Chapter 872: The Young Girl Riding the Wind and Waves

Chapter 872: The Girl Who Rides the Wind and Breaks the Waves

Zhao Changhe now understood why Yue Hongling had taken this disciple—she was a spitting image of Yue Hongling herself, or perhaps of Zhao Changhe himself.

How much this resembled his own days challenging the heroes of Beimang...

With him here, even if the heavens themselves sent an army, it would be nothing but fodder for the river. But the young girl didn't know that, nor did she expect any help from this ancient predecessor she'd never met before. Such eccentric figures, moved by a whim, might offer a pointer or two—that was already a favor worth acknowledging.

She didn't know saber techniques either, and had no idea whether the Dragon Sparrow would obey her or unleash its true power, or if it would falter like it did during the Sword Lake battle, unreliable and sporadic. She dared not count the Dragon Sparrow's might as a major trump card.

In the girl's heart, the main reliance was still herself, her own sword.

As Ling Ruoyu had said, most of the interceptors were originally stationed in the north. Now, chasing her southward, they could only rely on lightness skills, plus a few who happened to be nearby. Their arrival times varied, and their factions differed, making a coordinated encirclement nearly impossible.

Sailing south, she would reach the Yangtze River in less than two days. They had no time to arrange a gathering and blockade; they could only come one by one, offering themselves up for defeat. And unless Wu Hou Tang Buqi was a complete fool, he would have already sent men north to rendezvous with her—within a day, not two.

If they feared the Dragon Sparrow's demonic blade, which could even cut down Earth List experts, then even fewer would dare come.

The more arrogantly she shouted, "Come if you dare to die," the fewer would dare approach. All it required was her own courage, the boldness to face a thousand troops and cut through thorns and brambles.

Ling Ruoyu had that.

She also wanted to test her sword through this.

The guidance from the ancient predecessor just now had shown her that she didn't need overwhelming power. Combat experience and sword techniques themselves still held much room for refinement. A simple feint or change of move could send a Secret Realm expert to their death.

Ling Ruoyu stood still at the prow, repeatedly replaying the previous battle in her mind, lost in thought.

Zhao Changhe went to the boatman to buy a gourd of wine, leaned comfortably against the gunwale, and drank while admiring the sight of the young disciple standing in the wind, her hair flying. Suddenly he said, "Before you put on a display of your heroic spirit, shouldn't you tend to your wounds first?"

The ancient predecessor's words knocked the sword-hearted girl back to earth. Ling Ruoyu wearily sat down against the gunwale, took a pill from her ring, and swallowed it.

Zhao Changhe sniffed from a distance and couldn't help but say, "Wait, what kind of medicine is that? The world-renowned hero, the Sunset Divine Sword Yue Hongling, gives her disciple medicine of this grade?"

Ling Ruoyu was puzzled. "Senior, how much do you really know about my master from reading some materials? My master is not skilled in alchemy or medicine."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Your master may not be skilled, but your aunt is. The greatest healer in the world is none other than the current Empress, Qinglong Xia Chichi. For such a simple external wound, Chichi could give you a pill that would have you full of vitality again in the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Why doesn't Hongling ever ask Chichi for medicine? She doesn't care much for her disciple.

Then Ling Ruoyu said, "My master also said that the current Empress is fine in other respects, but sometimes she acts like a foolish ruler in the books, always obsessed with alchemy. I feel my master doesn't quite approve of that."

Zhao Changhe almost laughed out loud. "Mm-hmm."

Are you sure your master isn't just badmouthing her rival behind her back? Chichi has endless longevity; she's no foolish ruler seeking immortality through alchemy. The only purpose of her alchemy and medicine is to prepare for future battles. Hongling must know that. What are you even sensing?

Forget it. Zhao Changhe took a small bottle from his ring and tossed it over. "Your path of testing your sword—I fully approve. But the prerequisite is that you maintain your condition, or else it's all for nothing."

In truth, Zhao Changhe's own medicine had long been used up; he had given it all to Ye Jiuyou earlier. This medicine was just improvised on the spot. By now, Zhao Changhe's Qinglong Huichun could condense beneficial elements from the surroundings into medicine, though the effect wasn't as good as a carefully prepared concoction. It was more than enough for such a minor injury.

Zhao Changhe felt like Ji Gong rolling dirt into pills, quite amused. Over there, the girl took the bottle, pulled out the stopper, and sniffed. The rich aura of life shocked her. "This is..."

"Oh, ancient elixir. Shouldn't have expired yet."

"..." Ling Ruoyu hesitated. "Senior, I don't even know you. Why are you so kind to me?"

"Because your master is my old—"

"Please do not speak frivolously of my master again."

Zhao Changhe nearly spat out his wine. These days, even telling the truth wasn't allowed. "And if I do, what then?"

Ling Ruoyu said sternly, "I am grateful for your help, Senior. But if you disrespect my master, I will risk my life to defend her dignity."

"Haha... good, good, good." Zhao Changhe laughed. "You awakened me, which counts as a karmic connection. I'll naturally look out for you a bit; it's not a favor. Now go heal your wounds. The nearest pursuer is less than ten li away. If you dawdle any longer, you might have to beg me to save your life. Let's see if you're still so stubborn then."

He could hear movement from ten li away? Ling Ruoyu was inwardly shocked. She silently took the medicine and began to heal, saying nothing.

The pill dissolved on her tongue, and the medicinal power spread instantly. The wound on her abdomen was visibly closing, and the fatigue in her body vanished, leaving her refreshed and energetic.

Such divine medicine was not of this world. If sold on the black market, it would be priceless. And this senior had casually given her a whole bottle.

If she had to name the greatest danger on this journey, the young girl thought it might well be this unpredictable ancient demon-god senior. What did he really want?

But strangely, her clear sword heart sensed no malice from him. No matter how she probed, it was pure goodwill, with no expectation of anything in return.

He didn't seem to covet her body either; she felt no unclean intentions from him, as if the thought never crossed his mind. Instead, he seemed to be watching her performance with delight, as if the better she did, the happier he was.

Am I your disciple?

Apart from coveting her master, there seemed to be no other explanation. He was already treating her like a disciple...

Was this a matter of grudges and love affairs she could meddle in? The girl recalled her master's sharp gaze and shuddered.

Good luck, Senior... At worst, I'll take a beating and put in a good word for you in front of my master.

...

"Qian Qishen of the Jiujiang Sect requests a duel with Miss Ling!"

"Bang!" Ling Ruoyu blocked a long saber and kicked a black-robed challenger into the Grand Canal.

It wasn't even dawn yet, and this was already the third duel.

"The Five Tigers of Huaiyang request a duel with Miss Ling!"

"Come at me together..."

Ling Ruoyu did not use the unreliable Dragon Sparrow. The scene of her facing the heroes alone with her sword quickly spread, making people believe that the Dragon Sparrow's power was exhausted or that it wouldn't obey Ling Ruoyu. The threat of the demon blade turned into a mere treasure hunt. Black-robed figures from the Jianghuai region swarmed in, but they played right into Ling Ruoyu's plan to test her sword.

She had just turned sixteen. At that age, her cultivation was high enough. But she had been active in the martial world for too short a time. Her combat experience and understanding of swordsmanship probably couldn't compare to Cui Yuanyong back in the day, let alone her master or her master's husband. Her ranking as number one on the Hidden Dragon List was somewhat dubious, perhaps the result of a blind heavenly book pulling strings.

But this journey of testing her sword could make up for a year of ordinary wandering—a veritable Six Great Sects besieging Bright Summit.

In the distance, on another boat, the overlord of the Jianghuai region, Wan Dongliu, the leader of the Canal Guild, stood at the prow, staring dumbfounded at the battle on the other boat and at a familiar face lounging against the gunwale, drinking.

A voice echoed in his mind: "Don't meddle, I'm leveling a new character."

Wan Dongliu stroked his graying beard, looked at the youthful face on the other boat, and waved his hand with a constipated expression. "Turn back. We're not getting involved."

His subordinate was shocked. "Chief, Lord Wu entrusted us to protect the sacred blade... If we turn back now, how do we explain to Lord Wu?"

"What's a young upstart's commission worth?"

Subordinate: "?"

Who are you calling a young upstart?

"Let's go. With him here, no one can touch that broken blade."

Others couldn't tell the difference between "him" and "her." "Miss Ling is only at the ninth level of Xuan Pass. How can she possibly handle the endless stream of black-robed fighters from Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Jianghuai?"

"I just don't want to protect it anymore, got a problem? Someone's fishing, and anyone who bites is an idiot. If we don't leave now, that shameless bastard might force me to go down and spar with the little girl. He doesn't care about face, but I do!"

"Clang!" The girl's sword shot out like a dragon, piercing through the ring-blade in front of her and knocking a burly man off his feet.

Many bodies already lay on the boat's deck, and some had fallen into the canal, drifting with the current.

This was the twenty-seventh battle Ling Ruoyu had faced in just a few hours. She had consumed several of the senior's pills to maintain her condition; otherwise, such a war of attrition would have worn down any hero.

"Your sword, though not bound by rigid forms, is still a bit too straightforward. If you had turned that last thrust into a chop, the effect would have been much better..." Zhao Changhe didn't constantly instruct Ling Ruoyu during fights—that would only hinder her. He only offered occasional advice, but more often, he gave simple summaries and reflections after each battle.

"In that last fight, your opponent used a soft whip, and you got tangled up in changing moves with him... Didn't you know that if you closed in, his whip would be useless?"

"There are water ghosts below... Fortunately, this is a ship of the Demon Suppression Bureau, and your subordinates handled it for you. Next time, if you're traveling alone, you need to be aware of such things."

"Also, your temperament is a bit too rigid, your sword intent too upright. Sometimes you need to learn to feint. Back in the day, your master also used hidden weapons; she wasn't so inflexible..."

Ling Ruoyu panted, the ancient predecessor's post-battle teachings echoing in her mind, filling her with deep admiration.

Thus he cultivated without change, thus his sword technique remained unaltered—that venomous gaze and perfectly timed responses were enough to elevate his understanding of combat by several levels, a lifetime’s worth of gain.

This was already the work of a master, truly teaching his disciple.

Come to think of it, few in the world knew that my master had ever used hidden weapons. I was astonished when he taught me. How did you know? What records mention such a thing?

Amid the relentless high-intensity battles, even the hidden secrets of the Secret Treasury began to show faint signs of breakthrough.

The morning sun reflected on the long river, a shimmering expanse of light.

My master’s “Setting Sun and Fading Glow” was no more than this.

“Whoosh!” A sinister wind arose.

A bizarre figure appeared at the prow, a cloak covering its face, its body exuding dense demonic aura as if tangible.

Ling Ruoyu narrowed her eyes.

Zhao Changhe, leaning against the ship’s rail and drinking wine, straightened slightly. Here it comes…

This journey wasn’t meant to crush weaklings in low-tier matches—half was to train the junior, half to fish for prey.

Few who came to seize the Dragon Sparrow were upright folk. Let the little disciple cut them all down and restore clarity to the eastern martial world. Beyond that, those with designs on the Dragon Sparrow and Star River must include agents of the Heavenly Dao. Taking advantage of others not knowing he was awake to lure them out and deal with them—that was the true purpose of waking early.

Zhao Changhe didn’t believe that Yue Hongling and Tang Wanzhuang had made no moves these past two days. The Star River had appeared, the world was placing its pieces; they should be making their own plays.

“Miss Ling lives up to being the top of this Hidden Dragon List.” The cloaked demonic shadow chuckled darkly. “Riding the wind and waves, testing your sword across a thousand miles—truly exhilarating, indeed bearing the style of Zhao Changhe in his day. But you are not Zhao Changhe after all. The Dragon Sparrow cannot be controlled by anyone but him. If it truly obeyed your command at will, we might not have dared to come.”

Zhao Changhe gulped down his wine.

Ling Ruoyu said coldly, “Behind the Demon Society, it’s indeed your kind of evil. What is your true intent?”

“Originally, we only wanted the Dragon Sparrow. But after this day and night, we feel that Miss Ling’s own value may not be inferior to the Dragon Sparrow.” The figure laughed. “So, Miss Ling, come with us.”

As the words fell, Ling Ruoyu let out a muffled groan. Her sea of consciousness churned, her spiritual platform thrown into chaos.

At her level of cultivation, facing a spiritual assault was beyond her scope—she could easily be controlled, especially since this demon might be at the Imperial Realm.

But Zhao Changhe watched sidelong as he drank, making no move to help.

The demon’s demonic aura broke into Ling Ruoyu’s sea of consciousness, expecting an easy capture, only to suddenly encounter a blazing sun, hanging high in the nine heavens, shining across the world.

The sunlight blazed like sword energy, thousands upon thousands of strands sweeping in. The invading demonic aura, under this terrifying sun, was like a tiny ant invading a vast ocean—instantly shredded, not even a shadow left behind.

How could Yue Hongling send a fledgling disciple to train in the martial world without any protection? A strand of sword intent hidden in the sea of consciousness—even an Imperial Realm cultivator would be torn to pieces.

At the same time, this pre-embedded sword intent perfectly resonated with Ling Ruoyu’s own realization of the morning sun reflecting on water. The girl’s mud ball surged, the breath of heaven and earth poured in violently, and the secret of the Secret Treasury was broken in an instant.

A blazing sword energy shot forth, like the sun at high noon, illuminating the canal.

“Clang!” The long sword pierced the demon’s body. The figure screamed, and a wisp of demonic aura left its form, fleeing away.

“Stay.” Suddenly, a woman stepped across the water, holding a cloth sack. With one sweep, she caught the demonic aura in the sack, expertly tying the opening.

Ling Ruoyu, who had exhausted her spirit and energy to unleash the strongest sword strike of her life, collapsed weakly at the prow. Watching the woman walking on water like a goddess, she smiled in relief: “Lord Chief Clerk, you’re here… I’m out of strength…”

Zhao Changhe spat out a mouthful of wine. What did you call her?

The “Chief Clerk” landed on the prow but did not praise Ling Ruoyu for her meritorious deed. Her beautiful eyes were like knives, fixed on Zhao Changhe.

Zhao Changhe looked at her with a strange expression.

They stared at each other for a long while. Suddenly, the Chief Clerk stomped in fury: “Here sits the greatest demon of all, and no one arrests him, letting him sit here swaggering?”

Ling Ruoyu was stunned: “My lord, there must be some misunderstanding. This senior has helped a great deal—how could he be a demon?”

“I say he is, and he is!” The Chief Clerk raged. “With such a sword heart, can’t you sense that he’s a lecher?”

Ling Ruoyu shook her head: “I cannot.”

The Chief Clerk grabbed Zhao Changhe by the collar: “You dared to covet her—have you no shame? I’ll beat you to death if I don’t…”

Before she finished, her waist was seized, and she was pulled into his arms, held tight.

Ling Ruoyu stared blankly as the revered Chief Clerk of the Prime Minister’s mansion was held like a child in someone’s arms, struggling and twisting, the scene like a dream.

In broad daylight, the ancient senior lowered his head to gently kiss the Chief Clerk’s cheek, whispering softly: “When did I ever covet her… What I covet now is you.”

Ling Ruoyu watched as the Chief Clerk’s face turned crimson, her struggles weakening, becoming more and more reluctant. Then her lips pouted, as if she were about to cry: “You just bully me. You’ve always only bullied me. Boohoo… I don’t want you anymore. I don’t want you!”

Ling Ruoyu was dumbfounded.

What kind of demonic bewitchment was this, turning the dignified Baoqin, who spoke for the Prime Minister and scolded countless heroes into silence, into this?

And wasn’t this man saying he admired her master? Just this?

Zhao Changhe was saying, “I really didn’t mean to… Anyway, it’s my fault. Scold me however you want; I’ll take it.”

Baoqin just cried.

Zhao Changhe glanced awkwardly at Ling Ruoyu and said quietly, “I have many things to ask you too. Let’s go into the cabin, shall we?”

Baoqin sniffled without answering, then was carried into the cabin without any resistance. The way she looked, she might as well have been taken to be devoured on the spot, utterly docile.

The river wind howled. Ling Ruoyu shivered, feeling as if the demonic assault earlier had already taken effect—why did the world suddenly seem like a dream?

From afar, Yangzhou seemed visible.

If nothing went wrong, the Marquis of Wu should be arriving in Yangzhou to meet. This journey of riding the wind and waves, cutting through thorns, seemed almost complete.

But… the girl looked back at the river and suddenly felt that this road might have been a little too short?

She had forgotten the bloodstains on her body; the medicine the senior had given was already gone.

Golden light appeared again in the sky: “Ling Ruoyu escorted the blade south, challenging the heroes. With a single sword, she fought twenty-seven battles in a row, including multiple opponents and cross-rank battles. In this campaign, six notorious figures from the underworld of Qing, Xu, Huai, and Yang fled wounded, over thirty died, blood staining the canal all the way to Yangzhou.”

“Ling Ruoyu broke through to the Secret Treasury through a hundred battles. The Bridge of Heaven and Earth is thus opened.”

“Human List, number eighteen: Ling Ruoyu.”

In a single day, from the Hidden Dragon List straight to number eighteen on the Human List, the girl’s quest for fame in the martial world shook the heavens even more than her master’s in her day—a single battle made her name known.

A thousand miles away, in the desert. Yue Hongling cleaved a strange beast’s neck with one sword stroke and turned her head southward.

“For the sake of your ability to teach a disciple… I’ll let go of the grudge of these thirty years. But don’t use her entirely as bait. Haven’t you noticed that she is not suited for such a dazzling display?”