Chapter 45: Having Eyes But Failing to Recognize Sword Qi

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Having Eyes But Failing to Recognize Sword Qi

"Old man, I... I..." Lin Qingqing hesitated.

Wuu Liusheng shook his head and laughed. "I’ve tried every method I can think of, yet I still can’t manage to pass on the legacy of the world’s finest swordsman to you. I never expected you’d want to become a disciple of Dao Yi Mountain instead."

As Lin Qingqing’s expression turned troubled and guilty, he spoke again.

"But what does any of this have to do with you, little girl?"

Wuu Liusheng stood up and looked toward Dao Yi Mountain.

"You want to join Dao Yi Mountain. That’s your choice. I’m fond of you, girl, so I won’t force you. I came to Dao Yi Mountain this time to do what I must."

If he couldn’t find a worthy disciple, he would have to handle it himself.

His own master had been defeated by Chen Canxuan.

Now, Chen Canxuan was dead.

As Wen Taibai’s disciple, challenging Dao Yi Mountain’s new Sect Leader was completely justifiable, by any measure.

"But you’re already in the Grandmaster Realm, and a man of fifty at that," Lin Qingqing said, biting her lip.

"My future master is only in his twenties, with only Grandmaster Skill. Aren’t you just using your strength to pick on someone weaker?"

Wuu Liusheng sneered. "That only proves this ’master’ of yours is a disappointment. I was a blacksmith in a forge. I started practicing with the sword at thirty-five and reached the Grandmaster Realm in fifteen years. He, on the other hand, was personally taught by Chen Canxuan from a young age, backed by the world’s number one expert and the world’s number one Sect. And yet, he only has Grandmaster Skill now. Who is there to blame but himself!"

"I’ve been training in Martial Arts for less time than he has, and we’re of the same generation. You call that bullying?"

Beside them, Lin Baibai and Qii Zhengyi, who had also come hoping to become a disciple, were reeling from the story Wuu Liusheng told and the implications of what he was about to do.

Lin Baibai thought to himself, ’This old man’s words sound nice, saying his business has nothing to do with us. But he came with us. If the young Dao Yi Sect Leader loses to him, how could he possibly accept us as disciples? I see right through this Sword Crown’s intentions. He’s going to all this trouble just to take my sister as his disciple and pass on his Sword Path. When the time comes for them to duel in the Spirit Official Hall, the young Sect Leader, being only of the Grandmaster Realm, is sure to suffer a crushing defeat. And the old man will get to proudly show off his dashing style to my sister, his one sword breaking all techniques. But I have my father’s orders to learn the Great Yellow Court from Dao Yi Mountain and bring it back to Lin Family Castle. It’s a Superior Divine Skill that allows one to steadily cultivate to the First Grade Innate Realm. Countless people in the world would kill for it. But I’m weak and my words carry no weight right now. This old man doesn’t even respect Dao Yi Mountain as a whole, so what hope do I have of persuading him?’

Lin Baibai could only turn his gaze to his sister and Qii Zhengyi, who had tagged along with them.

Unexpectedly, Lin Qingqing just sighed and said, "Old man, I know you won’t listen to anything I say right now. Just... if you win, please don’t hurt him."

’The old man wants to take back his master’s sword. He’s waited twenty years for this day. What right do I have to stop him? Still, even if my young master loses to Wuu Liusheng, I’m still going to join Dao Yi Mountain. For no other reason than my father telling me day and night that the Great Yellow Court is the world’s number one Divine Skill.’

’A genius like me,’ Lin Qingqing thought, ’has to cultivate the Great Yellow Court, no matter what. Dao Yi Mountain is weak now, but that’s fine. Once my own cultivation is complete, I can support the sect. If I didn’t even have that much ambition, wouldn’t I be letting down old man Wuu Liusheng’s constant praise of my ’one-in-a-million’ aptitude?’

Lin Baibai saw that his sister had fallen silent.

And Qii Zhengyi, who had been sullen and quiet the entire journey, had even less courage to speak up.

Just then, a Daoist from Dao Yi Mountain arrived outside the Daoist Temple with a message.

"Guests from Lin Family Castle, the Sect Leader invites you to ascend the mountain after your midday meal."

At this, everyone turned to look at Wuu Liusheng.

The old man in the cotton-padded jacket gave the Little Daoist a cunning smile. "Trouble yourself to go inform the elders on your mountain. Tell them Wuu Liusheng, the Jiangnan Sword Champion, is here today to reclaim the Great River Sword. I challenge your Sect Leader, Chen Sha, to a duel in the first hall on the ascent—the Spirit Official Hall!"

The Little Daoist’s face went pale with fright upon hearing this.

Especially after the recent attack by the Extraordinary Nine Monsters, the Daoists on the mountain were as skittish as birds that had seen a bow. Not daring to delay, he immediately scrambled out of the Daoist Temple.

...

「On the mountain.」

Inside the Sect Leader’s Hall.

The Little Daoist’s message immediately brought many of the sect’s Elders, Song Yu, Yuu Miaolian, and Chen Sha together.

"Sword Crown Wuu Liusheng?"

Chen Sha sat on the Sect Leader’s throne, holding a teacup as he murmured to himself, "The Great River Sword? Isn’t that one of the Six Swords in the Box belonging to the Sword God Chu Yankai from fifty years ago? Does this mean the sword is on Dao Yi Mountain right now?"

"Sect Leader, you may not be aware..." an Elder immediately began to explain. "It happened twenty years ago. A Swordsman by the name of Wen Taibai came to the mountain to challenge the former Sect Leader. After he lost, that sword was hung up there."

Song Yu frowned. "I know of this Jiangnan Sword Champion, Wuu Liusheng. He is incredibly famous. In the Martial Arts world of the Zhao Country, he and Dugu Ba of the Dugu Family are known as the ’Southern Sword Champion and North Dugu.’ The two were unrivaled in their mastery of blades for a time. I never imagined he was the successor to Wen Taibai, the Swordsman from twenty years ago. And Wen Taibai was himself taught by the Elder Sword God, Chu Yankai. In terms of lineage, his is no less impressive than that of our Dao Yi Mountain."

From the Elders’ accounts, Chen Sha pieced together the history of this legendary figure—a swordsman once considered the strongest, his power ranked second in the world.

"What are your thoughts?"

One of the Elders hesitated. "Sect Leader, this man hails from the lineage of the great Chu Yankai and even wears one of his Six Swords in the Box. Now he wants to reclaim his master’s sword. This is a challenge we cannot refuse. We must fight him."

However, although the Sect Leader displayed terrifying strength when he fought the Extraordinary Nine Monsters, he himself admitted at the time that he was still some distance from becoming a true Grandmaster.

Now, a genuine Grandmaster had come to their door—and not just any, but the hugely famous Sword Crown of the Southern Martial Arts world of Zhao Country. To emerge from this battle unscathed would be difficult.

But they couldn’t let Chen Sha, as the Dao Yi Sect Leader, back down.

Wuu Liusheng’s master left his sword in the Spirit Official Hall because he was defeated. Now, his successor has come to retrieve it. If they were to avoid this fight, it would be a disgrace to the old Sect Leader’s memory, and the whole world would laugh at Dao Yi Mountain.

"Fine. Then I will fight him."

Chen Sha smiled and slowly rose to his feet.

As he stood, the many Elders in the hall, along with Song Yu and the others, rose as well.

Chen Sha took the lead, making his way to the first palace at the foot of the mountain.

The Spirit Official Hall.

On Dao Yi Mountain, the arrangement of divine statues was distinctive. The lower one went, the more it resembled the layout of other Daoism sects. But the higher one ascended toward the core of the mountain, the fewer statues there were. Even when statues were present, they merely flanked the path, leaving the central position conspicuously empty.

Inside the Spirit Official Hall, a twelve-foot-tall statue held a steel whip. It had a red face, red hair, and a third eye on its forehead. In Daoism, there is a saying, "three eyes to see all under heaven," which refers to this third eye of the Wang Spirit Official, capable of observing both the Netherworld and the Nine Heavens.

Chen Sha’s attention, however, was drawn to a spot above a pillar in the Spirit Official Hall. A longsword, covered in dust, hung there at an angle. Its blade was hidden in its scabbard, and it looked as if it had been ignored for ages, with nothing special about it.

’So that’s one of Chu Yankai’s Six Swords in the Box, the Great River Sword?’ he wondered.

Chen Sha couldn’t help but marvel aloud, "Our sect’s Spirit Official Hall is the closest to the common people. How could this sword hang here for twenty years without anyone recognizing its origin?"

Just as he was marveling at this, an old man’s voice drifted in from outside the Spirit Official Hall.

"It takes a discerning eye to recognize a pearl. How much more so for a Treasure Sword, a thousand times more precious than any Treasure Pearl? The six swords of my Sword God lineage—Great River, Manhood, Gentle Rain, Sparse Star, Fading Crimson, and Silver Lantern—are all famous blades. A famous sword has a spirit. When it meets a worthy owner, its edge is revealed. Without a worthy owner, its edge is concealed. The people of this age are vulgar, and there are too many blind men who only care for appearances. Naturally, they cannot see the astonishing Sword Qi within them."