Chapter 20: Nanyue Sword Sect: Three Swords Decide Life and Death

The smile on Liu Qianqiu's face finally faded.

He had assumed that although Jiang Che's name shook the world, his heavy wounds had yet to heal, and on the Sword Assembly he would still have to consider his reputation — he would not strike to kill.

But after the first sword, he knew he was wrong.

Jiang Che's heart was steadier than he had imagined.

Liu Qianqiu raised his hand and gripped the copper bell at his waist.

From within the bell, a soft sword as thin as a cicada's wing was drawn.

"Second Sword — Sever the Body."

As the words fell, his figure vanished in an instant.

The next moment, over a dozen afterimages appeared all around the drill ground at once.

Each afterimage thrust out a sword.

The sword edges fell like fine rain, aimed straight at the vital points all over Jiang Che's body.

Sword cultivators outside the field cried out in alarm one after another.

"Thousand Shadows Sword!"

"Worthy of the Sect Master of Nanyue Sword Sect!"

Xie Tingxue's fingers twitched slightly, but she did not draw her sword.

She knew that although this kind of sword art looked elaborate, the true killing move was hidden in only one place.

Jiang Che closed his eyes.

Since he could not see clearly, then he would not look.

He listened to the wind.

Listened to the falling snow.

Listened to the sword edge slicing through the air.

And listened to his own heartbeat.

Suddenly, he stepped half a pace to his left.

The Green Bamboo Sword flicked backhanded in an upward cut.

Ting!

The true body of the thin sword was precisely picked out by the Green Bamboo Sword.

Liu Qianqiu's afterimages all scattered, his true form exposed.

A flash of horror passed through his eyes.

Jiang Che followed with a sword, chopping down.

Liu Qianqiu crossed his sword to block, but was sent flying backward by the shock; after landing he retreated seven steps in a row.

His right sleeve was torn apart by Sword Qi, revealing a streak of blood.

Jiang Che said, "The Second Sword — you've lost that too."

Liu Qianqiu's face darkened.

He had not expected that, wounded as he was, Jiang Che would still possess such sword-sense.

Murmurs of discussion began to rise within the field.

The faces of the Nanyue Sword Sect disciples who had accompanied him turned ugly.

Liu Qianqiu drew in a deep breath.

"Young Master Jiang truly lives up to his reputation."

Jiang Che said, "Third Sword."

Liu Qianqiu was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"The Third Sword does not ask who wins or loses."

"It asks life and death."

The thin sword in his hand shattered inch by inch.

The fragments floated in midair, transforming into countless tiny sword blades.

At the same time, dozens of killing intents suddenly erupted outside the drill ground.

Among the crowd, assassins disguised as sword cultivators sprang up.

They were not charging at Jiang Che.

They were charging at the common folk and ordinary Sword Cultivators all around.

Chen Shanhe roared angrily, "Protect the people!"

The Northern Garrison Army immediately moved to act.

Xie Tingxue drew her sword in an instant, her snow-white sword-light slashing toward the nearest assassin.

But this moment of chaos was exactly what Liu Qianqiu wanted.

He formed a seal with both hands; countless shattered blades coalesced into a Sword Snake, stabbing straight at Jiang Che's heart.

"Jiang Che, you can guard yourself — but can you guard this whole city?"

Jiang Che's gaze turned cold.

So the Asking with the Sword was a feint.

The assassination was real.

Plunging Han Zhou into chaos was real.

Forcing him to lose control was even more real.

Jiang Che did not retreat.

He plunged the Green Bamboo Sword into the ground.

The next instant, a circle of green sword light radiated outward from him as its center.

Wherever the sword circle passed, the weapons in the assassins' hands snapped in unison.

Strands of green light rose before the commoners, blocking hidden weapons and Sword Qi.

Liu Qianqiu's Shattered Blade Sword Snake crashed into the sword circle, its speed plummeting.

Jiang Che raised his hand and gripped the Green Bamboo Sword.

"You are right."

"I alone cannot protect an entire city."

"Therefore, I have made the whole of Han Zhou draw its sword alongside me."

Boom!

Simultaneously, sword light flared wherever the Zhenbei Flag hung within the city.

That was Sword Qi Jiang Che had laid in advance.

Ever since the Shattered Heaven Gate incident, he had understood that enemies would not come for him alone.

Thus, before the Sword Assembly began, he used the Green Bamboo Sword to leave three hundred and sixty strands of City-Protecting Sword Intent within the city.

Today, they would finally be put to use.

Liu Qianqiu's expression changed drastically: "You prepared long ago?"

Jiang Che drew his sword.

"Too much blood has flowed through Han Zhou."

"I will not allow it to be used by you for probing attacks again."

One sword strike fell.

The Shattered Blade Sword Snake shattered and dispersed.

Liu Qianqiu turned to retreat.

But Jiang Che's sword was faster than him.

The Green Bamboo Sword halted just before Liu Qianqiu's throat.

Liu Qianqiu froze stiff.

"You cannot kill me."

Jiang Che asked, "Why?"

Liu Qianqiu forced a smile: "I am the Sect Master of the Nanyue Sword Sect and a guest of honor seated beside the Prince of Nanyue. If you kill me, Nanyue will surely dispatch troops."

Jiang Che nodded.

"Then you deserve death all the more."

Liu Qianqiu's pupils contracted sharply.

A flash of sword light.

The Sect Master of the Nanyue Sword Sect died at the Han Zhou Sword Assembly.

The scene fell deathly silent.

Jiang Che sheathed his sword and scanned the surroundings.

"After today, Han Zhou opens its gates to welcome guests."

"Those who come Asking with the Sword, I will accept."

"Those who come seeking the Dao, I will respect."

"As for those who come Questioning the Crime..."

He lowered his gaze to glance at Liu Qianqiu's corpse.

"... keep your lives."

Snow fell without sound.

Yet everyone heard those words.

Han Zhou was no longer a lonely border city.

It had become a new land of Sword Dao that every Sword Cultivator under Heaven must face squarely.