Chapter 45

Preparation

Zheng Yanxin thought it was not good. It was a harsh world. Arrogance was an emotion that shortened one's life.

It was not a sentiment to harbor before tasting the fruit.

One should not truly believe oneself to be a genius just because others regard one as such.

"Please give me the fruit. I will do anything."

He gave himself a subtle suggestion, recalling the deep green eyes that curved with the smile of the Ruler of Yihuang City.

A feeling as if falling into an abyss.

While repeating in his heart the request for the fruit of the Heavenly Tree, the hall's door opened.

* * *

It was said to be something that never existed. There were rumors that the Crown Prince had personally requested it.

Some sharp seniors talked about it.

Since there was no reason for a private audience with the beautiful and talented, the Crown Prince used the pretext of praising the sword to meet her.

"You are the blue-robed martial artists who have just advanced in rank."

Zheng Yanxin met the third heaven of the Ming Dynasty.

Even Dao Youyuan did not need to advise him, as he was already known for his capriciousness.

"I am the Crown Prince of this country."

He was a handsome young noble with an extremely handsome appearance.

His ears were familiar, like the tip of a fine sword. Perhaps he was a little over five feet tall.

He seemed to be about the same height as Zheng Yanxin, who had grown significantly recently.

His eyes, under thick eyebrows, held a dark lightning.

He seemed to exist alone in the bright sunlight that streamed in from the side.

There was a natural dignity in his gaze as he scanned the blue-robed martial artists who were showing respect.

Perhaps it was the aura of someone born to rule the world.

Although he had said they could raise their heads, Zheng Yanxin was the only one who actually did.

'Not as if I can build up his reputation for him.'

Even the Emperor, who possessed a lofty martial art, treated the Ruler of Yihuang City with the courtesy due to a monarch.

It was said that she had taught martial arts to the current Emperor and Crown Prince.

The old Grand Tutor of the Great Ming, even the authority of the Crown Prince could not influence the fruit of the Heavenly Tree, so this meeting was meaningless to Zheng Yanxin.

Zhongxin also thought so. It was something to be seen in the future.

'Soon, I should ask the Ruler for guidance. Perhaps I should ask for a heart technique.'

While lost in thought, his gaze suddenly met another. The very black eyes held a strange curiosity.

"It's you."

The Crown Prince of the Great Ming spoke.

"Can you play music with a sword?"

"······?"

"There are many famous swordsmen who can make their swords sing. Sword songs are different. They are in the realm of controlling inner energy. It is said that one must have a natural sense to turn sword sounds into music."

While silent at the seemingly unrelated words, the Crown Prince suddenly laughed heartily.

"I heard your talent is outstanding, so I wanted to see for myself. Aren't we of the same age?"

His words and demeanor exuded an incredible sense of self-worth.

It felt as if he believed no one in the world could do anything to him.

"I have rarely had what I possess taken away. Interest is even rarer. But it seems the Grand Tutor has taken notice of you. I felt it too, even while studying here. Envy arose in my heart."

"···I am honored."

"No. It is my fault. As the Crown Prince of the Son of Heaven, it should not happen. It is a flaw, an imperfection. I wanted to confirm your talent. Perhaps this shame could be diluted a little."

The Crown Prince's eyes were very straight.

He seemed to possess a peerless martial art, with the unique gaze of a master, but there was something more.

'Pride.'

Zheng Yanxin thought.

The Wuzhemiao of the Zhongnan Sect is called the Sword Dragon, but this person might be described simply as a dragon.

There was a reason why the Crown Prince and the Prince were addressed as 'Your Highness' in the Ming Dynasty.

He had no idea. The bloodline that encompassed the world was like this.

"However, it seems you have high hopes. Sword songs are one of the most luxurious entertainments in the world. It's a matter that only makes sense to the royal family, so how could I ask you? I only heard it from my father, the Crown Prince. I am sorry and ashamed."

The Crown Prince, who had smiled slightly, turned his back and folded his arms.

"Everyone, go back. It was a pleasant meeting."

* * *

"How was His Highness the Crown Prince? I've only seen him from a distance."

He had just finished all his arrangements.

Xin Sobin pushed his small face forward. Ma Guangyi and the others were waiting in the bedroom without even entering.

The grand martial hall was set up like a banquet hall. Perhaps it was the strength of Yihuang City's Ma Guangyi.

"Well, he dismissed us too quickly."

Zheng Yanxin gave a vague answer. The fragrant smell of the banquet seemed to stimulate his dantian.

After going through an unprecedented event, his hunger was even greater.

Today, Zheng Yanxin had no choice but to drink. Even if he was concerned about cultivating his inner energy, it was still the case. Ma Guangyi had brought it after much deliberation.

Xiao Xingzhu.

A precious wine that had come from Zhejiang to Yangyang.

Xian Yuanchang had rushed to Yangyang's best tavern to get it.

'Is this tasty?'

His colleague's feelings and the taste of the wine were separate matters.

After taking a sip of the wine with Zheng Ming's praise, Zheng Yanxin couldn't help but frown.

The seniors chuckled. Even the junior Xin Sobin looked at him as if he were a child.

"You are blue-robed."

"It's too short a time to call it a generational gap."

"Your achievements are significant. You were terrified during the Eight Fiendish Nalas Sword, and the Seven Demon Swords' eyes were..."

They chattered noisily.

The high-ranking martial artists of Yihuang City, who were revered by the world, were no different from commoners when they drank.

In the midst of this, Zheng Yanxin recalled the task the Crown Prince had given him.

The task was purely Zheng Yanxin's idea. It seemed a certain line of inspiration had sparked his interest.

'Sword songs. Playing music with sword sounds.'

Since coming to Yihuang City, he had heard many rumors. Once, he heard a story about sound techniques.

It was a famous tale in the martial world.

A certain high-ranking master had played the seven-stringed zither to oppose a hundred enemies.

He had snapped the strings a few times, bursting the eardrums of his foes.

It wasn't hard to guess the subtleties.

'Inner energy.'

Ultimately, it was about internal energy. The question was how much utility one could extract from the inner energy carried in the air.

That was where the difference between high-level and low-level martial arts lay.

'Maybe I can also raise sound techniques with a sword.'

If successful, it would make dealing with multiple enemies easier.

"Drink!"

"The snacks are running out here!"

Was every drinking session like this?

Now the banquet was no longer a celebration for Zheng Yanxin. It seemed everyone was just enjoying themselves, which made him feel more at ease.

While appropriately indulging Xian Yuanchang's drunkenness, Zheng Yanxin began to conceive of sound techniques.

As the noisy day drew to a close, the moonlit night was warm.

* * *

There was still a schedule for the next day. This time, it was said to be a reward for advancing to the blue rank.

"Choose quickly. They are all famous swords."

The man was a bit taller than Zheng Yanxin's waist. He had a thick beard and short limbs.

However, his arms were incredibly thick.

The muscles visible on the surface seemed as strong as those of Zheng Yanxin, who had cultivated the Zhengjia Dònggōng.

"Still, shouldn't there be one that suits you?"

"Made to fit ten thousand people in the world. Any scoundrel should look at his own martial arts before blaming the weapon."

He felt the man's lips, hidden by his beard, might be forming an expression of immense pride.

The armory of Yihuang City, which claimed to produce the best weapons in the world.

Zheng Yanxin met the Iron Clan for the first time.

A clan that had helped establish the country alongside the Ming Clan and settled in Central Plains. They received a completely different treatment from the Western Region's Sèmù people.

The royal family kept them hidden in Central Plains. The martial world did the same.

It was said that they were more known for their skills than their short stature.

'Since they can even forge new swords.'

Zheng Yanxin and Qing Ming swept through the armory. All the weapons looked extraordinary. It seemed he could choose any of them.

Qing Ming, with a smile, spoke.

"Still, you should be careful. This is your only reward for advancing. They say you can get something else when you become black-robed."

"Hey, Qing An Ma Jian. Is this kid really blue-robed? I can't believe it. I've never heard of such a case. Even if our clan is indifferent to the outside world, it's still..."

"Can't you tell by his clothes?"

When Qing Ming turned serious, the Iron Clan man fell silent.

The nickname Qing An Ma Jian seemed to be infamous among others. It was an unfamiliar sight to Zheng Yanxin.

He nudged Qing Ming's arm.

"Hmm?"

"How about that one?"

Zheng Yanxin pointed to a sword on the display. Both the blade and the scabbard were pure white.

In contrast to the Yihuang Sword he currently wore, which was black except for the blade, it seemed to offer a good contrast.

"Beiming (North Bright). It's a good one."

The Iron Clan man said, treating the sword almost like a person.

After seeking permission from the man, Zheng Yanxin approached and picked up the sword. After feeling the touch of the blade for a moment, he drew it out.

Swish.

A dazzling white blade with wave patterns shimmered. Zheng Yanxin infused his right hand with inner energy.

He immediately felt it was a supreme quality. The energy flowed smoothly and roamed the blade.

He brought the blade close to his body and stroked it with his left hand. Instantly, a faint green lightning sparkled in his eyes.

"With this, I can play music with sword sounds."

"You?"

The Iron Clan man chuckled. Perhaps because they presented weapons to the royal family, he seemed to know about sword songs.

"It's a divine skill that can only be dreamed of if you're not close to your weapon. Even a supreme master can't imitate it without innate talent. What's the point of talking about it with a sword you just picked up?"

"Quiet."

Qing Ming said.

Zheng Yanxin had already closed his eyes.

He knew without even wielding it.

How to move the sword, how to better cut through the air with subtle differences in sword paths.

It was a realm separate from skill.

It might take time to become as familiar with it as the Yihuang Sword, but he instantly felt what Beiming was like. It was a natural talent.

At that moment, a familiar aura approached from a considerable distance.

A noble feeling, as if about to ascend the sky. Was it the Crown Prince he had seen before?

A moment later, the Iron Clan man frowned.

"I told you to choose quickly. His Highness the Crown Prince is coming."

It wasn't a coincidence.

It was said that the royal family's movements were either completely unknown or known by everyone. Yihuang City was a gathering of supreme masters.

If the Crown Prince was not in seclusion or on a secret mission, anyone could know.

Zheng Yanxin had never seen the royal family's martial arts. He chose this time hoping to gain some inspiration.

"The Crown Prince. He's been moving around a lot lately?"

Qing Ming asked in a peculiar tone. The man nodded.

"After the Empress Consort's passing, it seems his heart was set on martial arts. He must be trying to soothe his heart through the sword."

"Empress Consort...?"

Zheng Yanxin repeated involuntarily.

He examined the Beiming Sword for a while. Then, he asked Qing Ming nonchalantly.

"When I gain the favor of His Highness the Crown Prince, can I get help from the capital's personnel? For example, when challenging the position of the new sword master."

"Of course, it would be better than having no connection. It's not a position you can reach by force alone."

Qing Ming's slightly smiling answer made Zheng Yanxin nod.

If so, it was good. He had already practiced with the Yihuang Sword. If he couldn't manipulate sword sounds, how could he create a sound technique that could handle a hundred enemies?

He stepped out of the armory.

Hum.

The moment he infused it with inner energy again, Beiming emitted a strange vibration.

A sound like a newly hatched dragon. Then, a straight and spreading song of the sword followed.

"What...!"

The Iron Clan man's voice of shock was drowned out by the sound.

* * *

The Great Ming was an empire born from the union of the Ming Dynasty's founder and the Ming Clan Empress.

The Ming Clan, revered as immortals, the bloodline from the Empress Consort's body had given rise to the immortality of her descendants.

The throne changed only through wars and assassinations.

The current Emperor was powerful. He had ruled for a long time without any issues.

Thanks to Yihuang City, world-class masters did not covet the royal family, and the Emperor became more at ease over time.

He had even taken on the Eighteen Arhats Formation alone to gain insight into Shaolin martial arts.

The Crown Prince had been a Crown Prince for decades. There was no clear reason for him to inherit the throne.

Zhu Lunming, the Crown Prince, was born late.

As the son of the Crown Prince, he had to watch his father lose his vigor.

The art his father demonstrated with a single sword to soothe his heart was the sword song. It had become invisible at some point.

"Sword songs."

Suddenly, the Crown Prince laughed. He was personally heading to the Yihuang City armory.

"Who else would cultivate such a luxurious hobby?"

After losing his mother, the Empress Consort, early, his monologues increased. Those who served him knew and did not react.

At that moment.

Under the fading twilight.

A boy in blue martial robes, with a green light cape fluttering, held a sword.

He had seen him before. Wasn't his name Zheng Yanxin?

The young swordsman whose movements the Crown Prince, who also admired the Ruler of Yihuang City, received daily reports about.

Was it intuition? A certain anecdote came to the Crown Prince's mind.

In the Spring and Autumn period, a master of music called someone a 'true listener.'

A friend who understood his performance better than anyone.

"Sword sounds...?"

The Crown Prince heard the vibration from the boy's sword. His steps quickened involuntarily.

And he saw. It felt as if his ears naturally opened.

Hummm-

The moan of a newly hatched dragon gradually turned into a dragon's growl.

There was a resonance that seemed to yearn for something distant. It was almost heart-wrenching.

The sword song, which seemed to rise from the dragon's throat, soon rewound the Crown Prince's old memories.

The father of his youth, the song of the sword.

As he pressed down his distant memories, he muttered like a sigh.

"Is there someone who can make me a true listener...?"