Chapter 37

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

After working out the time, it’s already been three months since Lei Kuiliang’s death. Bai Lianhua prepares to leave the remote forests and do some scouting.

To make himself inconspicuous he wrapped layers of fabric on the Sword of Inverse Springs before equipping it——The cooperation of the Sword must be thanked here, or with how sharp it is even cutting into metal like paper, this mere fabric wrapped tightly around it would definitely have been split into pieces.

Bai Lianhua, in praise of the Sword, decides to give it an encouraging rubbing.

System “…”

Host, do you think you’re soothing a little animal? You might as well say ‘good boy~’ while doing that… If I were the antagonist I would definitely have acted up and smacked your head with the back of the blade!

Sigh… Only this antagonist can end up so miserable in front of the host.

Bai Lianhua doesn’t dare approach where the military camp of Lei Kuiliang was before. He decides to leave the forest opposite the direction he came in.

Now’s the time to test his luck. See which location he’d end up in.

But when Bai Lianhua made his way across all the twists and turns to the edge of the forest, he has a sense of déjà vu…

Bai Lianhua is stunned. While thinking ‘no way,’ he walks out of the forest to find, to his abject hopelessness, the familiar little village.

Bai Lianhua “???”

He approaches it with disbelief, and then in front of that familiar house, he sees the Xiucai elder again.

What kind of destined encounter is this?

He also looks surprised, and stands up to greet him.

“Junior, you came back?”

Bai Lianhua gives a dry laugh.

I can’t tell you I don’t know what’s happened either, can I?

“Like I said, the capital was no good, wasn’t it?”

The elder recounts with a bit of drama to Bai Lianhua, “but it sure was a messy time. Right after you left for the capital, Lei Kuiliang was found dead. Then it became even more chaotic… What luck you have, huh.”

While he’s saying it’s become more chaotic, he still seems to be glad.

“Apparently even that evil Sword of Inverse Springs is missing.”

Bai Lianhua nods incessantly while holding back his cold sweat.

My man, shut it would you? That evil sword you’re speaking of is right here… I’m seriously worrying you’d irritate my dear antagonist here.

Bai Lianhua switches the topic, and like last time, prepares to lodge in the elder’s home for a few days again.

While chatting he tries to get more information from the elder, then he learned that in just these three months the power dynamic has changed dramatically.

Lei Kuiliang’s former forces are irrevocably dispersed.

Not only is there the imperial court that took this opportunity to press on them, revoking the General title that they granted under pressure and preparing to even the grudges with them, and even where Lei Kuiliang came from, in Jianghu, those organised adventurers of Wulin that were oppressed by Lei Kuiliang’s subordinates have also rebelled.

Besides them, there are also other factions moving beneath the surface trying to profit from this while looking for the whereabouts of the Sword of Inverse Springs.

While everyone is happily grabbing power or profiting and completely occupied, nobody paid attention to Bai Lianhua the nameless insignificant person and issue a warrant for him.

And regarding Lei Kuiliang’s death, the most commonly accepted story is that he’s killed in the ensuing infighting between his underlings. They even worked out the logic and timeline of this and everyone believes it. Nobody has offered alternative explanations.

Bai Lianhua is relieved.

The few days he spent in the village saw Bai Lianhua asking for the village craftsman to create a sheath for Zhong Xiutang-Sword of Inverse Springs so that it’s easier for him to move about. The moment he thought so though the Sword greatly shook its body to indicate its displeasure.

Bai Lianhua “…” Fine, my bad. It’s a Sword that’s well-known so you’d definitely not be able to deign and accept a sheath that’s neither elegant nor remarkable. Identity protection. I know. I’m sorry.

Later when I find an amazing craftsman I’ll order a sheath that is deserving of serving you alright?

…

Bai Lianhua doesn’t stop for long in the village this time either.

He decides to go see the world for himself. Speaking of which, because of the antagonists, he’s usually unable to spend time sightseeing the world. He can do that this time.

Sigh. He was a happy little shut-in who is satisfied with just a computer. Now great, because of the system he ended up in these weird worlds, and his values have become so twisted as to think having a trip is a great thing.

But who knows if it’s his debuff or something, Bai Lianhua discovers that he easily attracts the attention of unwanted people.

And frequently the type of unwanted people that’s super malicious. It’s been so much that Bai Lianhua is no longer spooked when he meets highway bandits and ruthless robbers… It can’t be helped he has such a bulliable face on; these people always saw him as an easy lamb.

And every single time he has to pull out the Sword of Inverse Springs calmly, and make them feel the fear of being pwned by what they saw as an obedient little sheep.

Bai Lianhua almost feels as if he’s like one of those great errant-martial artists that punish evil and promote good. He’s moral and honourable.

The system pops his dreams of prominence, “host, please understand that no errant-martial artist looks like this. They all exude an aura of righteousness… while host you look more suited to be the damsel in distress. In other words, the one that looks at the errant-martial artist with an embarrassed but expectant look.”

Bai Lianhua “…”

“Shut up, system… Do you want to be silenced again?”

What’s with the sudden truth bomb spoiling the mood.

…

No matter what, though, Bai Lianhua has certainly directly or indirectly saved many people while adventuring along.

For example, if he encountered a highway bandit and then followed up on their den he’d often discover abducted victims. Freeing them is always something good to his name.

Bai Lianhua also can’t help but think when looking at the Sword of Inverse Springs that doing good deeds like so will perhaps help recompense the killings the Sword has committed before.

He doesn’t know what Zhong Xiutang thinks. Though up until now the Sword has never seemed unwilling. In fact, it’s been helping him along.

Perhaps knowing that he has the bad habit of never able to personally kill people, so when they encounter someone more than those who do not deserve death and only needs a bit of a lesson, someone who deserves the death penalty, they always end up in a confused, insane state after being wounded by the Sword. They’d recount their unforgivable sins one by one before killing themselves on the scene.

Bai Lianhua was scared at first but then he recalls that Zhong Xiutang is an evil spirit that manipulates the heart using the Sword as his medium. Something like exploiting the mind of the enemy is simple for him.

Bai Lianhua “…” Uhh, well good job antagonist.

Though it’s also pretty cruel, it’s already much gentler than Zhong Xiutang’s previous way of doing things.

The system sighs in the back. This is all for you, you know.

Its host is talented like so, able to transform the antagonist into a completely different person Sword.

The evil weapon Sword of Inverse Springs has, in the hands of Bai Lianhua, transformed into a sword of protection——The opposite of its current uncanny appearance.

Thanks to the Sword drenched in blood red, Bai Lianhua can use it without reservations without anyone connecting the dots and figuring out it’s the one Sword in the legends.

Though there’s another thing. Zhong Xiutang doesn’t seem impressed with any sheaths at all.

There happens to be a famous craftsman among the people Bai Lianhua saved. The type that’s so famous across the land that evildoers caught him to make weapons for them.

The craftsman was so thankful to Bai Lianhua for saving his life that when he saw Bai Lianhua’s sword didn’t have a sheath he personally crafted one with exceptional materials and gave it to Bai Lianhua.

It was useless though. The Sword of Inverse Springs didn’t want to stay in it. It would rather be wrapped like a mummy with zero aesthetic sense in a piece of fabric by him.

Bai Lianhua is a bit unhappy. What a beautiful sheath that was, but Zhong Xiutang didn’t even like that one?

He decided to do it himself out of spite and randomly chopped up some wood, and with his woefully inadequate skills, he basically made a piece of wood with a horizontal hole in it. It might look really ugly but he decided that Zhong Xiutang will have to settle with this no matter what. He’ll not let the antagonist be picky again.

His worries turned out for nought, however, as the moment the hideous sheath is completed the Sword immediate slides into it. It seemed quite pleased as it stayed quiet inside, and even being extra careful every time it’s unsheathed, as if afraid of damaging the entry. It certainly seems to treasure it.

… What in the world is wrong with its aesthetic sense?

Bai Lianhua is speechless, but the system laments, “who do you think made this sheath personally?”

And that fabric ‘sheath’ earlier, the antagonist liked that because… host, you’d wrap it back up personally every single time with your two hands, you know?

The antagonists are all selectively blind. If it’s the host that’s made it, it’s the best thing ever no matter how ugly it is.

Bai Lianhua “…”

Uh, no thanks.

In unrelated news, according to the system, apparently Zhong Xiutang isn’t also always hiding inside the Sword. Sometimes he’d also appear when Bai Lianhua is deep in slumberland and spend some time outside.

He’d do nothing else but just look at him fixedly though.

Bai Lianhua can’t figure out why though.

… Still, with how much of a troublemaker Zhong Xiutang is, he’d expected he’d never be able to live like a shut-in inside the Sword.

But why not come out by day? Zhong Xiutang isn’t just any evil spirit that’d be afraid of sunlight… They could even have a chat or something, you know.

At the same time, though, Bai Lianhua is a bit relieved that he couldn’t know it when he’s asleep. Or if he’s stared at fixedly by the antagonist for several hours he’d be pretty embarrassed.

Anyway, after learning about this from the system, Bai Lianhua also tried staying up through the night waiting for Zhong Xiutang to show up. Then he’d pretend to sleep and open his eyelids a bit to see if Zhong Xiutang is there next to the Sword.

Nope. As long as he’s awake the antagonist would never appear.

Bai Lianhua feels dejected and also gives up… A white lotus would also have tantrums you know. Come see me if you want, then if you don’t, fine.

Just keep looking. No matter how much you look I’d never drop a piece of flesh out for you.

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