Chapter 85

Update time: August 17, 2012

As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Li Lao Tou's sudden sword strike that split the sky seemed to indicate a return to the pinnacle of martial arts, but there was no surprise or joy. He swayed back to the bow of the boat, tossed Xiu Dong back to Xu Fengnian, and gazed at the river and the stone cliffs. It seemed he had resolved some inner conflict, and he gave a bitter smile before silently entering the cabin.

Lu Qiantang, who was practicing heavy sword techniques by the river, was frightened by the sword strike. He finally remembered the carefree senior who had once walked on the waves at the head of the Guangling River. Not to mention Lu Qiantang, even Wei Shuyang, who had given up the sword for Daoism at an advanced age, could not help but be moved. How could any young man not want to emulate the elegance of Li Jian Shen, the sword god? Deng Tai Ah was indeed the new sword god, but he was far less awe-inspiring and convincing than Li Chun Gang. Deng Tai Ah was more like a half-immortal, half-demon, a celestial being a million miles away. After his debut, he had few encounters, only clashing with a few like Wang Xianzhi and Cao Guanzi. Afterward, only fragmented rumors circulated, leaving people to savor and ponder.

But the old Li Jian Shen had earned his towering reputation one sword strike at a time, especially his love and hate entanglements with various women, which sparked endless fantasies and aspirations among later generations. For example, the old Daoist Wei Shuyang remembered that when Li Chun Gang was at the peak of his martial arts, a poetess who admired his transcendent demeanor had written countless poems praising him. She said he could shatter the first peak of Zhongnan with his flying sword, that the green snake in his sleeve was bold, and that his three-foot sword was as majestic as the sword of the Immortal Lu, showing the world his righteousness. All of this was in the past. She had long since aged and turned white-haired, and had been buried in a lonely grave, her poems burned before her death.

In the world where Li Jian Shen still existed, there were countless women like her, but he never chose any of them. Many people and events from that era had faded away.

Shu Xiu, who had always been fearless, broke into a sweat at the nose. She watched the river close up, the boat gradually stop swaying, and turned to look at Lu Qiantang, asking in a trembling voice, "Is this old man really a senior who could match the immortal Qi Xianzhen?"

Even though Qi Xianzhen had ascended to immortality decades ago, and even though he was not a Longhu Mountain Daoist, all later generations dared not call him by his name, referring to him only as Immortal Qi. This was the power of a Celestial Phenomenon.

Lu Qiantang, whose soul had almost been shaken apart by the sword strike, said in a deep voice, "You still don't know who he is?"

Shu Xiu, though nearly thirty, had a certain innocence and playfulness, perhaps due to her expertise in seduction or her natural disposition. She pouted and said, "How would I know? The old senior can't be Deng Tai Ah, can he?"

Lu Qiantang, annoyed by the sword strike's profundity and his inability to discern its secrets, and disliking Shu Xiu's affected manner, spoke more harshly, "A southern barbarian, just a frog at the bottom of a well!"

Shu Xiu brushed her hair behind her ear, turned her head, and said with a coquettish smile, "Oh, is Dong Yue not a barbarian land? If the old senior is so remarkable, why does our Sword God Lu look up to him so much?"

Lu Qiantang turned his head darkly. What kind of sword god was he? Did this woman from the southern barbarian region really want to taste the edge of the Red Mist Sword?!

Wei Shuyang, who was nearby, shook his head and did not speak to mediate. He walked directly to the young prince, Xu Fengnian, who was sitting at the bow of the boat, having unsheathed his twin knives and placed them aside. He was playing with Jingang and Pusa, whose tongues had natural barbs that left a series of tiny scratches when they licked. Xu Fengnian, unable to withstand the endless antics of the siblings, not only suffered minor injuries but also had his ivory-white silk cuffs torn to shreds. He then picked up the Chunlei knife, letting the young male Jingang hold it with all four claws, swinging it in the air. It was clear that the male was more lively. Wei Shuyang, unable to stand while speaking to the seated young prince, sat cross-legged and sighed deeply, "Your Highness, this old Daoist, in his old age, has had the good fortune to read the Wudang 'Cantong Qi.' Today, I have also witnessed the old sword god Li's incredible feat of splitting the river by two hundred feet. I can die without regrets now."

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Grandpa Wei, tell me, was that sword strike at the Finger Reality or Celestial Phenomenon level?"

Wei Shuyang shook his head, "It had the aura of a terrestrial immortal. This old Daoist dares not make presumptions about the old sword god."

Xu Fengnian leaned against the wooden wall and joked, "Wouldn't that sword strike be able to pierce hundreds of armor? If two armies were facing off, and there were three or four Li Lao Tous, leading the charge and cutting down enemies, how could the battle be fought?"

Wei Shuyang smiled, "Your Highness, in a hundred years of the martial world, how many Li Jian Shens have there been? How many Finger Reality or Celestial Phenomenon experts would be willing to be bound by military discipline? Being in the military is not suitable for cultivation."

Xu Fengnian nodded, "Indeed, who could make Wang Xianzhi or Deng Tai Ah lead the charge? In the wars of the Spring and Autumn period, it was said that the sword-skilled uncle of the Western Shu kingdom fought to the death, cutting down six hundred iron cavalry, but could not withstand the subsequent elite cavalry and died in the battle. The martial world is like the Yanzi River, with hidden reefs beneath the water and peaks competing above. Everyone has their moment to shine, and some, like Lü Dongxuan, stand out even more. The military, which is designed for war, is like the vast waters we are in, where hundreds of rivers converge. Unless you are a war hero like Xu Xiao, you will be overwhelmed by the masses. Before Xu Xiao led his army to trample the martial world, martial artists and soldiers looked down on each other, and it was hard to say who was superior. Now, the martial world lacks the confidence to challenge the military. Longhu Mountain was granted the leadership of the entire Daoist community, and the Two Zen Temples produced a black-robed monk who was friends with the emperor, reviving the decline of Buddhism. The three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism continue to stand as equals, with their high-ranking members striving to transcend the world. When they occasionally intervene, they cause a great stir, but they quickly retreat. In Xu Xiao's army, there are few martial artists from the martial world who hold military commands."

Wei Shuyang seemed lost in the aftereffects of the old sword god and the sword strike, but his face was full of joy, like a child with a string of candy. It was hard to imagine that with Wei Shuyang's status in the Nine Doudi Dao and his advanced age, he could still have such a childlike heart. Regardless of Li Chun Gang's disheveled appearance, Wei Shuyang only remembered the three sword strikes: the water bead breaking the water armor, the small umbrella making a sword god kneel, and today's immortal sword. To the old Daoist, these truly deserved the praise of "the green snake in the sleeve is bold."

Jiang Ni, unable to defeat the two young beasts, found the river view less appealing and returned to the cabin in a huff. She saw Li Lao Tou sitting silently in a chair, half asleep. Jiang Ni picked up a secret manual and read it absentmindedly, then asked softly, "Are you planning to teach him how to wield a saber?"

Li Chun Gang raised his eyelids and chuckled, "Teaching him a few basic moves is fine. I'm giving him a good face, not just for him, but so you can suffer less bullying. But remember, if you agree to practice the sword with me, even if Xu Xiaoye becomes a master of the saber, you can still kill him."

Jiang Ni hesitated and changed the subject, "Your sword skills seem really terrifying."

Li Lao Tou laughed, "Jiang girl, will you stop saying I'm boasting now? But to be honest, that sword strike was a rare occurrence, with all the right conditions. In the world, there are many unsatisfactory things, and how many can be shared with others? So, people strike millions of swords, but the immortal sword of a sword god is rare. And the realm of a sword god cannot be sustained. I'm now very open-minded. I don't aspire to be a terrestrial immortal. I just want to pass on everything I know to you. If I teach you the sword, you might become a female sword god, which would be good for my reputation."

Jiang Ni said calmly, "Then you should teach him how to wield a saber."

The old man was not bothered and muttered to himself, "Lü Zu once wrote a poem as a warning to future sword practitioners: 'The three-foot sword in the scabbard does not often ring, and will not be passed on unless it finds a worthy successor.' I deeply agree. In my life, I have met countless young sword practitioners, some with extraordinary talent and insight, but none matched my temperament. Even if you were Deng Tai Ah, you wouldn't learn my Two Sleeves of Green Snakes. The Wu family's sword tomb seeks the ultimate sword techniques, looking down on all sword moves in the world, but they admire my ultimate skills. Not only in sword intent, which is unparalleled, but also in sword techniques, which are at the peak of perfection. They once admitted they were inferior..."

Jiang Ni frowned, sighed heavily, put down the book, and glared, "Again?!"

Li Chun Gang scratched the divine talisman dagger in his hair, looking slightly embarrassed. Anyone else would have treated his words as imperial edicts, but this stubborn girl was not buying it. Li Chun Gang was not annoyed, picked up a handful of walnuts from the table, and walked out of the cabin, ignoring the boatman who almost knelt to him, the reverence of Lu Qiantang and other martial artists, and the fear of some Northern Liang light cavalry. He walked to Xu Fengnian and Wei Shuyang, sat down casually, and kicked the young Jingang, who had fallen from the Chunlei knife, away. The sister Pusa, wanting to avenge her brother, dug four small holes with her sharp claws and growled. Xu Fengnian reached out to hold the protective little one, who turned her head, looking委屈 (wronged), and Xu Fengnian smiled, shaking his head. The young female Jingang, full of spirit, ran to comfort her brother.

The old sword god wondered, "Did the kid step in dog shit? Where did he find these beasts, as fierce as Qi Xianzhen's black tiger? In a few years, they could match a first-rate expert. Too bad you can't live for two or three hundred years like them."

Xu Fengnian was more puzzled and asked, "Do you need something from me?"

The old man casually threw the walnuts on the deck and said sternly, "Kid, that morning at the Qingyang Palace, your three-foot cat's saber skills were really annoying. Draw the thinner Xiu Dong knife and do as I say."

Xu Fengnian did not hesitate, sat up straight, and drew the Xiu Dong knife, which was thinner than a cicada's wing. Xiu Dong was longer and thinner than Chunlei, making it more challenging to control the saber force. Even a slight deviation could cause a significant error. Later, White Fox Face lent him Chunlei, likely because he saw through Xu Fengnian's hidden left-handed saber skills and because Chunlei was better suited for a powerful heavy saber. With the deep foundation of the Great Yellow Court and a year of saber practice, Xu Fengnian had a solid grasp of martial arts. Using Chunlei now, he could complement his skills, showing his deep consideration and acknowledging Xu Fengnian as a friend. Xu Fengnian naturally cherished this rare friendship.

Xu Fengnian drew Xiu Dong and, seeing the old sword god silent, asked hesitantly, "What next?"

Wei Shuyang was even more cautious, knowing this was the old sword god. Though Li Chun Gang had lost to Wang Xianzhi, Wei Shuyang had given up the sword and entered the mountains to cultivate Daoism in anger. But in his generation, no matter how powerful and famous Deng Tai Ah was, he could not match the old Li Jian Shen's respect. You, Deng Tai Ah, beat Li Jian Shen? You never even fought him, so how can you be a sword god?!

Li Chun Gang yawned and told Xu Fengnian to suspend the knife at a fixed height, impatiently saying, "Kid, try to break the walnut on the floor with your finger."

Xu Fengnian adjusted his breathing, squinted, and extended his finger. A clear "ding" sounded, and Wei Shuyang, watching intently, saw the Xiu Dong knife bend into an arc, but it was still a finger's length from the walnut. Xu Fengnian was not discouraged, lightly brushed the knife, found the right spot, and flicked it. The Xiu Dong instantly bent into a full moon, and with a "ding" and a "bang," the walnut was shattered, leaving a mark on the deck.

Wei Shuyang instinctively wanted to stroke his beard but realized the old sword god was present and did not dare. However, he was very impressed with the young prince's finger flick. Not everyone could make a thin knife like Xiu Dong bend with such resilience.

The old man, supporting his chin, continued, "Next, try to crush the walnut without leaving a mark on the floor."

Xu Fengnian frowned slightly, not rushing to flick, but instead caressed the Xiu Dong knife. On Wudang Mountain, he had studied the sword techniques in the "Lushuiting Jiazi Xijian Lu" and carved chess pieces, gaining much insight. This early awareness of controlling the internal energy flow for the most basic saber force was crucial. Crushing the walnut without affecting the deck was not just about adjusting the force. It was similar to a high-ranking sword expert's seemingly simple strike that contained countless intricate moves. The timing and location of the force release, and the exact amount of force, were all complex and profound. Xu Fengnian did not flick, and the old man, supporting his chin, waited, casually picking up a walnut and flicking it to the floor, sucking it into his mouth and saying indistinctly, "Kid, hurry up, I don't have time to watch you daydream."

Xu Fengnian smiled bitterly, focused, and flicked his finger. The arc was still full, with a mysterious beauty, and the walnut shattered, but the floor left a slight mark.

After several attempts, the result was the same.

The old sword god looked disdainful, "You wasted your time reading the 'Qianjian Caogang.' Do you listen to stories like this? You're wasting Jiang girl's saliva."

Xu Fengnian closed his eyes, recalling the scene of the water bead turning into a sword.

The old man stood up, patted his buttocks, and coldly laughed, "When you succeed, stack two walnuts and remember to crush the bottom one while keeping the deck and the top walnut intact. But I doubt you, with your poor insight, can even do this simple task. If you can't, don't practice the saber with Lu Qiantang."

Xu Fengnian was silent, deep in thought. The old man, thinking he looked like the Wu family's seated sword, became even more irritable and walked back into the cabin without looking back.

Wei Shuyang quietly left the bow, not wanting to disturb him.

Sitting there until dusk, then until the moon rose.

Late at night, Yu Youwei came to drape a coat over Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian only pointed to the scattered walnut pieces on the floor, and Yu Youwei immediately brought another handful, stacking them in front of him.