contestants are super masters. From that time until now, Ding Ning's sword has never cut anyone who is unknown. At that time, the "sword" was the most popular. It not only overwhelmed all kinds of unique and famous weapons, but also overwhelmed the "sword" that has been regarded as the "mainstream" in the martial arts for hundreds of years.

At that time, if one were to select the top ten celebrities in the arena, Hua Cuo, Ding Ning, and Peng Shisandou would undoubtedly be one of them. Because that was their time. In their time, the three of them met by chance like meteors, bursting out brilliant and dazzling sparks. The scorching sun, the yellow sand, and the boundless desert. The scorching sun and yellow sand on the desert that day were the same as usual, and it seemed that there was always an indescribable mysterious pressure, which could not only dry out the water and blood in a person's body at any time, but even his soul might be crushed. Squeeze it out, crush it to hell.

Jiang Duanxian walked alone in the desert, the scorching sun had already set in the west, he walked very slowly, exchanging footsteps with a very strange posture, like an experienced busker walking on a tightrope. He must try to maintain his physical strength, and must not waste half a point, because this is closely related to his life and death. Beside a huge cactus in the distance, someone seemed to be looking at him, and had been staring at him for a long time. Under normal circumstances, Jiang Duanxian would not pay attention to this person.He has always rarely noticed people who have nothing to do with him, especially before he is about to do a life-and-death battle.

This is just one of the reasons. Another reason why he doesn't pay attention to others is that there is no one in this world who can threaten him. But the man standing by the cactus seemed to threaten him. Jiang Duanxian couldn't help turning his head to look at him, the first thing he saw was a pair of eagle-like eyes. This man is a young man, dressed in blue cloth, which has been stained yellow by the sand. Although his face has been wrinkled by countless painful experiences, he still looks quite handsome, and he has a kind of personality. Very attractive charm. It's just that his eyes are the most attractive, firm, cold, stubborn, sharp, with an indescribable arrogance.

Jiang Duanxian's footsteps did not stop. He was sure that he had never seen this young man before, so he didn't plan to observe him much. Now Jiang Duanxian is only interested in one person, and he has already made an appointment with this person at sunrise tomorrow to decide his life and death in an instant. Unexpectedly, the young man next to the cactus suddenly moved his footsteps, as if after only one step, he was already in front of him, blocking his way.The grotesque gestures in action are like sledding on snow and ice. Jiang Duanxian's body stopped immediately, all movements of the whole body came to a sudden stop at this moment, and all energy and physical strength would never be wasted.

The young man sighed. "I have long understood that it is not easy for a person like you and me to live." He said: "But until now, I don't understand why your Excellency has been able to live until now surrounded by strong enemies." He said: "I have never seen anyone who cherishes physical strength as much as Your Excellency." Jiang Duanxian also stared at him for a long time this time before asking: "Do you know who I am?" "Not only do I know that you are Huai, but I also know that Jiang Duanxian, the Chief Deacon of the Ministry of Punishment, is Peng Shisandou who has been rampant in the Jianghu with a sharp knife in recent years."

said the young man. "I probably know a lot more about the masters of swordsmanship than most people in the world." He said, "I have been interested in swords since I was three years old. I have studied all the information of all famous sword masters in the world, and their sword manuals." Jiang Duanxian stared at him coldly for a long time before speaking. "It seems that your results are not very good." Jiang Duanxian said: "As far as I know, you have lost at least three times." "You also know who I am?" "Yes, I know." Jiang Duanxian said, "It's just that I didn't expect to meet the prodigal son Huacuo here."

Hua smiled by mistake. As soon as he smiled, the coldness in his eyes disappeared, but the arrogance was still there, making him look even more touching. "That's right, I've lost, and more than three times." Hua Cuo said, "Because I've lost, I'm stronger than you." "Oh?" "Because I have experience of failure, but you don't." Hua Cuo said: "Every experience of failure can make people avoid many mistakes." Jiang Duanxian was silent, and he didn't know whether he was thinking about the truth in his words, or thought that his words were not worth refuting at all.

Hua Cuo went on to say: "In the past two years, I have met many famous sword masters. If it is one-on-one, I am confident that I will never lose, and I have never lost again." He said: "My biggest regret so far, It’s just that I haven’t met Ding Ning and Mr. Peng yet.” "Now you have met me." Jiang Duanxian asked coldly: "Do you want me to test your knife?" "I just want to see Your Excellency's world-renowned sword skills." Hua Cuo said: "Your Excellency's three broken swords, as long as I can see one of them, I will be happy for the rest of my life."

——Break the string three times, people can't see it, if someone sees it, it's like a broken string. Jiang Duanxian suddenly sighed. "The prodigal son was wrong, and this time you are wrong again." "Oh?" "My sword is not for people to see," Jiang Duanxian said, "As long as my sword is out of its sheath, someone will definitely die by it." "Who died?" Hua Cuo was still laughing, "Is it you or me?" It is right to make a little mistake, and sometimes one failure experience can indeed make people avoid many mistakes. It's a pity he forgot one thing. ——Sometimes failure is death. As long as you lose once, you will never have the chance to make another mistake in the future. It's just that no matter whether he is right or wrong, he finally did one thing, finally fulfilled one of his wishes. After all, he still saw one of the three broken strings. At that time, the scorching sun had already set in the west, and the setting sun on the edge of the desert was as red as blood, as red as blood. When he flew out with his back to the setting sun, he could still hear Jiang Duanxian talking. "If you can survive, I will meet you again at this time next year, and I will definitely wait for you here." In the middle of the night that day, Jiang Duanxian was still walking alone in the desert, still exchanging footsteps with that strange posture, but his person seemed to have entered a semi-sleep state. He could have found a place sheltered from the wind to sleep peacefully for an hour or two. Before the decisive battle at sunrise tomorrow morning, there was still enough time for him to fully rest and recover his strength. Unfortunately, he met an even more unfortunate Hua Cuo. So he can only be like a strictly trained ostrich.Not only can you sleep while standing, but you can even enter a semi-sleep state while walking. ——Enter this state under a kind of self-hypnosis, and use a mysterious subconscious force to distinguish the direction. The wild animals that survive in the poor must have this ability if they want to continue to survive. At this time, in a deserted village where no one lived, the person who was waiting for Jiang Duanxian to fight to the death was Ding Ning. The sweet water wells have dried up, the few acres of miscellaneous grain fields have been barren, and the chickens, dogs, cattle and sheep have all died of plague. There were not many people in this frontier village, but now it has been gone for a long time. The tallest house in the village has two floors and is made of bricks and tiles. In this kind of barren village town, this small building is already a luxurious and majestic building. At this moment, Ding Ning was sleeping on the roof of this small building, quietly waiting for the sun to rise from the east. The roof had been cleaned, and in the cold wind before dawn, there was a scent of hay that came from nowhere. He brought a jug of wine, a chicken, a pig's head, a dog's leg, and a sharp knife. Of course, the quick knife will always be with you. A person who takes "sword" as his life, if he doesn't have a knife with him, is it like a big girl without clothes. Ding Ning carried a knife, of course. Although this is a barren land, it is not too difficult to get a pot of wine, a chicken and a dog's leg. The difficulty is that he actually got a stove, and there was still a fire in the stove, and there was a pot on the fire, and a pot of shredded pork noodles with cabbage was still heating in the pot. That's it. What's it like to heat a pot of noodles on the stove before a life-or-death battle? Sometimes what our Mr. Ding Ning does is almost the same as that of Mr. Chu Liuxiang who played games in the Jianghu in the past. What they do is always unpredictable. The sun has not yet risen, and the east has just turned a little grayish white like the belly of a dead fish when it turns over. This time should have been the quietest time in the world, but in this dead village, on the only street, there was a strange sound of footsteps. The footsteps were neither light nor heavy, neither fast nor slow, as if a rich man who had eaten his fill and had nothing to do was pacing in the living room after dinner. This is not the living room of a rich family, this is a desolate and lonely borderland, no one will come here to stroll around. So this sound sounds very strange. ——People who have nothing to do will not come here to take a square step, and those who come here will not walk with this kind of square step. Ding Ning was lying on the roof like a "big" character, but when he heard the sound of footsteps, his spirit seemed to be lifted suddenly. "Mr. Peng, are you here? Please, please sit down." There is no "seat" here at all, and the meaning of "please sit up" is just "please come up and sit down". Of course Jiang Duanxian understood what he meant. Although Jiang Duanxian is silent, lonely and isolated, and seems to be thousands of miles away from everyone in this world, in fact, it is difficult to hide anyone's thoughts from him. But when he saw the stove and noodle pot beside Ding Ning on the roof, he was still stunned. Ever since he traveled the rivers and lakes under the name of "Peng Thirteen Beans", meeting the world's best masters, betting life and death on the moment when the blade was swung, of course he has seen many strange people and strange things. He'd seen a man carry a coffin to a duel, he'd seen a man paint his own face in a duel like a living ghost. He has seen some people laugh wildly, some people cry bitterly, some people's faces are ashen, and some people's faces don't change. He even saw a person who usually claimed to be a tough guy, and was recognized as a tough guy in the world, when he faced him in a duel, his crotch was suddenly soaked. During the countless life-and-death duels, Jiang Duanxian had seen many people of all kinds. But he had never seen a person bring a stove to heat a pot of noodles at such a time. This is absolutely amazing. The sky is getting brighter again, the fire in the stove is getting bigger, and the noodles in the pot are getting hotter. Jiang Duanxian looked at the young man who looked worse than Huacuo lying on the eaves by the stove from the ridge of the roof. "You are Ding Ning?" "Yes, I am Ding Ning." The young man said, "The stove you see is a stove, the chicken you see is chicken, the wine is wine, and the dog legs are dog legs. It’s Yiguo Noodles, and even this pig’s head is a real pig’s head, if you think you’re wrong, then you’re really wrong.” Jiang Duanxian wanted to laugh, but couldn't. He wanted to talk, but he didn't know how to say it, and he couldn't do it if he wanted to. Fortunately, before he could think of what to say, Ding Ning had already said: "I know you already know me very well, and you have already studied that person very thoroughly before you have a decisive battle with everyone. Ding Ning said: "I believe that you have spent at least three months studying all the information on me." Jiang Duanxian did not deny it. "It's not difficult to understand me as a person. I can do anything. Today I even bring a big kitchen guy, a theater troupe, a group of drummers, and seventeen or eight fans who can take off at any time. You won't find it strange to have a drink with you before the decisive battle." Ding Ning asked, "Are you right?" Jiang Duanxian had to admit: "Yes." "But I bet you can't imagine why I brought a pot of noodles today, and I also brought a stove to heat the noodles on the fire, waiting for someone who might cut off my head at any time to eat this hot pot noodles, as if he was afraid that he would have diarrhea after eating something cold." Ding Ning said: "As long as you dare to bet, I will bet with you whatever you want to bet. Even if you want to bet on my life, I will bet with you." Speaking of this, Ding Ning's smile suddenly became very strange: "But I know you will never bet with me." "why?" "Because since you know everything about me, of course you don't know when my birthday is." "Yes." Jiang Duanxian said, "I know." "Now you must have remembered that today is my birthday, and at this moment, when I was born, then you must also know why I cook a pot of noodles here and wait for you." Ding Ning said: "My birthday is likely to be the date of my death. What a romantic thing this is, so I want to make an appointment for the decisive battle between you and me today, and I will also treat you to a bowl of birthday noodles." Ding Ning Say, "I'm sure you understand what I mean by now." "yes." "So you will never bet with me, because if we want to bet, I will lose." Ding Ning said: "Since the victory is certain, why do you bet? You have always been a very fair person, how could you Doing something so disgraceful?" Jiang Duanxian stared at him for a long time again, as if he wanted to use this time to calm his emotions. Before the decisive battle, if he was moved by the opponent, it would not only be disadvantageous, but also unwise. Of course Ding Ning could understand his mind, among the top masters of their level, minds can often communicate with each other. So Ding Ning stopped talking, but suddenly drew his sword. Jiang Duanxian didn't move at all, he was sure that Ding Ning would never draw his sword against him at such a time. He was right. Ding Ning drew the knife just to cut the meat, where the blade passed, the pig's head was divided into pieces, the knife was as thin as paper, and the piece of meat was also like paper. ——What a fast knife. Thinly sliced ​​pork head meat is sandwiched by the fire next to the stove, and the milk-like longevity noodles are simmered and eaten as soon as they come, take a bite and drink. The wine jar was passed between the two, and it was soon emptied, and the dog's leg was soon left with bones. "You can really eat and you can really drink." "You're not bad either!" Ding Ning laughed, the laughter stopped suddenly, and stared at Jiang Duanxian with that strange look and said: "You are killing people without dying, or when you have seen that the other party is no longer able to fight you, do you often like to say that next year this time, you will be killed." When, see you here?" "yes." "This is what I want to say now." Ding Ning said, "See you next year at this time and here! Now you go." Jiang Duanxian's face sank: "Why did you say this to me?" "Because sometimes I'm like you, I don't want to do what you don't want to do," Ding Ning said. "why?" "Even if I win, there is no glory." Ding Ning said, "Even if I beat you today, I will lose face, because today you will definitely lose." Jiang Duanxian changed color: "What do you mean?" "What I mean is, I can see that you are tired, and your fighting spirit and murderous intent have been worn down." Ding Ning said, "Before you came here, you must have fought a life-and-death battle with another person." , this person must be a master who can behead people in an instant like chopping vegetables." Jiang Duanxian was silent, but there were blue veins bulging and throbbing on his forehead and arms.He was very reluctant to admit it, but he couldn't deny it.He never lied in his life. A dishonest person, no matter what he does, will never reach the top. When you deceive others, you often deceive yourself at the same time, so how can you expect yourself to realize the Tao? Without "sincerity", there will be no "Tao". "Regardless of life or death, you and I will not do anything that has a clear conscience." Ding Ning said, "So today's battle should be changed to this time next year." "I understand what you mean." Jiang Duanxian finally said, "It's just that today's battle between you and me will be the same even if it is changed to this time next year." "why?" "Because before I come to an appointment next year, I still have to go to another person's appointment first." "Whose appointment?" "Wrong flower." Of course Ding Ning knew about Hua Cuo, just as Hua Cuo undoubtedly knew about Ding Ning. ——Among masters of their level, they must have a good understanding of each other, because they all know that they will inevitably meet each other by chance, and once they meet, there will inevitably be a life-and-death struggle. The opponent has already taken the opportunity before, and if the opportunity is missed, life is like a gossamer. Jiang Duanxian continued: "Although Huacuo lost just now, I'm not sure whether he will die or not." "So you also asked him out at this time next year?" "Yes." Jiang Duanxian said: "Even if I know he won't live until this time next year, I will go to the appointment at that time, and the situation I encounter may be even more dangerous." "why?" "Because his wife is a very infatuated, very beautiful, and very scary woman." "Who is she?" "Flower scenes come from dreams." Huajing Yinmeng, what kind of woman is this woman? Nobody knows. No one in this world can fully understand her, perhaps even she herself cannot understand herself. It's just that Jiang Duanxian is sure: "If Huacuo doesn't die, he will definitely come to my appointment before the decisive battle between you and me next year." Jiang Duanxian said: "If Huacuo dies, Huajing Yinmeng will definitely be there waiting for me , even if she doesn't go by herself, she will definitely send someone else, and of course the people she sends are strong enough to deal with me." He told Ding Ning. "So even if we change today's battle to this time next year, the situation will still be the same." Jiang Duanxian said: "Even if I can still live to meet your appointment at this time next year, it will definitely be the same as this year, full of energy and murderous intent." It's been worn down." "you are right." Ding Ning's voice seemed to be filled with helpless sadness: "People are in the rivers and lakes, and they can't help themselves. There are indeed many things like this, and they can't be changed, and they can't be changed." "Since you can't change it, why do you need to change it?" Jiang Duanxian said, "The outcome has been decided, and there is no need to worry about it. Wouldn't it be more enjoyable?" "Although you are happy, it is not fair. You are happy, but I am not happy. What should I do?" "What do you think should be done?" Ding Ning's method is like this. "Since the period of the war cannot be changed, the outcome must be decided. If I win today, next year you will ask me to go to Huacuo's appointment for you," Ding Ning said, "I have also wanted to meet him for a while. " "Yes." Jiang Duanxian replied without hesitation: "I will tell you where we will meet." "There is one more thing you must not forget." "What's up?" "Since today's battle cannot be changed, neither will your date with me at this time next year." "Of course I won't forget this," Jiang Duanxian said, "But you seem to have forgotten one thing!" "What's up?" "The dead cannot keep the appointment." Jiang Duanxian said: "Swords are ruthless, defeat is death. If I die by your sword today, how can I come to your appointment at this time next year?" Ding Ning smiled lightly: "That's your business, I believe you will find a way." Ding Ning said: "It's like Hua Cuo has been defeated by you, but you still have a date with him next year. No changes." Jiang Duanxian didn't say anything more, he had already said what should be said, and since he had said it, he would never change it.After five changes, what should I say? All words have come to an end. Dao was speechless. The knife cannot speak, the knife is speechless. But when the blade moved and the sound of the blade sounded, could this kind of sound be counted as a kind of speech?A speech sharper and more terrible than any speech in the world, and unalterable. —Win or lose?Dead or Alive?It never gives you too many options. The strange thing is that during the decisive battle between these two masters of contemporary swordsmanship, there was no sound of swords. There was only the sound of the wind, not the sound of the knife. Because Ding Ning's knife didn't move at all.His blade slanted, and the blade seemed dead for eternity. Death is eternity, because death is unchangeable. Since ancient times, only "death" has remained unchanged. Where there is vitality, there will be changes, and only when there are loopholes and loopholes, will opportunities be given to others. ——What chance does "death" have? "Death" has reached the end of all things, and there is nothing left. If someone wants to attack death, what can he get. Jiang Duanxian's palm holding the knife was drenched with cold sweat. ——Braking without moving, responding to all changes with the same. Jiang Duanxian never thought that Ding Ning's saber technique could reach this level, let alone that Ding Ning would use this method to deal with him. All the masters he met in his life were worthless, and no one would put himself to death. Because "death" means "invincible", not only cannot be changed, but also cannot be attacked, at most it can only be "undefeated". When masters compete, what they strive for is victory, and undefeated is by no means their goal. But in this situation, if you can be "undefeated", you have already won. Jiang Duanxian has already found that his physical strength is constantly being consumed, which is even far greater than when he is doing the most intense movements.It has made him unable to support it any longer. But he couldn't move either. The ultimate of inanimate change is also the starting point of all vitality and change. If you hit that point with a knife, you'd start a volcano.Shattered to pieces, beyond redemption. Only waiting is the best countermeasure, waiting for the negligence of the other party, waiting for the other party to fall first, only by waiting, can there be a chance, masters compete, "waiting" is originally a strategy. The only regret is that he was defeated before this battle started, and his physical strength was exhausted before this battle started.Defeated before fighting. Only now did he understand why Ding Ning was sure of victory before the battle, but he didn't understand how Ding Ning would use this strategy against him. Ding Ning is young, Ding Ning is proud, Ding Ning is chivalrous, but also has backbone, Ding Ning has always been fair. For a person like Ding Ning, since he knew that his physical strength was not sustainable, he should avoid fighting him physically. He should fight quickly and decide life and death in an instant.This is the true nature of a man. Why isn't Ding Ning the person he imagined? Jiang Duanxian didn't understand. He was already very weak, and his mind could no longer keep clear, but he still wanted to use his last remaining strength to strike the final blow. In the end he only remembered that he seemed to have swung a knife. Jiang Duanxian didn't know when he became sober, it may have been a long time since he swung the knife, or it may only be in an instant. When he woke up, the red sun was shining on the earthen wall opposite again, and on the wall was written in pot ashes: "Today's battle, I win you lose, The appointment of the wrong flower, I will go to you to rest, See you next year at this time. " Now Jiang Duanxian finally fully understood what Ding Ning meant. ——In a battle between masters, defeat means death. Only by using this strategy can Jiang Duanxian be defeated without dying. ——In the next year's battle, after he went to Huacuo's appointment on behalf of Jiang Duanxian, even if he could still come here alive, he would surely be at the end of his battle just like Jiang Duanxian today. So the outcome of that battle at this time next year will be the real outcome between them. Until now, Jiang Duanxian didn't believe that there really was a person like Ding Ning in this world. This kind of person is really unwilling to take advantage of others even if he dies. At this time, Hua Cuo had been buried, and his wife was planting a small cactus flower in front of his grave with a pair of bare hands. Hua Cuo's death was completely accidental. There was no grievance between him and Jiang Duanxian at all, so Huajing Yinmeng had no idea that her husband died under Huai's knife. She only knew that the person who killed her husband would definitely come here at this time next year. A year later, Ding Ning came. When Ding Ning came, he came from afar. When Ding Ning came, he was already very tired, so when he saw the white hut, his whole body seemed to go limp, like a prostitute who had been through a lot of wind and dust, and suddenly met an honest man, honest and reliable , and was sincerely treating her. What a happy feeling this is. Although there is a little bit of tears in the happiness, but I can't help but want to cry.Happiness is sometimes bleak, and sometimes it is easier to cry than the most miserable things. It is good to have tears to shed. The cottage is made of white stone, ordinary and simple, but there is a very elegant front porch in front of the house, under the eaves of the porch, there are wind chimes. The faint wind chimes always remind people of Jiangnan. ——Spring water, willow shade and green waves, flowers and trees, wind chimes, huts, can you not remember Jiangnan? He seemed to be able to hear the pleasant sound of wind chimes ringing in the spring breeze, which carried a fragrance from the distant mountains. Then Ding Ning saw the white woman, so white, so pure, so elegant, so quiet. Ding Ning is no longer a young man who doesn't understand human affairs. Ding Ning has seen women, many women. But he had never seen such a quiet woman, so quiet, so quiet, so quiet. That's why he never thought that such a quiet woman was Huajing Yinmeng who was so moving in the rivers and lakes that everyone couldn't be quiet. Just because he couldn't think of it, he went to chop wood, mow the grass, and repair the railing. It was because he couldn't think of it that after defeating Xuanyuan Kaishan and Muyang'er, he fell into Huajing Yinmeng's arms and carried him into hell. This is how it happened. This matter has not ended so far, and it can even be said that it has just begun. Only now did he realize how painful it is to truly love someone, but how happy it is to be loved. But until now, he still would rather love than be loved.