Chapter 14: The True and False Sword Manual

Would Yuan Tugong resort to the same trick?

Du Yu tapped each brick lightly, listening for a hollow sound. One brick emitted a hollow sound, and upon further inspection, Du Yu discovered a hidden cassock!

A surge of ecstasy washed over Du Yu as he picked up the cassock. However, he received a notification from the space: "No. 197621, you have temporarily obtained the only item in the space, the [Sword of Evil Resisting Sword]. However, since this item is crucial to the plot, you will be subjected to a test. The sword will emit a signal that can be sensed by adventurers at regular intervals. The signal cannot be removed or dispelled, and each signal lasts for one second. You must keep possession of the item for at least 30 minutes to obtain permanent ownership. If you die, the item will definitely drop. This information will be broadcasted to all adventurers on the map."

Before he could examine the cassock closely, he heard voices outside the house. Someone said, "I received a notification that the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual] was taken by an adventurer, but when I checked the map, it was still in this old house. Let's not fight amongst ourselves. I find it a little suspicious, so I better return to the old house and search again."

Someone was approaching!

Du Yu hastily stashed away the cassock and discreetly placed something in his pocket, carefully concealing any evidence. Without much time to spare, he leaped down from his position.

Before him stood Qingkong, the sharp-eyed man, Shi Guoliang, Wang Peng, Rourou, and several other adventurers. They had all received the notification simultaneously and turned back to search for the genuine item.

Du Yu inwardly cursed his luck. He could only rely on his agility. As soon as he landed, he activated his [Walking Alone for Thousands of Miles] light body technique, propelling himself at high speed toward the house's exit.

However, Du Yu had underestimated the abilities of these renowned and upright martial artists. They all possessed their own adventures, and many, like the previous Black Viper, Shi Guoliang, and Wang Peng, had significantly improved their skills in just a month. They were formidable opponents.

As Du Yu made his move, he was intercepted by Shi Guoliang. In the confined room, Shi Guoliang's roar echoed like a mighty King Kong, disorienting everyone's senses. Du Yu, being the target, felt even more dizzy, almost crashing into the wall.

It turned out to be the Shaolin School's [Lion's Roar] technique! This qigong skill was powerful and unexpected, and Shi Guoliang, with his image of a descending white tiger, delivered it with remarkable intensity and stability. His mastery of the skill was undoubtedly high.

Interrupted by Shi Guoliang, Wang Peng and the sharp-eyed man blocked the exit, leaving Du Yu surrounded by 11 adventurers, closing in on him step by step.

"So it's you!" Shi Guoliang chuckled. "I underestimated you. To be able to snatch the evil sword manual in front of so many masters, not bad! Not bad!"

Beneath his Shaolin Temple cassock, his well-built chest muscles were fully exposed, exuding an aura of strength. The image of the pouncing white tiger was ready to strike.

"Wasn't he driven away by Yue Buqun? I heard he's in cahoots with Tian Boguang," the sharp-eyed man said with a laugh. "If I'm not mistaken, he possesses the evil manual and is associated with the evil faction. Let's apprehend him!"

"The evil faction?" Rourou timidly asked, unsure of how she could pass the three-level test in just a month.

"Fool!" Wang Peng licked his lips. "Don't forget our second mission—to kill a member of the evil faction. I thought it was unfortunate to encounter members of the Sun Moon God Sect, but upon reflection, this fellow may belong to the evil faction. Killing him will fulfill our task!"

"Two birds with one stone. Haha," Qingkong added, taking a step forward. "Then I shall do the honors."

It seemed that an absolute encirclement of 11 against 1 was about to form. Du Yu possessed not only the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual], an item that fueled their envy, but also the identity of an evil sect member due to the aura of [Wolf Gu Yi Kuang]. Killing him would bring immense benefits. Moreover, his lack of background and sect affiliation made him an easier target than killing members of the Sun Moon God Sect, which could potentially lead to unwanted consequences.

Du Yu rolled his eyes and grinned. "Are you truly planning to kill me? It won't be so easy."

The sharp-eyed man laughed uproariously. "We are 11 people, each proficient in at least one martial art. Even a second-rate master in the martial arts world would struggle against our combined might. How much skill can you possess as an evil sect affiliate traveling alone? Unfortunately, this is a confined space, and you cannot escape. Prepare to meet your demise!"

As he finished speaking, he charged forward, his sword emitting a dazzling white gleam in the air. This sword technique was Huashan School's entry-level skill, showcasing their mastery of sword control.

Du Yu had no time to envy his opponents' skills; he swiftly pulled out a package from his pocket and tossed it forward. "Here is the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual], continue!"

The sharp-eyed man turned pale with fright, his sword on the verge of piercing the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual]. However, due to his limited expertise, he couldn't retract the sword.

In that moment, a poisoned thorn struck his arm, causing the sword to deviate from its course, narrowly missing the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual]. The sharp-eyed man, in great pain, howled. The culprit behind the attack was Wu Liang, a tall and thin man affiliated with the Yunnan Blue Phoenix Five Poisons Sect, with a centipede symbol adorning his chest. As the sect's name implied, they specialized in poison. Although the poisoned thorn was a low-level technique, it still possessed toxic properties, inflicting 1 point of damage per second for 5 seconds.

Wu Liang's intervention momentarily stopped the sharp-eyed man and saved the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual].

Amidst the chaos, Shi Guoliang struck Wu Liang with a punch, wearing a set of knuckles, causing Wu Liang to double over in pain. Shi Guoliang seized the bag and growled angrily, "I couldn't see it clearly, what did you grab?"

Wang Peng and Qingkong handed their swords to Shi Guoliang's chest, exchanged glances, and nodded. "Open the package and let's see."

Shi Guoliang tore open the package, revealing a cassock inside!

Having read the original novel, these adventurers recognized the worn and patched cassock. The faint calligraphy on the inner lining, both in material and font, indicated that it couldn't be replicated by the novice adventurer before them. Particularly for Shi Guoliang, who dedicated his time to studying the cassocks of great monks at Shaolin Temple for a

 month, the authenticity of cassocks in this world was familiar to him. This item was undoubtedly the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual].

He burst into laughter, and a thunderous roar of [Lion's Roar] reverberated in the confined room. Qingkong, Wang Peng, the sharp-eyed man, and others were simultaneously stunned!

However, behind Shi Guoliang, Wu Liang and another adventurer were unaffected, launching an attack.

Amidst his laughter, Shi Guoliang forcefully charged through the side wall, using his formidable strength and Tieshan's hard-style kung fu. Despite the sturdy construction of Fuzhou's houses, they were no match for Shi Guoliang's ferocious attack, resulting in a gaping hole.

Du Yu was awestruck by Shi Guoliang's immense strength and kung fu skills. Shaolin Kung Fu seemed tailored to his natural physique and aptitude, propelling his progress at a rapid pace.

Seeing an opportunity, Du Yu rushed towards the hole, shouting, "Shi Guoliang took the [Evil Resisting Sword Manual]. Chase after him!"

Wang Peng attempted to attack Du Yu with his sword, but Du Yu cursed, "Idiot! There are many weak villains among us, but there is only one evil sword manual. If we waste time on me, Shi Guoliang will escape!"

Everyone realized the truth—this inept martial artist was their primary target. It was more crucial to pursue the evil sword manual first.

Du Yu dashed forward, chasing after Shi Guoliang.

He didn't have any intention to escape. The space was cunningly designed, and within 30 minutes, regular signals revealing the approximate location of the evil sword manual would be sent to every adventurer's map. He needed to stick close to Shi Guoliang to confuse the other adventurers and let Shi Guoliang bear the burden of this strange injustice throughout the ages.

Simultaneously, by relentlessly chasing after Shi Guoliang, Du Yu showcased that the treasure had indeed been taken. He played his part to the fullest, as a true villain should.

The cassock thrown to Shi Guoliang? Du Yu had meticulously prepared it in advance with Yilin's help. Yilin, unaware of the reason behind his request, teasingly accused him of aspiring to be a monk. Being a Buddhist disciple, she had no trouble crafting a worn-out cassock. As for the calligraphy, Yilin skillfully wrote it on his behalf. Her beautiful handwriting was indistinguishable from his. While Jin Yong's original work only mentioned a few opening sentences, Du Yu invented the rest. As an internet writer, he possessed a knack for fabricating any sort of nonsense.

The creation of the fake cassock to confuse the adventurers was the result of Du Yu's careful consideration. In the world of Swordsman, who could truly discern the real sword manual from the fake?

Du Yu speculated that there was no one.

Even Yu Canghai and Yue Buqun, who had never seen the sword manual within the cassock, would be clueless. The adventurers who had read "Swordsman" only knew what the cassock looked like, and even Lin Pingzhi had no knowledge of its appearance. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been searching his old house aimlessly. If there was any possibility of deception, Lin Zhennan was the only one who might see through it.

However, the ancestors of the Lin family had declared, "Descendants of the Lin family shall not flip through the sword manual."

Given Lin Zhennan's personality, it was highly likely that he adhered to his ancestors' rules and had probably never laid eyes on the authentic evil sword manual. Even if he did encounter it, he might not be able to see through Yilin's skillful deception in haste.

Indeed, Lin Zhennan might not possess the discernment. Shi Guoliang, his formidable adversary, glanced briefly but dared not inspect it further, assuming the cassock was genuine.

Ecstatic, he carried the cassock and ran ahead, with 11 adventurers hot on his trail. Du Yu anxiously checked the map from time to time, only to find a single large red dot indicating the approximate location. He grinned coldly and shouted, "Don't let him escape! I've heard the evil sword technique is an S-level skill in spatial manipulation."

That last statement further fueled the adventurers' determination. Some had chased after him for a long time without success. However, upon hearing the mention of an S-level skill, their eyes turned bloodshot, their breaths heavy. The pursuit was rekindled. Du Yu's [Walking Alone for Thousands of Miles] was only a D-level skill, and the others' skills were likely not much higher. How irresistible S-level skills were to those who had just embarked on the martial arts path!