Chapter 678: Wuxia: Even Rivals Can Become Lovers 12

Fu Zhiyuan simply couldn't get off the stage; if he doesn't return the sword today, it probably won't be easy to get past this.

His face dark, he stared at Mu Huaizhi: "The Jade Hilt Dragon is at the household where I'm staying temporarily; I'll return it this afternoon."

Mu Huaizhi barely twitched the corner of his mouth, avoided his gaze, and kept eating.

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -5, total 65!】

Fu Zhiyuan had no mind to eat, but he couldn't tarnish the Heaven Sword Alliance's reputation in public; he swallowed his anger and sat down.

After the meal, the Jade Hilt Dragon, wrapped in thick cloth, was finally back in Mu Huaizhi's hands.

Fu Zhiyuan had tried using it, but every time he thought of lifting the sword, he felt sword and man were out of sync, unable to unleash the Jade Hilt Dragon's sharpness.

To him, its power and handling were still inferior to just using a broken sword.

Seeing Mu Huaizhi take off the wrapping and effortlessly flourish the sword only made him feel more resentful.

What a fine sword—if it had been his since childhood, how great would that be? Since his father doesn't want Mu Huaizhi to covet the alliance leader's position, why give him the number one sword under heaven?

"Mu Huaizhi, you won't get what you wish for."

Fu Zhiyuan said that gloomily, then shut the door and told them to scram.

"Really asking for a beating." Jin Chen snorted, then looked at Mu Huaizhi, who was dazed over the sword, and kicked his calf.

"What are you spacing out for—looking at the sword or at your lover?"

Mu Huaizhi glanced at him, drew his blade, and pointed it at his face: "Let's fight."

"I'm not fighting you now; my injuries aren't healed, and even if I won, I'd be embarrassed to say so."

Jin Chen moved his sword aside, quite dissatisfied: "Mu Huaizhi, I helped you get your sword back, and this is how you treat me?"

"... Thanks, but no conflict."

Mu Huaizhi obviously had no intention of letting go; the grudge between them couldn't be settled by a small favor.

With the Jade Hilt Dragon sword, Mu Huaizhi became even more high-spirited, his aura fierce.

Jin Chen dodged a few moves, was forced to draw his sword, and shouted, "Mu Huaizhi! You're really annoying."

He didn't hold back either, rushing forward.

The two fought back and forth in the courtyard; Jin Chen, afraid of being discovered, used an orthodox martial art he wasn't very familiar with, and given Mu Huaizhi's injury, he still couldn't be sure of winning.

But martial artists know their long-time opponents all too well.

In previous years, Mu Huaizhi only thought Jin Chen's moves were vicious and sneaky—though his speed was ample and his strength lacking, that speed happened to suppress the Jade Hilt Dragon's techniques.

Yet in today's fight, he clearly felt Jin Chen's strength abundant, and his techniques still retained power as they flowed, as if he were holding back something.

Sword blades clashed, emitting a piercing ring; Mu Huaizhi lowered his waist, focusing on the oppressive Jin Chen.

Why has this person changed so much?

But I must say, compared to before, I find the current Jin Chen a better opponent—at least he doesn't resort to underhanded tricks.

They fought for the length of an incense stick, then both sheathed their swords and stepped back.

Mu Huaizhi planted his feet, held the sword behind him, the tip reflecting a icy cold light; the tension that had weighed on him these days drifted away with the sweat from the fight.

He felt utterly exhilarated, his brows relaxed, a faint sparkle in his eyes, dazzling and bright.

Jin Chen's eyes flickered, he stared at that appearance, and the corner of his mouth unconsciously curled up.

"Mu Huaizhi, I suddenly realize you're actually quite good-looking."

He stepped closer, leaned slightly to examine him, interest shining in his eyes.

"No wonder he's the leader of the Four Gentlemen of the Jianghu."

Having just finished the fight and been praised on his looks by his opponent, Mu Huaizhi felt awkward and strange, and gave him a glare.

Little did he know that his complexion, rosy like warm jade, made his glare utterly harmless.

Jin Chen chuckled, then reached up to ruffle his hair: "Let's go; staying here isn't unlucky either."

Having said that, he stepped ahead with his hands behind his back, his stride still carefree and flamboyant.

Mu Huaizhi widened his eyes, astonished; the warmth on his head seemed to linger.

After reacting, he felt uncomfortable all over.

This guy is just frivolous!

He coldly glanced at the half-open window of Fu Zhiyuan's room, then hurried away.

"Wow—this is the Jade Hilt Dragon, how beautiful!"

Sang Ning saw the two return, curiously looked at the sword in Mu Huaizhi's hand, admired it for a while, then noticed it lacked a scabbard.

"Mu Brother, why didn't Young Hero Fu return the scabbard with you?"

Mu Huaizhi sipped his tea, his gaze falling on the cloth wrap, and said lightly, "The Jade Hilt Dragon has no scabbard."

No scabbard of any material can block its sharpness; it will surely be ruined within seven days.

He had tried many before, but eventually gave up.

"No scabbard, and yet it deserves its title as the Number One Sword under Heaven."

Sang Ning understood.

Upon hearing that, Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, glanced at the icy blade, and rubbed his chin with his long fingers.

He remembered his cheap old man had collected many rare treasures of the world; making a scabbard would be easy.

"Three great heroes, our lord invites you to the manor again; we have new leads."

This little constable ran into the courtyard, clearly having ridden hard, panting.

Inside the Governor's Residence.

"Several heroes, the coroner has identified the identities and ages of the desiccated corpses, but also found some odd points; please come have a look."

The Governor had never been this afraid in his life; speaking to three desiccated corpses was practically a test of his composure.

The three desiccated corpses had each been laid on straw mats, but their torsos were fixed, unable to bend; they remained seated, gazing upward, as if they would rise any moment.

The coroner had washed away the dirt from the seven orifices, and only then did they see that the child's corpse had empty eye sockets, with both eyeballs actually held in the mouth.

Moreover, the mouth lacked a tongue; the tongue was clenched in the palm by the ten fingers.

"This! Who on earth did this? How vicious the heart is!"

The sturdy men of the Big Blade Sect could not bear to watch; at their age they all had wives and children, and seeing the child suffer such a cruel punishment, they immediately flew into a rage.

Jin Chen leaned against the window, staring at the three corpses as if lost in thought.

"A certain technique records that, for a child's body, pouring human blood into it in a filthy place, and having no eyes and no tongue—signifying not hearing nor not asking—ensures the body's purity; after soaking, the heart is taken and eaten, and the corpse is made into a dry corpse that does not decay, which can be used to suppress the life soul."

It actually matches perfectly!

The coroner hurriedly exclaimed excitedly, "Yes! These three dry corpses have no hearts."

Fu Zhiyuan raised his voice skeptically, "Jin Chen, just who are you? Earlier you were intimately familiar with the Nine Abyss Demonic Cult, and now you know this vicious technique inside out!"

As soon as he said that, Mu Huaizhi's expression shifted slightly, and he tightened his grip on the sword hilt.

Jin Chen, however, remained calm and carefree.

"Nonsense, you're ignorant, and you don't even allow others to be well‑learned?"

"Young Hero Jin, stop being coy—just which technique does this come from?" someone asked, unable to hold back.

Jin Chen stepped forward, crossed his arms, and explained, "Earth Evil Palace, the fourth inner‑door technique of the Thirty‑Six Evils."