Chapter 88: All Kinds of Fine Swords

Chen Yi He's hair had grown very long; he changed his hairstyle, tying his hair behind him and letting it fall over his shoulders, and the ancient style finally made him fit in with the world of the book. Moreover, he looked cooler.

More importantly, if you don't look closely, no one would recognize him as Chen Yi He now.

Taking advantage of the darkness, he gently pushed open the hidden door of the secret room, and Chen Yi He finally emerged from his hiding place where he had stayed for two months.

The outside air made his body and mind feel at ease, but he didn't have time to enjoy this brief relaxation; he must constantly be on guard against the Embroidered Uniform Guard and then leave this place as quickly as possible.

Chen Yi He originally intended to leave the capital, but when he saw wanted posters for his capture covering the walls, he immediately decided to do the opposite.

"There are surely troops lying in wait for me around the capital; I might as well just eat and drink in the capital." Chen Yi He then thought, "I just don't know where the God Sword Mountain Villa is. Zhou Ke that old guy said the villa is very close to his prince's mansion; could it actually be inside the capital?"

Chen Yi He's idea was correct.

He opened a room under an alias at an inn in a remote part of the capital.

"Shopkeeper, I have a question for you."

"Please speak, customer."

"Where is the God Sword Mountain Villa?"

"Hahaha! You're definitely not someone from the capital or its surroundings, are you?"

The shopkeeper's counter-question made Chen Yi He panic. "Could it be that I've been recognized?" Chen Yi He forced himself to shake his head, "Hahaha, I'm an outsider, just arrived."

I know that many outsider warriors have come to the capital these days, but you're the first person who doesn't know about the God Sword Mountain Villa.

From the shopkeeper's words, Chen Yi He could judge that the God Sword Mountain Villa is inside the capital, and everyone knows it.

Chen Yi He originally planned to go far away, wait until his strength grew, then come settle accounts with the Western Depot, but after changing his mind, he dismissed that notion of leaving.

The God Sword Mountain Villa's First Divine Sword and Heavenly Mechanism Sword definitely hide a secret. Since Zhou Ke has taken a liking to him, he must have the ability to seize the sword.

With such a divine sword's aid, it would certainly help him in his quest for revenge.

Chen Yi He stayed in the inn for half a month before leaving; during that half month he didn't step out, and he dared to bet that the Embroidered Uniform Guard would certainly not search inside the capital, for they surely thought he wouldn't dare hide there.

After half a month, Chen Yi He set out on the road to the God Sword Mountain Villa with the map given by the shopkeeper.

There are still three days until the Heavenly Mechanism Sword appears.

Chen Yi He didn't know whether this time he was walking into a trap.

The God Sword Mountain Villa is located on God Sword Mountain in the northernmost part of the capital; it is the largest villa within the capital's borders.

Relying on superb sword‑forging skill, the swords it produces are all the rage in the martial world, becoming a hot‑ticket masterpiece in the martial arts community. Thanks to this trade, over a thousand years it has gradually grown wealthy, transforming from an unknown little mountain villa into the renowned God Sword Mountain Villa known throughout the world.

Before setting out, Chen Yi He changed into a loose gray garment, trying to appear as simple as possible in his attire, and then he wrapped the Purple Tempered Sword in three layers of gray cloth so that the people of the God Sword Mountain Villa couldn't recognize it; otherwise, he would run into trouble even before the Heavenly Mechanism Sword appeared.

"Go!" Chen Yi He spurred his horse and whipped it, advancing fearlessly along the forest road.

……

Inside the Prince's mansion.

Zhou Ke was pacing back and forth at the inner gate of the mansion, constantly flicking the copper ball clenched in his palm with his fingers; his expression was slightly tense, and as the prince he rarely showed a lack of confidence.

Until Situ Qing flipped down from a height and landed in the courtyard.

"How is it?" Zhou Ke asked hurriedly.

Situ Qing nodded and said, "All good."

"Then that's good." Zhou Ke instantly crushed the copper ball, and the confidence on his face returned.

Ye Wuming ran into the mansion and said to Zhou Ke, "Prince, the carriage is ready."

"Isn't he coming with us?" Zhou Ke asked Situ Qing.

"He's always unpredictable and prefers to act alone." Situ Qing replied.

Zhou Ke looked at Situ Qing, who seemed to want to say more but held back, and gestured for him to continue.

Situ Qing hesitated a moment and said, "He said this time counts as repaying the prince's favor from twenty years ago; from now on we owe each other nothing."

"That's only natural; a favor, repaying it is already courtesy, not repaying it is also fine—what more could I possibly demand? Hahaha!" Zhou Ke laughed loudly to the heavens, then strode out of the prince's mansion. "It's just a pity—if Chen Yi He were still alive, we wouldn't need to use this favor."

Zhou Ke invited a crucially important figure, a legend of the martial world.

"His title is 'Sword King,' Shangguan Yunyi—what does 'cloud' mean? Who can grasp it? One move of the 'Cloud Sword' defeats all under heaven, invincible!"

He hasn't appeared in people's sight for twenty years.

After twenty years, his return to the martial world will surely stir up a tremendous wave; this is Zhou Ke's most important pawn! Zhou Ke had no choice but to summon Shangguan Yunyi; he must obtain the Heavenly Mechanism Sword.

The Heavenly Mechanism Sword chooses its master; in terms of seniority, ability, and talent, Shangguan Yunyi is the best candidate.

However, Shangguan Yunyi's temperament is eccentric; he lives free and unfettered, dreaming of wandering with the clouds, never bound by people or affairs. Zhou Ke knows he can't control him, so he might as well let him repay this favor—consider it settled.

"I heard the Five Peaks Sword School is also sending people this time?" Zhou Ke asked Ye Wuming while sitting in the carriage.

"Yes. Led by Feng Yichu of the Huashan Sect." Ye Wuming answered.

"Heh, Feng Yichu is already old, yet he still comes to join the fun."

"Since the former sect leader of the Huashan Sect, Zhang Beihai, died at the Thousand Layers Gate, Feng Yichu has come out of retirement, overseeing all affairs of the Huashan Sect and the Five Peaks Sword School; evidently he wants to secure a place for the Five Peaks in the martial world."

Zhou Ke scoffed contemptuously, "Heh, the Five Peaks are a thing of the past; that old man is simply daydreaming!"

"Excluding the Sword Tower Sword Master, the Western Desert Sword Devil, and the Great Sword—about seven or eight skilled swordsmen—there are still another eighty or ninety other swordsmen, making at least over a hundred people."

"Even if there were ten thousand people, the Heavenly Mechanism Sword would still be ours." Zhou Ke affirmed.

"Prince, do you really think the Yellow Sect will willingly hand over the First Divine Sword to give to a predestined person?" Ye Wuming suddenly asked an abrupt question.

"If one lacks the ability to control it, the Heavenly Mechanism Sword will backlash in the Sword Pool, and then the entire God Sword Mountain Villa will be devoured by the Heavenly Mechanism Sword! That's also why the Yellow Sect is eager to find a master for the Heavenly Mechanism Sword."

Ye Wuming wanted to ask more, but Zhou Ke stopped him with a raised hand, saying to this subordinate who is much older than him, "No matter how many people vie for it, we must seize the Heavenly Mechanism Sword without fail! Even if the Heavenly Mechanism Sword chooses someone not of our side, we will kill that person and take the sword! Absolutely no room for loss."

"Yes." Ye Wuming never dared to doubt Zhou Ke.