Shen Jiafang was one of the largest villages in Tianyuan, with a large population and remote mountains and rivers. The locals diligently farmed and studied while avoiding conflict, and the village’s fengshui was quite auspicious. An old man and a young girl walked along the narrow paths between the fields. During this bitter winter frost, the fields were hard and not soft at all, and on the stacked hay piles, there were still some withered eggplants that had been struck by frost. The old man bent down to pick a few and tucked them into his bosom. Behind him, the little girl wore a cheap mink hat and occasionally looked back into the distance.
The old man muttered, “Don’t think these eggplants are unattractive now, but after being struck by frost, they become sweet when eaten. Their flavor rivals that of winter carp and even matches winter bamboo shoots. Later, we’ll find a household and I’ll personally stir-fry a pot for you. Back then, Shen Jiafang owed me a big favor. I was the one who picked this auspicious land for them. Not only are these a few worthless eggplants nothing, but even if it were a few lives, they would have been taken without hesitation. You, don’t keep looking. I already sent that boy to Luoyang for help, so his life and death hang in the balance. Don’t glare at me. Yes, I set that trap for him, but he made my daughter suffer a great injustice. If I don’t scheme against him, who else would I scheme against? Generally speaking, I don’t take sides. Even if the Eastern Yue emperor indulges in luxuries, I still protected most of the royal family. The last ruler of Southern Tang worked diligently, was ambitious, and could be called a wise monarch. Yet now, everyone in Southern Tang feels ashamed to bear the surname Hong. Speaking of the principles people like to talk about in this era, what I have done makes absolutely no sense. Back then, I told you to assassinate that boy because I said he had a weak fate and would die young. It’s better for him to die at your hands than on a woman’s belly or someone else’s blade. At least then he would have a complete body to bury, compared to the countless wandering souls of the Spring and Autumn periods, how could he be worse off?”
The old man was better off not speaking, but once he started spouting these dry and withered philosophies, the little girl simply stopped moving forward. She carried a sunflower and gazed toward the city dozens of miles away. The old man awkwardly reached out to grab some sunflower seeds, but the girl, in a huff, twisted her body and turned around with the withered sunflower, preventing him from succeeding. The old man let out a surprised “Hmm,” squinted his eyes, and saw that the distant city was in chaos, its aura collapsing like the heavens and earth were being squeezed into a single line. He sighed, rubbed the mink hat on his daughter’s head, and softly said, “It’s always the most thoughtless who are the most devoted.”
The old man received no verbal response but was already used to it. He weighed the eggplants in his bosom and found they weren’t enough for lunch, so he picked a few more while muttering to himself, “If the city’s tens of thousands of people don’t have time to scatter, Luoyang’s move will provoke both heaven and man’s wrath. Among the Three Teachings, Longhu Mountain is preoccupied with its own affairs. But according to the nature of Li Dangxin from Liangchansi Temple, he will definitely intervene. In the martial world, cultivators ascend step by step, and before reaching the first tier, especially below the second tier, there is a simple and clear method—how many armors can be pierced by a single strike, a sword’s qi cutting through armor, all clearly visible. But once reaching the second tier, especially the first tier, this method no longer applies because it is too rigid. People are alive. Deng Tai’a’s sword is the pinnacle of sword techniques, easily cutting through hundreds of armors. But if the armored person has martial arts skills, the effectiveness is greatly reduced. Even if Wang Xianzhi were armored, Deng Tai’a wouldn’t be able to easily break through. Does that mean Deng Tai’a is just a novice swordsman? The sages of the Three Teachings are uniquely blessed by heaven. Li Dangxin of Liangchansi Temple intercepted a river to gift to the Morality Sect. If the river water were thrown down, drowning thousands of Northern Wilderness civilians wouldn’t be difficult, but how many second-tier martial artists could be drowned? This is why the sages of the Three Teachings are not ranked among martial artists—they rely on the power of heaven and earth and must obey the will of the heavens. Wang Xianzhi, Tuoba Pusa, and others do not need to do so. In the past two or three hundred years, the most effective mass killings have only been three: one was the Jiujian of the Wu family breaking through ten thousand cavalry, one was Li Chungan’s sword piercing 2,600 armors, and one was Luoyang’s recent southern campaign. Because the enemies were not only armored but also skilled in martial arts, especially the latter two. Once they reached the Heaven’s Will realm, even if they didn’t benefit as obviously as the sages of the Three Teachings, they were still somewhat affected by the flow of power. Sometimes killing an obscure soldier could be more dangerous than slaying a great general. Led by Zhao Gou, elite cavalry were sent to drive out the civilians, most likely on Liu Haoshi’s orders. An old man who won’t die is a thief, and a thief is a coward. Liu Haoshi fears that Luoyang will act recklessly, causing collateral damage. When the heavenly thunder rolls down, even if Luoyang bears eighty or ninety percent of the blame, Liu Haoshi will still suffer ten or twenty percent. But because he has lingered in the Heaven’s Will realm for too long and has the suspicion of clinging to the emperor’s favor, he will still face severe consequences. You must know that the saying “ignorance is no crime” is most appropriate for the Heaven’s Will realm. The sages of the Three Teachings, because they know too many secrets of heaven, are restricted and cannot act freely. Luoyang, having entered the realm for a relatively short time and not being one of the Three Teachings, can act more freely.”
The girl, He He, squatted on the ground, silently Pinching mud, while Huang Longshi, one of the top three scholars of the Spring and Autumn Annals, exhaled a puff of mist and softly said, “Those who do not know me ask what I seek. Who truly knows me? The half-tongued Xun Ping of Tai’an City knew, but unfortunately, our paths and aspirations diverged. The poisonous strategist Li Yishan of Northern Liang knew, but one mountain cannot hold two tigers. There is no place for him in Liyang anymore. Nalan Youci also knew, but he was naturally my opposite. Scholars govern the country, scholars pacify the world, scholars bring calamity to the nation. These three each had their own pursuits. They were likely the last brilliant time for strategists. In the future, we will never see such scenes where scholars of our kind are so spirited and turn the world upside down. In the future, scholars will merely be entertainers for the emperor’s household.”
The old man, his bosom full of eggplants, smiled and said, “The backbone of the Spring and Autumn scholars has been twisted, and I want to straighten it. The martial artists of the Spring and Autumn era used their strength to break the rules, and I want to destroy thousands of secret manuals and put reins on them, turning wild dogs into domesticated ones. I want to ensure that for the next few hundred years, the world will never again see the romanticism of A lone swordsman in blue robes roams the rivers and lakes., the wandering immortals who travel from the northern sea to the western mountains in a day, or the true immortals who ride cranes through the heavenly gates.”
The little girl, Jia Jiajia, chuckled.
Huang Longshi suddenly laughed bitterly, “Back then, Li Dangxin scolded me for thinking even my fart was righteous and noble. He scolded me well.”
The girl’s stomach growled with hunger. The old man laughed heartily and took her to the village. The people of Shen Jiafang did not know Huang Longshi’s true identity, only regarding him as a mysterious immortal hermit. Years ago, Huang Longshi had given them guidance, allowing the Southern Tang Shen family to escape disaster and preserve their lineage. Even the family genealogy, the most important treasure of their clan, was personally written by Huang Longshi. When the elders of the village heard that their benefactor had come to visit, they insisted on preparing a grand feast, but Huang Longshi refused. Instead, he borrowed a kitchen and a jar of wine, spending time alone with his daughter, Jia Jiajia. The old man personally cooked, frying a carp and a plate of eggplants. He didn’t eat much himself, just sipping a few cups of wine until he became slightly drunk. In the dimly lit room, with the candlelight flickering, the old man leaned his drunken head on the table, his eyes slightly closed, his tears barely visible as he softly murmured, “A thousand years of worldly affairs are like chasing a deer in a dream. Is it I dreaming of the butterfly, or the butterfly dreaming of me?”
The little girl took off her warm mink hat and gently placed it on the old man’s head. Resting her chin on the table, she gazed at the sleeping old man, lost in thought.
※※※
Inside the city, both opposing sides were in a fierce confrontation.
The heavens and earth left only a single line for the sword. Luoyang, the number one demonic figure in the world, used the Heaven’s Will realm to unleash an unprecedented sword immortal strike. Song Nianqing’s six senses—both ears, both eyes, and both nostrils—bled continuously, yet he remained silent. The city streets cracked and split, and the six broken swords still exuded sword qi, upheld by their smooth sword embryos. Six thick sword qi beams, as thick as an adult man’s thigh, stood between heaven and earth, vaguely accompanied by the sound of bells and drums, echoing and stirring. The single line between heaven and earth was like a grinding millstone, narrowing to just enough space for one person. Dust and stones flew, and the sky darkened, yet the six sword embryos could not be destroyed on the spot. This time, when the sword pool sect leader emerged from seclusion and returned to the long-missed martial world, he did not carry much of a high-profile demeanor, merely changing into a new pair of plain green cloth shoes. Now, the soles, made of multiple layers of cloth glued together and stitched, were already worn down halfway. This made Song Nianqing feel a slight regret. He had devoted his entire life to the sword path, never indulging in romantic feelings. He had only maintained a respectful distance from the quiet woman who had married into the sword pool. Yet, for some reason, at this critical moment of life and death, he suddenly recalled the night when he lifted her veil. By candlelight, her shy face was illuminated. All these years, he had kept his feelings in check, never realizing when she slowly turned into an old woman with white hair or when she had personally made these shoes. When they parted ways, she had handed him his luggage, which he had regarded as a woman’s natural duty in managing a household. Only now did he realize that if he had taken the luggage back then, called her by her little name, and thanked her, it would have been much better.
Song Nianqing recalled many past events. In his prime, he carried twelve swords and, full of vigor, went to Wudi City to challenge the number one swordsman in the world.
She had said nothing when he left home, only giving him a gentle smile as she carefully adjusted his clothes and saw him off at the door, standing there without waiting for him to look back. Later, when Song Nianqing returned home, he coldly passed her by at the doorstep. She wanted to speak but held back, only offering a clean, uncomplaining smile, showing no Grievance or resentment.
In the past, Song Nianqing had always felt a bit gloomy about his choice, wondering how he had ended up with such a dull and uninteresting woman, who could not match his sword.
This fleeting moment of fatal hesitation should have disrupted Song Nianqing’s momentum, but unexpectedly, in that moment of hesitation, for the first time in his life, he felt a pang of guilt. Song Nianqing felt that his sword heart had become as clear as crystal in an instant.
Outside the city, over a hundred sword pool swordsmen, each carrying large sword cases on their backs, had been riding around the city in a circle before Luoyang made her move. Wherever they passed, flying swords emerged from their cases, hovering in the air outside the walls, not falling. Outside the city, nearly a thousand swords were suspended, forming a majestic sword formation with a mighty sword aura.
However, the sword pool swordsmen who had halted their horses looked at each other in confusion because the swords hanging outside the walls simultaneously fell to the ground, losing their qi connection. The sect leader seemed to have completely abandoned the idea of using the sword formation. But shouldn’t this sword formation be the sect leader Song Nianqing’s fourteenth hidden sword? Given the sect leader’s personality, he would never choose to stand still and wait for death when facing a strong enemy. Since the sect leader had always regarded the martial emperor, Wang Xianzhi, as his ultimate rival, even if he encountered a rare strong opponent within the city, he should not end up like this. For a moment, the sword pool swordsmen who had stopped their horses felt a strong sense of crisis. However, as the sword pool swordsmen perceived the continuously rising sword intent within the city according to their cultivation levels, they showed signs of surprise and joy.
Song Nianqing looked down at the soles of his shoes and smiled slightly, allowing the six threads of sword qi to dissipate in the grinding millstone. He let the flying debris and rolling stones hit his face, lightly stepping on the only remaining intact street surface, and heavily exhaled a breath of turbid air. Finally, he could no longer suppress the blood rising in his throat and spat it out in front of him, soon obscured by dust.
Song Nianqing softly said, “It’s time for me to walk the martial world for you.”
Song Nianqing stepped on the ground and began to sprint.
The final sword, and the final journey through the martial world.
Song Nianqing himself became the sword.
Song Nianqing’s single line of sword clashed with Luoyang’s single line of sword.
Song Nianqing’s clothes and skin were as if being cut by thousands of knives, becoming bloodied and blurred, but the great sword master was completely unaware, laughing heartily as he dashed forward like a green rainbow.
Abandoning the grand sword formation of a thousand swords, he exchanged it for a sword immortal strike that seemed inexplicable to outsiders.
This sword strike was unparalleled in the world, tearing apart the heavens and earth that Luoyang had brought together. The sky darkened, clouds and fog swirled, and Song Nianqing’s sword qi was like a painting of immortals riding dragons. Song Nianqing himself was not visible, only the sword qi twisting and turning, with thunder and lightning crackling, and clouds and rain pouring down.
Luoyang, who had not expected Song Nianqing to have such a sword strike, focused her mind, her qi flowing eight hundred miles in an instant. The three mystical techniques of King Kong, Mystic Revelation, and Celestial Phenomena were forged into one, clearly intending to forcefully prove that Song Nianqing’s death-defying sword strike could not seriously injure her.
In fact, even though the two were still several feet apart, Song Nianqing was already almost dead.
However, his dying breath soared to the heavens, and his sword qi continued to grow stronger and more powerful.
Luoyang pushed forward with both hands, her sleeves torn, her long black hair blown into disarray, as if wrestling with a dragon, her feet constantly sliding backward.
At this critical moment.
Outside the city, a bolt of thunder exploded into the city.
The speed was so fast that when the thunder entered the city, two sword pool riders were caught up in it, their horses lifted into the air and flying into the city. The thunder broke through the wall, but the two swordsmen, along with their horses, directly collided with the wall at human height, with two loud bangs, turning into two pools of blood. They had no chance to fight back and died instantly.
Luoyang reluctantly turned her head eastward, her eyes revealing a trace of unwillingness and anger.
That bolt of thunder, deeply attuned to the resonance of heaven and earth and thus excellently concealed, arrived in the blink of an eye.
Luoyang gritted her teeth, and two large fish of Qingchi struggled to reveal himself. a small part of their ethereal bodies, trying to use them to block Liu Haoshi’s well-timed ambush.
A white shadow almost coincidentally rushed to Luoyang’s side with Liu Haoshi, enduring the full force of the Heaven’s Will realm’s attack.
Even though this reckless person managed to gain only a moment’s worth of time, Liu Haoshi had already passed Luoyang and her sword qi.
Liu Haoshi was furious. After weighing his options, he did not pursue the white-clothed devil who had missed the best opportunity to severely injure him, but instead rushed toward the little bastard who had ruined his plans.
From the city to the western part, a distance of four or five miles, the figure’s back crashed through countless walls. Before the last city wall, Liu Haoshi extended his five fingers like a hook, as if pulling something out of the person’s body. With the other hand, he pushed forward, sending the person flying from inside the city to outside.
Liu Haoshi coldly crushed the faint threads of qi in his hand, like a lotus swaying in the wind, sarcastically saying, “Overestimating your abilities! Daring to ruin my plan of killing two birds with one arrow, I will not only make you die, but I will also make you lose everything before your death!”
A piercing, mournful cry from a woman echoed from within the city, making Liu Haoshi inexplicably shudder with unease.
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