Chapter 20

Recruited as a Sword Servant

Ruan Ci had obtained the sword for over three years now. The first half-year was the most painful; the sword intent pierced her body, and her visualization diagram was torn apart countless times, as if she had died countless times. Looking back now, Ruan Ci didn't know how she had endured it. But after the visualization diagram took shape, life became much easier. The East Flower Sword’s changes in length and weight were all to her liking and very comfortable in her hand, but she could never draw it out. Wang Panpan said it was likely because she had no magic power. How to break this deadlock would have to wait until she entered a sect and had the flourishing sect experts carefully examine it.

Although she couldn't draw the sword, she couldn't help but pay attention to various sword arts. In the Altar City, all mortal martial arts were common goods, very easy to obtain. Ruan Ci didn't feel they were anything rare; she could learn any sword art at a glance and master it upon practice. The people of the Altar City didn't pay attention to these mortal things, so no matter how fast she learned, they just treated it as a bit of fun. The people in the firm treated her well. Seeing that she started with a wooden sword, several assistants and refiners discussed it and casually forged a sword for her from the scraps of magic tools, saying that when she left the Altar City, this sword would be enough to protect her, and could even serve as an heirloom for a mortal martial arts family.

Ruan Ci naturally did not want to join the White Sword Sect, but it was not convenient to rebuff Assistant Li’s kindness. After pondering, she brought her sword out, cupped her hands, and said, "I have recently practiced a set of Sun-Piercing Sword Art. The manual is here; please, Immortal Master, give me your guidance."

This "Sun-Piercing Sword Art" was quite famous in the mortal world. From the perspective of a mortal martial artist, choosing this set of sword art was very thoughtful. However, in truth, Ruan Ci spent most of her time after her shift practicing the visualization diagram, gradually deepening her connection with the East Flower Sword. She had only flipped through the manual for this sword art a few times and had not practiced it. As she danced with the sword now, even though she was very serious, it was inevitable that there were some flaws. Assistant Li shouted his approval, and Immortal Master Lu stroked his beard and smiled, but the two disciples behind him, a man and a woman, were both unimpressed. The female disciple said, "Uncle-Master, is the sword art of the people down the mountain all like this?"

Ruan Ci’s sword momentum was not yet finished, but hearing this, she withdrew her sword, feeling a trace of embarrassment. Immortal Master Lu laughed, "That’s enough. You are young and have the heart to improve, which is not easy. Take this piece of black gold and let the shopkeeper forge you a sword. When you leave the Altar City in the future, you will have something to protect yourself."

This was a polite refusal, but giving a piece of black gold was quite generous. Immortal Master Lu was worthy of being a person who traveled and traded for an immortal sect; everything he did was appropriate. Ruan Ci cupped her hands to thank him, and the old shopkeeper also came out to greet them. Immortal Master Lu naturally went upstairs with him to discuss business. Assistant Li and Ruan Ci could not just leave, so they both stayed in the shop to help.

"Hey, you, come here."

Even immortals had to calculate accounts and haggle over prices. The two disciples were bored upstairs and came out to walk around. The female disciple enthusiastically called Ruan Ci over and pointed out, "The sword art you just practiced is wrong. I saw thirteen flaws. Do you want to hear them? If you want to hear, I will tell you one by one."

Her face was round and very cute. Ruan Ci didn't feel any resentment for her bluntness earlier; teaching her now was just a whim. Ruan Ci didn't expect that she had just performed a sequel to her act, so she had to come over, cup her hands, and smile, "Please instruct me, Immortal Fairy."

These two disciples should both be within the Foundation Establishment stage—if they were Qi Refining cultivators, Ruan Ci would naturally have a sense of it. What this sense was, she couldn't explain clearly. If she really had to say... it was a feeling that the other party was not an opponent, or even more, a feeling that she could kill them.

Her nature was actually not bloodthirsty; she was often scolded by Wang Panpan for being soft-hearted, unable to strike when seeing even slightly cute demonic beasts. Therefore, Ruan Ci was a bit awkward about this sense, but she used it to confirm that both disciples were at least in the Foundation Establishment stage. She thought that since Immortal Master Lu was an elder of a thriving sect, he must have Jin Dan stage cultivation. However, he had a worldly-wise appearance, while these two disciples were both full of greenness. The male disciple, Changyuan, was better, cold-faced and silent, standing on the corridor, arms crossed, staring blankly at the courtyard. The female disciple, Shuangcheng, blushed even at being called "Immortal Fairy," waving her hands and saying, "Don't call me Immortal Fairy; that’s what you call the senior sisters. Hmm... you can just call me Senior Shuangcheng."

She stood with her hands behind her back, trying hard to act old and experienced. Ruan Ci smiled inwardly. The Song Guo state was in turmoil; children from commoner families had to go out to work at nine or ten years old, and noble ladies from high-ranking families also had their own worries. The innocence of childhood almost didn't exist. How could it be like this Shuangcheng, who had cultivated to the Foundation Establishment stage, was at least several decades old, yet still acted like a teenager?

She cupped her hands and said, "Senior Shuangcheng." Shuangcheng was very proud, standing with her hands behind her back, acting old and experienced. "How long have you been practicing the sword? Ten years? Twelve years? I can see that your basic skills are very solid. You haven't done less horse-stance training, have you? It’s just that you ultimately lack a bit of thought. What’s the use of only knowing how to practice sword moves? The sword is meant to be used. The transitions between the moves are not smooth at all. You are just dancing a sword dance, just showing off one move after another, that’s it?"

When it came to the sword, all her greenness vanished, and she was radiant, as if talking about her most beloved thing. She casually took down a sword hanging on the wooden wall and smiled, "Come and spar with me. Don't be afraid; I won't use a single bit of magic power. Let’s see if you can stab me?"

Ruan Ci had been practicing the sword for a long time, which the assistants all knew. However, businessmen were peace-loving and not people who liked to fight and kill. She practiced a few flowery moves by herself, and no one sparred with her. Hearing this, Ruan Ci couldn't help but hesitate. Shuangcheng urged, "Don't be afraid, I really won't hurt you—don't look at me as small, I’m already in the Foundation Establishment stage!"

Ruan Ci said, "Swords have no eyes..."

"No matter," that Changyuan flipped down from the second-floor corridor, as if stepping on stairs, walking slowly down from the air. He was already exceptionally handsome, and now, moving by controlling Qi, his demeanor was even more dashing. Halfway down, he stood with his hands behind his back, stepping on the void, and said in a deep voice, "With me watching, nothing will happen. Just go ahead and strike."

Both of them had looked down on the Sun-Piercing Sword Art just now. Shuangcheng was straightforward and said it out loud, while Changyuan was subtly disdainful. Ruan Ci also always felt that his expression toward her was wrong. If it weren't for the fact that East Flower Sword seeds could sense each other, and she was certain Changyuan was not a sword seed, she would have almost thought Changyuan had seen through her identity. She was more wary of Changyuan than Shuangcheng. Hearing this, she found it hard to decline further. "Yes, Senior Shuangcheng, excuse me."

Saying this, she bowed to Shuangcheng, drew her sword from its sheath, set up her starting stance, and paced around Shuangcheng, looking for an opportunity. Shuangcheng was full of smiles and even turned her back, showing she had no defense. Ruan Ci frowned, bit her lower lip, and circled for a while, seeming hesitant, not knowing where to attack.

Several assistants were standing around the courtyard watching, and by now they were a bit impatient and wanted to urge her, but were stopped by Changyuan’s hand gesture. He had been very impatient with the Sun-Piercing Sword Art Ruan Ci practiced earlier, but now he was the opposite, his eyes burning, staring at Ruan Ci without blinking, and said softly, "She is building up momentum, don't rush her."

Ruan Ci couldn't care about the thoughts of the onlookers. She had thought it all out before drawing her sword; this spar would naturally end with Shuangcheng winning. The flaws in the fusion of sword moves she mentioned were actually not wrong. Ruan Ci had only looked at the manual once, and being able to get the comment of "proficient in sword moves" was already something to be overjoyed about; to fuse sword moves, one would have to practice at least three times. This time, she just needed to copy the cat and draw the tiger. Another time, listening to Shuangcheng’s guidance, she could finish the act. She just never expected that after drawing the sword, a violent and impulsive emotion would surge into her mind, just like... just like before she killed a demon with a sword in the mountains, she felt a murderous intent toward Shuangcheng.

Shuangcheng was a Foundation Establishment cultivator; she certainly couldn't be killed with one sword, but to say she couldn't be killed was not necessarily true. The jade pendant hung around her neck, and the sword intent hidden within only needed to be leaked a trace, attached to the tip of the sword, and sent into Shuangcheng’s body, and she would end up like Young Master Yue that day. But Ruan Ci was perfectly fine, why would she want to kill someone? She couldn't even bear to kill slightly cute demonic beasts. Shuangcheng was innocent and romantic, and had no grudge against her; why did she want to kill her?

She also knew this thought was wrong and could still suppress it, but under the influence of this emotional agitation, it was difficult to remain low-key. With her mood fluctuating, her aura rose and fell. Not only Changyuan, but after a while, the assistants also gradually sensed it, and couldn't help but show shock, whispering, "A mortal martial artist can have such an aura?"

Shuangcheng was in the middle of the game. Although she was still facing away from Ruan Ci and hadn't turned around, her smile gradually faded. Although she said "not to use a single bit of magic power," her Foundation Establishment spiritual sense was not sealed. She only felt that the aura of Little Ci behind her was sometimes strong and sometimes weak, like a fierce beast lurking on the side. The two’s Qi gradually locked, one waning while the other waxed, one waxing while the other waned. If she couldn't launch an attack at the moment when her own aura was weakest, once Ruan Ci’s aura rose to its peak, that sword would not be something the mortal Shuangcheng could withstand!

Her fingers trembled, trying her best to resist reaching for her waist. She couldn't help but feel a bit of fear, feeling that Little Ci’s aura was constantly rising, and the coming sword seemed unstoppable. Although she knew it was absurd, Shuangcheng was indeed terrified, as if her life was threatened—

She suddenly turned around, sidestepped the sword thrust by Little Ci, the tip of the sword grazing Shuangcheng’s nose and pinning into the pillar with a "ding." Little Ci’s eyes were deep, she looked at Shuangcheng, withdrew, and cupped her hands. "This 'Sun-Piercing Sword Art' was not practiced well. Just now, while breaking the moves, I was influenced and suppressed by the Senior’s Qi, and I inadvertently used the 'killing sword' I learned while mingling in the martial arts world in my youth. Please forgive me, Senior."

In a spar, it was normal to get carried away and be unable to stop. The Qi influence Ruan Ci mentioned seemed mysterious, but everyone present had a clear feeling. They all said, "The Immortal Fairy has great means. Without even moving, you made Little Ci unable to even use the Sun-Piercing Sword Art."

This was giving Shuangcheng a way out, and also the businessman’s way of taking care of the guest’s face. Who actually lost in the Qi influence, both sides naturally knew in their hearts. Shuangcheng bit her lip, her expression not very good, and said loudly, "No need for that, I lost just now. Your 'killing sword' is very powerful—have you killed many people?"

The "killing sword" Ruan Ci mentioned was, of course, just made up on the spot. This sword was thrust out plainly, without any moves to speak of; she had only used it to kill a demonic pig.

"Senior perhaps grew up in the Sword Sect since childhood. The world down the mountain has not been peaceful these years," she blinked. "I have seen many dead people. If I hadn't been a bit ruthless, I would have died long ago."

It was all the truth, which Shuangcheng could naturally see. She held the hilt of her sword at her waist, somewhat lost in thought. "So, good sword art can only be honed between life and death..."

She walked up again and pulled Ruan Ci. "Come, come, tell me in more detail. When was the first time you used this 'killing sword'? How did you get your skills? Is it family heritage..."

Little Ci looked about fourteen or fifteen, but she had no Adam’s apple. In fact, everyone already knew. Just now, Immortal Master Lu had broken her female identity, so Shuangcheng had no scruples about being intimate with her now, pulling her to the back of the shop. Changyuan stood in the air, watching their figures disappear, and turned back to find Immortal Master Lu. Immortal Master Lu laughed, "You’re back? Where did Shuangcheng go? Don't let her run around; there are too many outsiders this time, and the Altar City is very chaotic."

"She is very compatible with that little assistant just now, and they went to practice sword art together." Changyuan lowered his eyes. "Uncle-Master..."

He looked at the old shopkeeper. "I want to recruit a sword slave; please give me your instructions."

Immortal Master Lu said in surprise, "Who is it?"

He looked at Changyuan carefully. "Could it be that Little Ci from just now? But her sword art is crude, and her sword heart is impure. Didn't you look down on her just now... Changyuan, you have always been focused, with nothing but the sword in your heart. Why today, do you have a fleeting thought for a mortal woman?"

Changyuan raised his eyebrows, thought for a while before understanding what Immortal Master Lu meant, and shook his head. "Uncle-Master is talking about that... it’s not like that, but I felt a sense of closeness the moment I saw this person, as if she has something I need."

Cultivators valued affinity most. Immortal Master Lu couldn't help but hesitate. "If you recruit a beautiful maid here with me, I’m afraid your master will come to trouble me."

Changyuan seemed to disdain arguing at all. In fact, Shuangcheng and Little Ci were compatible, and having Shuangcheng come forward was the same, or perhaps even better than him saying it himself. But Changyuan hadn't thought of these things at all, and even if he had, he wouldn't care. He just continued to speak his own thoughts. "Furthermore, her 'killing sword' is also very interesting. Although it has no moves or stances, it forced Shuangcheng to lose a move. Although she is a mortal, if she follows me, her future will be better than staying here."

Saying this, he looked at the old shopkeeper, the implication clear: he wanted the old shopkeeper to give Little Ci to him for the sake of their many years of friendship.

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The third update for VIP ends. I will open a three-day lottery task, the condition is a 100% subscription rate. If I open it again later, it might also be based on comments.

Because it was a scheduled release, I can't report what I'm eating at this time tomorrow, but after eating chili-fried squid today, I ate Shine Muscat grapes. Shine Muscat grapes are delicious, and what’s better is that I didn't have an allergic reaction after eating them. I am allergic to some grapes and ordinary grapes, I don't know why I’m not allergic to Shine Muscat grapes.

. Thanks to the little angels who gave me overlord votes or irrigated nutrient solution between 2020-07-09 12:43:33 and 2020-07-09 12:45:56~

Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: Tian Tian’s family 1 bottle;

Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!