The Duel of the Century

Renowned swordsman Ye Gucheng publicly challenges Ximen Chuixue to a duel to the death on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The bold challenge unsettles the martial world and sparks rumors about the real reasons behind the match. The tension marks the start of a deadly chess game among rival factions.

Ximen postpones the duel, fueling speculation that he may not be able to best Ye. The delay deepens intrigue among martial artists who seek hidden motives behind the confrontation. Lu Xiaofeng senses a larger conspiracy at work behind the scenes.

Lu Xiaofeng gathers Hua Manlou, Monk Honest, Sikong Zhaixing, and Hermit Pine to uncover the truth behind the postponed duel. They seek guidance from the enigmatic Guisun Daye and are directed to two gamblers, Du Tongxuan and Li Yanbei, to uncover the motives.

Li Yanbei explains that he and Du Tongxuan made a bet on Ye and Ximen’s duel, with Li betting that Ximen would win because Ye is poisoned. The revelation hints at a deeper plot tied to Ye’s illness, suggesting revenge or political machinations behind the match.

Lu witnesses a confrontation at a brothel where Ye fights Yan Renying, who accuses Ye of murdering his mentor Zhang Renying. Ye denies the charge, and Yan’s pursuit is thwarted when his horse, bearing Zhang’s body, escapes. The scene deepens the mystery surrounding Zhang’s death and Ye’s possible involvement.

Lu learns that Ximen’s wife was Zhang Renying’s junior, fueling a theory that the duel may be driven by revenge rather than personal enmity. The personal stakes connect Ye and Ximen to Zhang’s death and intensify the weight of the impending showdown.

A mysterious elderly man in imperial robes attempts to assassinate Lu, hinting at palace intrigues. He is later linked to those who supply Ye with medicine for his sick wife Leng Qingqiu, suggesting a larger conspiracy involving Wang An and the imperial court.

Leng Qingqiu asks Lu to obtain the antidote that could cure Ye’s ailing wife. Ximen agrees to provide it, and Lu returns to question Ye, only to find that Ye has disappeared. The antidote quest becomes a new thread in the tangled plot.

Li Yanbei relinquishes his bet to Kuo Chingfeng of the White Cloud sect. Wang An, the chief imperial eunuch, arrives, and Lu realizes that he had been the one who attempted to assassinate him. The players tighten their nets as palace intrigue thickens.

Lu and Ximen are led to a crematorium where they are ambushed by lama disciples. They rescue Yan Renying and examine Zhang Renying’s wound, concluding that Ye did not kill Zhang. The investigation deepens the mystery and shifts suspicion away from Ye.

Yan Renying hands over three wax figures that point to the true killers. They trace the deception to Wax Man Zhang, who turns out to be an impostor sent by Wang An. The real Zhang is found and restored, and the wax figures hint at a deeper conspiracy surrounding Ye’s actions.

Guisun Daye is killed by Ye, intensifying the sense that Ye bears heavy burdens and secrets. Leng arrives with the antidote and Lu tends Ye’s wound. Ye ultimately admits to being the true killer and reveals a broader conspiracy: Wang An plans to use Ye to assassinate the emperor. In the climactic duel, Ximen defeats the real Ye, who dies by Ximen’s sword, and Lu honors him with a closing poem.