Chapter 1660

Hu Xiaotian reached out and put his arm around Qin Yutong's fragrant shoulder, trying to shield her behind him, but then he saw a tall figure walk up from the pond water. He had thought it would be the Sword Slave, but the person who approached was tall and straight, with white hair flowing over his shoulders. More importantly, his face had none of those disgusting tumors, though his square face was covered in bloodstains.

Qin Yutong whispered, "Sword Slave!" because she saw that the person's clothing was exactly that of the Sword Slave.

Hu Xiaotian stood up, took the opportunity to put his arm around Qin Yutong's slender waist, and whispered, "Don't be afraid, I'm here for everything!"

Although Qin Yutong knew in her heart that this rascal might be taking advantage of the chaos, in this situation she inexplicably felt a strong dependence on him, so she nodded and whispered, "Of course I'm not afraid!" In fact, that was true.

Hu Xiaotian twisted the light sword in his hand; its glow was weak, like a lighter flame. He inwardly sighed that this thing looked impressive but was useless—perhaps when Ji Feihua used this sword to charge the other female sword that day, she had expended too much energy, and before it could recover, he had taken it to use.

The white-haired man stumbled to the shore, then suddenly collapsed face-first onto the ground, and for a long time he didn't move at all.

Qin Yutong said, "I'll go take a look."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said, "Be careful, it might be a trick." He picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it; it struck the white-haired man squarely on the forehead with a bang, and the man let out a miserable cry—he was actually knocked awake by that blow.

The white-haired man propped himself up with his arms and sat up with difficulty. He looked toward Hu Xiaotian and Qin Yutong, stretched out his hand and waved at them, as if calling them over.

Qin Yutong said, "He seems to have no strength left."

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, if this person really is the Sword Slave, then just now underwater I had already sucked away more than half of his inner strength. He probably only has half his life left now. Previously, our inner strength was about equal, but now the waxing and waning have made me considerably stronger than him. Of course, Hu Xiaotian's inner strength was originally immense, with few able to match it back then, yet although he possesses astonishing inner strength, he still cannot bring it to its fullest extent.

Even so, Hu Xiaotian had nothing to fear. He told Qin Yutong to wait where she was, then walked over and stopped about a zhang away from the white-haired man. Now he could see more clearly: the man was neither hunchbacked nor pigeon-chested; although his face was stained with much blood, he had no tumor at all.

Hu Xiaotian tentatively asked, "Are you the Sword Slave?"

The white-haired man let out a strange, grating laugh, laughing for a while before actually breaking into sobs.

Hu Xiaotian saw him laughing and crying, and figured he was probably mentally unbalanced. He waited patiently at the side, but remained fully on guard—if the white-haired man dared to show any hostility toward him, Hu Xiaotian would surely strike him down at once.

The white-haired man let out a long sigh and said, "Sword Slave? I spent my life practicing the sword, only to be ruined by it and become a slave to the sword. Hahaha, how ridiculous! How tragic! Hahahaha!"

Hu Xiaotian couldn't help interrupting him: "Hey! You're not exactly young—can't you act normal?"

The white-haired man stopped laughing; his deep eyes shot at Hu Xiaotian's face like cold lightning. Hu Xiaotian felt his heart tremble, as if two sharp blades were stabbing at him—this man's gaze was truly piercing. In his mind he became ever more certain that the man was the Sword Slave, yet in such a short time, why had the tumors on his face completely disappeared? Even his hunchback and pigeon chest seemed healed.

The white-haired man nodded and said, "That's right, I am the Sword Slave!" His face was full of a mournful expression.

After hearing him admit to being the Sword Slave and seeing that his mind seemed clear, Hu Xiaotian lowered his voice and asked, "Did you lose consciousness before? Otherwise, with your martial skill, the Wuxian Sect's matriarch wouldn't easily have been able to control you." While inquiring about the Sword Slave's experience, he also subtly revealed to him who was really behind the plot against him.

The Sword Slave sighed and said, "I don't remember anything at all..."

Hu Xiaotian said, "You may fool others, but you can't fool me—you are the Sword Devil Dongfang Wuyi, aren't you?"

The white-haired man blinked in surprise, looking at Hu Xiaotian with some astonishment. He had been controlled by others for decades; even if he showed his true face, probably few people in the world would recognize him. This young man before him is only in his twenties; when he disappeared, the youth surely hadn't even been born yet—how could he recognize him?

Hu Xiaotian said, "You don't need to look at me so astonished—I've never met you before, but we do share a kind of fate. I once picked up your black-iron sword and from it learned the Seven Slays of Heaven Sword." Back then, Hu Xiaotian mistakenly entered Peach Blossom Pond; in the pond's water cave he obtained the relics of the Sword Palace's founder, Lin Bai Tao, one of which was the black-iron sword, and that sword had actually been given to him by his master, the Sword Devil Dongfang Wuyi.

After hearing Hu Xiaotian finish, the white-haired man finally understood that he had been recognized by his swordsmanship. His expression darkened as he asked, "What year is it now? Who is the emperor of the Da Yong court?"

Hu Xiaotian told him the current date; after hearing it, the white-haired man fell silent, remained quiet for a long while, then said, "I have already been under someone's control for fifty years..."

Hu Xiaotian's heart also jolted at those words—fifty years is practically a lifetime for some people, something no one could endure; let alone the fact that he is called the Sword Devil, and Dongfang Wuyi, who once dominated the world with the Seven Slays of Heaven Sword, from another angle shows just how powerful and terrifying the one who could control him must be.

Hu Xiaotian cautiously asked, "Was it the Wuxian Sect's leader who controlled you?"

Dongfang Wuyi snorted disdainfully: "Does she even deserve that?" He slowly closed his eyes, sinking into painful memories: "Back then, Bai Tao was not tolerated by the Da Yong court, and later he was betrayed. I had already gone into seclusion when Bai Tao founded the Sword Palace. After Bai Tao ran into trouble, the Sword Palace disciples eventually tracked me down. When I heard that Bai Tao had encountered difficulties, I sneaked into the Da Yong imperial palace on a stormy night. At that time, Emperor Jingde was in power. I made him reveal Bai Tao's whereabouts, then with one sword I split half of the Imperial Study. I gave him seven days; if he couldn't find Bai Tao and bring him back to me within those seven days, I would take his life."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, able to understand Dongfang Wuyi's feelings. Lin Bai Tao was Dongfang Wuyi's beloved disciple; Dongfang Wuyi not only regarded him as the inheritor of his mantle, but also treated him like his own son. Lin Bai Tao's misfortune was entirely for the sake of the Da Yong court, so it was only natural for Dongfang Wuyi to seek out Emperor Jingde.

Dongfang Wuyi's gaze fell on the light sword in Hu Xiaotian's hand, and he said softly, "When I was about to leave the Da Yong imperial palace, someone blocked my path, holding in his hand a bare sword hilt."

Hu Xiaotian brought the hilt of the light sword before his eyes and said softly, "Is this it?"

Dongfang Wowo furrowed his brow, examined the light sword closely, then shook his head and said, "The gem set in that sword should be green, and the light it gives off is green as well."

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, the sword Dongfang Wowo spoke of is the one buried with Emperor Jingde. If we talk about martial arts, about swordsmanship in one‑on‑one duels, who in the world could rival Dongfang Wowo? Unless it's those extraterrestrial visitors; according to the Ghost Doctor's talisman, the Da Yong imperial family and those extraterrestrial visitors have a hidden close relationship, they share common interests, so it's only natural for them to step forward and protect Emperor Jingde.

Dongfang Wowo said, "In swordsmanship he is not my match, but…" He let out a long sigh, closed his eyes again, strove to recall the scene of that great battle fifty years ago, then slowly shook his head and said, "Fifty years have passed; I completely forget what happened in between. The way of martial arts knows no bounds; there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens."

Hu Xiaotian softly repeated, "There are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens!" That's true, but Dongfang Wowo still doesn't know that he was defeated by a group of extraterrestrials.

Hu Xiaotian said, "You almost killed me just now!"

Dongfang Wowo gave a bitter smile and said, "I don't remember, but only when you were drawing out my internal energy did I gradually come to my senses; what exactly was I like before?"

Hu Xiaotian kindly advised him, "You're better off not knowing."

Dongfang Wowo said, "My days are numbered; go ahead and tell me, let me die with understanding."

Hu Xiaotian didn't know why he would say that, but seeing Dongfang Wowo's appearance, he seemed more spirited than before, as if through this period of adjustment he had recovered some vitality. He also had no need to conceal, so he recounted in full how he had just come to the Sword Heart Cavern of Wanren Mountain, how he had been framed by the owner of Meizhuang, and how he had met Dongfang Wowo, and he also gave a truthful description of Dongfang Wowo's earlier appearance.

Dongfang Wowo listened, then gave a wry smile and said, "Old man, have they turned me into a toad?"

Hu Xiaotian recalled his earlier appearance—wasn't it just a toad? Dongfang Wowo's description was apt.

Behind him, Qin Yutong said, "That poison is called Nianzhu Liexing; it is one of the Wuxian Sect's most lethal killing techniques, but few can survive after being struck by Nianzhu Liexing—only someone with peerless martial arts could hold on for fifty years."

Dongfang Wowo sighed and said, "Peerless martial arts? Who in the world dares to claim his martial arts are peerless and invincible under heaven?" After this setback, he was already disheartened.

Qin Yutong said, "Senior must have been controlled by the Qianhuan Heart Demon; later the person controlling you left, and his successor, worried he couldn't control you, therefore used poison to control your body and suppress your internal resistance. But…" She had some words left unsaid, glancing at Hu Xiaotian, wanting to speak but stopping.

Dongfang Wowo said, "This young lady seems to have some knowledge of the art of poison."

First update delivered, seeking monthly tickets, continue to launch an assault toward the sixth, charge into the top **** update! (To be continued~^~)