Chapter 690: A Touch of Madness

Chen Changsheng watched Qing Tianyou's sudden arrival and couldn't help but laugh.

It was a laugh straight from the heart.

Seeing him laugh, Qing Tianyou stood there in a daze.

It took him a long moment to recover.

"Brother Chen..."

It had been a long time since Chen Changsheng had heard anyone call him that.

Chen Changsheng nodded. "It has been a long time."

Qing Tianyou leaped lightly into the air, tossing aside all the trivial matters behind him, and landed by Chen Changsheng's side.

He was overwhelmingly excited.

"You're still alive!"

"You're still alive! Hahaha! Brother Chen, you're still alive!"

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng smiled helplessly. "Did you want me dead?"

"No, no, of course not."

Qing Tianyou laughed heartily. "It's just so wonderful to see you again, Brother Chen!"

Watching this unfold, Zhu Wuneng fell into thought.

So this was the real reason Feng Feiyu had spared Qing Tianyou back then.

It all made sense.

Among the pavilions, the others also snapped back to their senses.

Long Rong looked toward Hu Shilan. "With your Cultivation Base, why bother competing with the rest of us?"

"What does a high Cultivation Base matter?" Hu Shilan replied. "If the heavens abandon you, you still won't escape the great calamity in the end."

Long Rong furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

Hu Shilan offered a calm smile but did not answer.

She glanced around. "There are exactly eleven of us here, but only eight Investiture Scroll seats for the human dao remain. How should we divide them?"

"My sister and I can count as one," Xue Ling said.

"That still leaves two extra," Hu Shilan said.

Long Rong kept her brows furrowed but stayed silent.

She knew all too well that in front of this fox demon, she was nothing more than an ant.

Little Beggar stepped forward. "I can back out. I have no interest in an Investiture Scroll seat. But I have one condition."

Hearing this, Yan Qun asked, "And what might that condition be?"

"Acknowledge the name of the Buddhist Schools," Little Beggar said.

Yan Qun frowned. That was indeed a condition he could not agree to.

Zhu Wuneng sneered. "Just as I thought, a bald donkey from the Buddhist Schools!"

On the shore, Chen Changsheng listened to their exchange.

He turned to Qing Tianyou and asked, "Do you want an Investiture Scroll seat too?"

Qing Tianyou paused, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "I don't necessarily have to have one, but I need to find a way forward."

"After joining the Investiture Scroll, you would be bound to seek blessings for the human dao," Chen Changsheng said. "Given your temper, that isn't a viable long-term plan. If you can trust This Chen, This Chen will find you another way later."

"There's another way?" Qing Tianyou asked.

Chen Changsheng nodded. "Naturally."

"Then I will trust you, Brother Chen."

He didn't even hesitate before stepping forward and calling out, "I'm out too! I'll just be here to watch the show."

Hu Shilan paused at his words. She couldn't help but glance at Mister Qingshan standing beside him, and sudden realization dawned on her.

She nodded, then looked back at the crowd. With a glance toward Little Beggar, she said, "If we agree to his condition, then we have exactly enough seats."

Zhu Wuneng snorted coldly. "Easy for you to say! Have you forgotten how the Demon Domain was destroyed, Hu Shilan? Or have you been a traitor all along? Did you collude with Feng Feiyu and play a part in ruining it?"

"I refuse to agree to this. I'd rather be sworn enemies with the Buddhist Schools to the bitter end."

Seeing him take the lead, Tu Hu chimed in, "I won't agree either."

In this current era, the Mysterious Gate was clearly at the height of its power. If they acknowledged the Buddhist Schools, they would undoubtedly face endless trouble down the line.

"Then what do you propose?" Hu Shilan asked.

Zhu Wuneng looked toward the incense Ritual Cauldron. "Wouldn't it be better to just kick one out? Why even consider that mortal? If we get rid of him, we'll have exactly the right number."

Several gazes fell upon the ox demon and Shangguan Ningjing.

Instantly, Shangguan Ningjing's expression grew solemn.

He opened his mouth, hesitating.

In truth, given the current situation, giving up was clearly his best option.

Yet he could not quite reconcile himself to it.

It was not just his heart that refused to yield; his sword would not accept it either.

As a swordsman, the one thing he could not afford was a cowardly heart. If he walked away now, an obsession would take root in his mind, his sword would be ruined, and his martial path would be over.

"Little Brother Shangguan."

Old Ox spoke up just then. "Are they trying to chase you away?"

Shangguan Ningjing nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I look like the weakest."

"So what will you do?"

"Fight."

He either had to leave or fight.

Shangguan Ningjing wanted to try.

Old Ox understood. He met the crowd's gazes and said, "Hey, what kind of behavior is this, bullying a mortal?"

"Why is a mortal trying to join the fun in the first place?" Zhu Wuneng asked coldly.

Old Ox frowned. "You..."

Shangguan Ningjing held him back, shaking his head. "There's no need. It's just a fight. If I lose, I lose."

"Are you joking?" Old Ox said. "You're a mortal! If you fight them, you won't survive!"

Frantic, Old Ox stood up along the edge of the Ritual Cauldron. "This Little Brother Shangguan helped me out. Aren't you just one person over? How about I drop out? I only came here to test my luck anyway."

Tu Hu was taken aback. This stupid ox... he thought.

Shangguan Ningjing blocked his path and snapped, "This is none of your business!"

With that, a sharp metallic ring echoed.

Shangguan Ningjing drew the sword from his waist.

"Who's first?"

Old Ox froze, staring at him in shock.

Standing atop the Ritual Cauldron, Shangguan Ningjing swept his gaze over the demons before him.

Back on the shore.

Watching this, Ruyi couldn't help but say, "This..."

"Isn't this like throwing an egg at a rock? He has no chance of winning at all."

"He isn't drawing his sword for the Investiture Scroll," Chen Changsheng said. "He is doing it for himself."

"Huh?"

Ruyi blinked, visibly confused.

"The greatest taboo for a swordsman is not daring to draw his weapon, admitting defeat without a fight," Chen Changsheng explained. "If he were to truly surrender today, his sword heart would shatter, and he would be doomed to decline."

Ruyi raised an eyebrow, still uncomprehending. "But what's the point? If he draws his sword, he might end up losing his life."

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Those who practice the sword are the greediest and the most arrogant of all. For the sake of the blade in their hand, they dare to challenge anything. More often than not, it is a matter of deciding both victory and life and death. This is the logic of a swordsman. It is also why, even though the sword is inherently weaker than most armaments, it still ranks first among them. Sometimes, its very purpose of existence is simply to fight for that number one spot."

Ruyi seemed to partly understand. At least in her eyes, a sword wasn't a particularly handy weapon. Not only was it light and short, but its lethal force was also far inferior to other weapons.

It wasn't that she looked down on swords.

But that was simply the truth. Generally speaking, the sword's popularity relied on its light weight and ease of carrying, as well as its status as a symbol of identity and rank. In actual combat, it truly was lacking.

And that was why, more often than not, most swordsmen had a touch of madness in them.