Chapter 394: Try the Sword Edge with All Might (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 394: Testing the Edge of One’s Sword (Seeking Monthly Votes)

This is none other than Ye Guxian, the "Snow Sword Lord" who stands equal to Master Gong Yebai.

Had it been anyone else, Chen Yi would not have believed it.

After all, these were merely the names of a few promising young talents he could easily recall—how could he forget them?

Wait a moment.

When Ye Guxian had first informed him of his intention to witness that duel, he had not even inquired about his name.

Thus, Chen Yi had learned of the "Snow Sword Lord" Ye Guxian solely from Mistress Xiao Jinghong.

"Indeed, he is quite an odd fellow in disposition."

Chen Yi muttered disdainfully under his breath, raising his wine gourd to his lips and drinking deeply from the dishes before him.

Ye Guxian, too, partook freely.

After a few bites of food, he had already consumed half the wine jar.

Chen Yi let out a burp, then addressed the silent, inebriated Ye Guxian:

"Will you be staying in Shu Zhou for these few days?"

Ye Guxian nodded slightly, set down his wine gourd, and calmly plucked a piece of duck skin from the platter, chewing slowly before swallowing.

Seeing no inclination for idle chatter, Chen Yi had no choice but to feign companionship.

Though, honestly, drinking with Ye Guxian was rather tedious.

To put it kindly, it was like having a true friend by one’s side for a thousand cups of wine.

To put it unkindly, it was merely a vessel for his sorrows and melancholy.

Fortunately, at that moment, the noise of the Cloud Clear Tower filled the air, and Chen Yi, while drinking, could at least endure the surrounding chatter.

Not many fresh tidbits had emerged.

Mostly, it was old news.

The martial artists of Shu Zhou studying politics, Ma Shuhuan, the mountain clans, Master Bai Da, and the Snow Sword Lord’s sparring matches, and so forth.

Occasionally, a few unfamiliar names would surface.

Such as the "Wind-Swept Sword" of the Southern Hills Sword Sect, Ge Song.

The "Butterfly Fairy" of the Blossom Valley, Qian Yuer.

And the Buddhist monk Huihui of the Shaolin Temple.

And others like these—supposedly, all were prodigies from the Central Plains’ martial world.

Compared to the "Fist King of a Thousand Miles of Land and River" Wang, they were hardly in a position to compete.

Of course, among martial practitioners, beyond knowing their skills and techniques, most of the time they merely gossiped about their idle affairs.

"The former abbot of the Southern Hills Sword Sect once challenged the 'Sword Saint' Li Wandan to a duel, you know how it ended?"

"He didn’t land a single strike against the Sword Saint."

"Had it not been for the mercy shown by Li Wandan’s followers, he might have died an untimely death."

"They say he later grew ashamed of this, vowing that someone under his sect would surpass Li Wandan."

"At the very least, he must defeat Li Wandan’s disciples."

"Li Wandan’s current generation of disciples?"

"Have you heard the rumor? Someone claims that a disciple of the 'Sword Saint' is residing in Shu Zhou."

"Is that true? Which one is it?"

"Xiao Jinghong."

"Xiao... Hmm? You mean Xiao Jinghong, the granddaughter of the Duke of Qingyuan, the so-called 'Spear and Sword Dual Master'?"

"Besides her, who else could it be?"

"If that’s the case, then Ge Song coming to Shu Zhou would be...?"

"That depends on whether he has the nerve."

"Xiao Jinghong, unlike us, is now the commander of the Qingyuan Army—how could she so easily engage in a duel?"

"Indeed, that makes sense..."

Some also spoke of another—"the Dragon-Tiger" Liu Wu, claiming his talent far surpassed that of Ge Song and his ilk.

And that this remark originated from the "Little Path Master" of Wudang Mountain, Hua Huiyang, who spread it through the Beggar’s Society’s Huo Jiu.

"This claim’s veracity remains unconfirmed, but the 'Little Path Master'... I’ve heard he recently fell victim to an assassination."

"Who? Who dared commit such an act?"

"He died under the guise of smiling halfway—do you think the perpetrator was someone from the mountain clans?"

And such rumors, like autumn leaves scattering in the wind, came thick and fast.

Chen Yi heard them all, yet his expression remained unchanged, continuing to drink the muted wine alongside Ye Guxian.

It wasn’t until their wine gourds were empty that Ye Guxian finally looked at him, his voice calm:

"Have you thought of what you’d like me to do?"

Chen Yi, upon hearing this, was about to shake his head, when suddenly recalling something, he paused thoughtfully:

"After sparring with Master Bai Da, would it be possible for you to stay in Shu Zhou for a few more days?"

"Certainly."

Ye Guxian readily agreed, his gaze drifting to the window.

"The world is rather tedious."

Chen Yi paused.

"Why do you say that?"

Ye Guxian gestured for him to look outside.

"To chase fame and profit, toil and struggle all one’s life—it’s truly pitiable."

"Even becoming a immortal of the land would be the same."

Chen Yi looked out the window, seeing all manner of people, and fell silent with a bitter laugh.

"Last time you said the conflict of the Immortal Sovereigns would begin in two years, involving the Wei Dynasty, the barbarian tribes, the Buddhist Kingdom, and the Wokou—was that what you meant by 'chasing fame and profit'?"

Ye Guxian averted his gaze, glanced at him, then placed his palm on the long sword on the table, its blade covered in fish scales.

"'Immortal Sovereign'—that is the title of the number one in the world."

"Otherwise, why would Gong Yebai rush about?"

Chen Yi felt a slight tremor in his heart.

"Is the 'Immortal Sovereign' of the barbarian tribes stronger than Master Gong Yebai?"

Ye Guxian stroked the scabbard of his sword, giving a slight shake of his head: "Not necessarily."

After a pause, he continued: "But if Gong Yebai were to face him, victory would be no easy feat."

"The great Asa of the barbarian tribes hasn’t been seen in a hundred years since the last Immortal Sovereign conflict—who knows what his strength is now."

Ye Guxian seemed to open up, speaking more than was his custom.

"The barbarians are not like the people of Wei; they possess robust physiques, and even though the Great Asura is nearly two hundred years old, his vital energy and blood remain abundant."

"If Gongye Bai wishes to defeat him, unless he cultivates another path, it will be difficult for him to break the Great Asura's Panta Body."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, "The Panta Body?"

Ye Guxian explained, "The barbarians cultivate the physique, valuing strength over technique. Panta is not only the deity they revere but also the pinnacle of physical form."

"In years past, Abbot Kongjue of the Shaolin Temple cultivated the Vajra Indestructible Art to its absolute limit and engaged in a duel to the death with a land immortal realm master of the barbarians."

"The result was that Abbot Kongjue was beaten to death alive."

Chen Yi frowned slightly, "Even the pinnacle of the physical path is no match for a barbarian?"

Ye Guxian spoke noncommittally, "The words 'strength' and 'qi' are too inherently disparate; the higher the realm, the wider the gap becomes."

"That is why the Central Plains emphasizes 'technique' and 'intent.' Once you achieve union between heaven and man, you are the Dao, and the Dao is you, only then can the innate deficiencies be erased."

Speaking to this point, he mused slightly, "However, that applies to ordinary barbarian land immortals. The Great Asura... he is different."

"Aside from his physique, he possesses another path—called 'Spirit Prayer,' where the heroic spirits of the barbarians possess his body, a cultivation no less potent than the natural spiritual mechanism of heaven and earth."

"Spirit Prayer..."

Chen Yi nodded thoughtfully, "Spoken thus, this battle of the Hidden Immortals is equally fraught with peril."

Hearing this, a trace of a smile actually appeared on Ye Guxian's perpetually frozen face.

A smile laden with a slight chill.

"I do not seek fame; I only wish to test the edge of my blade with all my might."

Chen Yi suddenly felt the atmosphere within the elegant private room shift, his expression turning slightly solemn.

It felt as if countless dense silver needles were attempting to pierce through his body, desiring to tear him apart.

A land immortal.

Is this the aura of a land immortal?

Solely by virtue of this aura, Chen Yi was utterly suppressed, unable to perceive even the surrounding spiritual mechanism of heaven and earth.

To say it changed the very fabric of the world would not be an exaggeration.

Chen Yi took a deep breath, exerting effort to suppress the urge to release the restrictions of the Black Tortoise Breath-Concealing Technique, and spoke in a calm tone:

"Since Senior possesses such resolve, surely you will achieve complete success."

Ye Guxian glanced at him, his aura settling in the blink of an eye, "What about you?"

Chen Yi was slightly stunned, "Me?"

"You."

Ye Guxian nodded, "Your talent in the martial path is the greatest I have ever seen in my life. Do you intend to remain so idle forever?"

Chen Yi laughed despite himself, "Senior praises me too highly."

"However, I do indeed hope to live a life free from worldly strife; fighting and killing insult refined sensibilities."

Ye Guxian's hand, which rested upon the long sword, shifted to the hilt, "Insult... refined sensibilities?"

Chen Yi stole a glance, "Senior forgets, this junior is a scholar, whose greatest fondness is writing and painting."

As expected.

Whether one's martial path is profound has no bearing on whether one possesses brains.

Martial artists, after all, are mostly coarse fellows who only know how to fight and kill.

As if guessing his thoughts, Ye Guxian looked deeply at him and said, "My spar with Gongye Bai this time is a grand event in the martial world."

Chen Yi looked at him uncomprehendingly, "Indeed it is."

"In recent days, many people of the martial world have arrived, among whom are no shortage of masters of the upper three ranks."

He pointed to the main hall below, saying, "Guests arriving from all directions have made Shuzhou quite lively."

"They have all come this time just to catch a glimpse of the elegant demeanor of you two seniors."

To his surprise, upon hearing these words, Ye Guxian said indifferently, "Lest I lose all face, for the next two days at the hour of the Pig, I shall await you on the Chishui River west of the city."

"This..."

Chen Yi was suddenly struck between laughter and tears; these words sounded somewhat familiar.

In the past, he would occasionally find a reason to teach Liu Lang and the others a lesson.

"I see no need for this, do I?"

"A short while ago, I sparred with Senior Bai's disciple, Shui He, and we were merely evenly matched."

Ye Guxian remained unmoved upon hearing this, "The hour of the Pig."

Chen Yi struggled in earnest, "The Marquis's estate enforces a curfew; frequent excursions will inevitably be noticed."

Ye Guxian looked at him calmly, "Last night, five hundred miles east of the prefectural city, Song Jinjian."

"...Senior was also there?"

"Passing by."

Chen Yi had no choice but to agree, saying helplessly, "Then, this junior shall respectfully obey your command."

Ye Guxian nodded slightly, "I shall impart a sword technique to you."

Chen Yi was startled upon hearing this, a few smiles turning upon his face as he stood and walked out of the private room:

"Please sit a moment, Senior. I shall go fetch two jars of Lang wine."

A sword technique imparted by a grand master of the land immortal realm would surely not be of the Yellow or Black rank.

Such a stroke of luck could not be found even if one searched with a lantern; naturally, he would not refuse.

The Flying Flower Beyond the Heavens was, after all, only a Black-rank sword technique; though its moves were undeniably gorgeous, it lacked the lethal strikes of Heaven-rank techniques like the Dragon-Dropping Spear or the Mountain-Collapsing Fist.

Chen Yi was not greedy.

It would suffice as long as Ye Guxian imparted an Earth-rank sword technique to him.

After he departed.

Ye Guxian caressed the hilt of his sword, a sliver of contemplation surfacing in his eyes.

"Once entering the martial world, who can truly do as they please?"

Not long after.

Chen Yi returned holding two jars of Lang wine, entering the private room to drink deeply once more with Ye Guxian.

It was not until the sun set into twilight that Ye Guxian finally stood up.

He did not forget to remind him, "The hour of the Pig."

Chen Yi smiled and nodded, "Rest assured, Senior, I will surely keep the appointment on time."

"I also hope Senior will not begrudge his guidance when the time comes."

Ye Guxian nodded slightly, and just as he was about to leave, he heard Chen Yi continue, "Senior, I wonder if you could do me a small favor?"

"Hmm?"

Meeting Ye Guxian’s gaze, Chen Yi stepped to the window and pointed at the tailor shop just inside the gates of the West Market, saying:

"Junior had intended to deliver a letter to someone there tonight, but as it is now highly inconvenient, I wonder if Senior might do the honor in my stead?"

Ye Guxian cast a glance toward the tailor shop, naturally discerning the cultivation realms of Jiang Xing and the others.

Yet in his eyes, these upper-three-grade martial experts, highly praised within the martial world, were no different from mere children.

"To whom?"

"To the person with the highest cultivation. Senior need only say it was left by 'Dragon-Tiger' Liu Wu."

Chen Yi said with a smile, "Forgive me, Senior, but for the time being, Junior cannot show his true face, lest it stir up trouble for the Xiao family."

Ye Guxian gave him a deep, searching look, took the letter, and with a single stride, vanished from sight.

Seeing this, Chen Yi marveled in his heart at the earth-shattering power of a Terrestrial Immortal, then promptly had Wang Ji settle the bill before returning to the Xiao estate alone.

"When Jiang Xing of the White Tiger Guard sees the 'Snow Sword Lord' delivering a letter for me... I wonder what expression he'll make..."

Chen Yi had indeed done this intentionally.

Originally, he had planned to leave the Baicao Hall, find a place to disguise himself, and then make a detour to the tailor shop.

Who could have known Ye Guxian would arrive.

And even want to impart some sword technique to him.

No choice.

Fortune had smiled upon him.

If he didn't seize the chance to borrow such a formidable banner, he would truly be doing a disservice to his own words about "insulting gentility."

...

The tailor shop.

Jiang Xing sat upright in the quiet room, holding a translated text to decipher a secret missive.

"First of the first tier, seventh of the third tier..."

As he wrote down the end, a sudden, inexplicable tightness gripped his heart, and the entire quiet room felt as if a great mountain were pressing down upon it, plunged into a suffocating stillness.

Jiang Xing whipped his head around, "Who is there?!"

When he finally saw his surroundings clearly, a layer of fine sweat instantly erupted on his forehead.

Standing quietly in the corner was a man clad in white robes, his long hair fluttering lightly, with a longsword adorned in a fish-skin pattern hanging at his waist.

It was none other than the "Snow Sword Lord," Ye Guxian, who had just parted ways with Chen Yi.

Jiang Xing had no idea how long this man had been there, but he knew with absolute certainty that he was no match for him.

"May I ask, Excellency..."

Before he could finish, Ye Guxian flicked his wrist and tossed the letter onto the table, speaking in a cold, detached tone:

"'Dragon-Tiger' Liu Wu. A letter."

Having spoken, he took a step forward, and his figure dissolved into the quiet room.

Like a ghost or a specter.

Staring at the empty room, the violent thumping of his own heart ringing in his ears, Jiang Xing felt a slight wave of dizziness wash over his mind.

A long time passed.

Only then did Jiang Xing begin to recover his composure.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he turned his head to look at the letter on the table, a bitter smile gracing his face.

"A letter from 'Dragon-Tiger' Liu Wu?"

"Liu Wu..."

"Brother, it's just delivering a letter, what need was there to invoke such a grand..."

Before he could finish his thought, Jiang Xing's eyes suddenly widened.

He carefully recalled the man's appearance just now, "White robes, fish-skin sword, cold as ice... He, he is... the 'Snow Sword Lord' Ye Guxian?!"

Impossible!

Jiang Xing's first reaction was—absolutely impossible!

How could a celestial figure of that stature possibly be at the beck and call of "Dragon-Tiger"?

And yet, the reality lay right before his eyes.

It was hard for him to imagine anyone in the martial world daring to impersonate the "Snow Sword Lord."

Moreover, the aura that man possessed just now...

Thinking up to this point, Jiang Xing hastily snatched the letter from the table and opened it to read.

As he finished reading, his countenance changed instantly.

"The Jizhou Trading House, the Mountain Tribe, the Cui family of Qinghe... This..."

Though Jiang Xing was loath to believe it, "Dragon-Tiger" had gone so far as to move the "Snow Sword Lord" to deliver this letter to him.

It left him with no choice but to believe.

Mindful of this.

Jiang Xing could no longer bother with the secret missive on the table; he pulled out a blank sheet of cloudsong paper, lifted his brush, and dashed down a few lines.

Except, compared to his usual neat handwriting, the strokes on the paper at this moment were slightly flawed.

Just what sort of background did Liu Wu possess?

What was his relationship with the "Snow Sword Lord"?

Fortunately, most fortunately...

Fortunately, his White Tiger Guard had maintained good relations with "Dragon-Tiger" in recent days.

Thinking of Liu Wu, Jiang Xing abruptly added two more lines to the secret missive:

["Snow Sword Lord" Ye Guxian delivered a letter on behalf of Liu Wu; the two are suspected to share a master-disciple relationship.]

[The Gold Banner Officer, the Tigress, shares an exceedingly close relationship with Liu Wu; hoped that the Tower Master will take note...]

(End of Chapter)