Chapter 57: The Stubborn Xie Xun

"Godfather, Father and Mother did not wish for us to seek revenge for them.

They left behind their final words, saying to let the hatred end with them."

Zhang Wuji, the tear tracks on his face not yet dry, pacified the enraged Golden-Haired Lion King.

"Second Brother, Sister-in-law, it is I who harmed you both!"

Xie Xun fell into deep self-reproach.

The sorrowful atmosphere only dissipated slightly after a good while.

"Godfather, I did not come to the island alone this time.

Coming with me is Senior Brother Zhang Jie from Wu Dang."

Zhang Wuji, barely suppressing the grief in his heart, introduced Zhang Jie to the Golden-Haired Lion King.

"What? There is someone else?"

The Golden-Haired Lion King was instantly struck with alarm.

In his perception, apart from himself, there was clearly only Zhang Wuji in the cave!

It was precisely because there was only Zhang Wuji that he had so easily let down his guard just moments ago.

Xie Xun snatched up the Dragon-Slaying Saber stuck in the ground, regaining his vigilance.

He knew all too well how crazed those martial artists were over the Dragon-Slaying Saber!

Taking the news Zhang Wuji had just told him,

Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu died not so much because of him, Xie Xun,

but rather died under the greed those people held for the Dragon-Slaying Saber!

As for his own past madness, where he slaughtered many martial artists?

By the time Zhang Cuishan and the others returned to Wu Dang from Ice Fire Island,

more than a decade had already passed since his slaughter of the martial artists.

To put it bluntly, for those greedy fellows, the thought of avenging relatives

or fellow disciples was likely not even one-tenth of their greed for the Dragon-Slaying Saber!

The vigilant Xie Xun tilted his head slightly, wanting to use his keen hearing to pinpoint Zhang Jie's location.

Yet no matter how he turned his head, he simply could not find Zhang Jie's position.

He did not even hear the faintest sound of breathing, as if the newcomer had reached the legendary realm

where one could breathe through all one hundred and eight thousand pores of the body—the Fetal Breath realm!

"An expert, a great expert!"

Xie Xun became even more vigilant in his heart.

For such a great expert to travel ten thousand miles to Ice Fire Island, there could be no other motive than the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

"Senior Brother."

Seeing Xie Xun's tense, ready-to-strike appearance, Zhang Wuji could not help but look at the calm and composed Zhang Jie.

Having spent this much time with Zhang Jie, he knew that this Senior Brother of his, who seemed like a celestial being descended to earth,

was actually full of mischievous humor inside.

If he didn't speak up, Zhang Jie, with his mischief stirred up,

might just leave his godfather hanging for the entire night.

Zhang Jie shrugged his shoulders; he indeed had the thought of giving Xie Xun a show of force.

Who told the Golden-Haired Lion King to be so unruly?

However, now that Zhang Wuji had spoken, Zhang Jie put that thought away.

Zhang Wuji was, after all, his beloved friend and brother!

Previously, Zhang Wuji, this "treasure-delivering boy," had gifted him the "Nine Yang Divine Art," the "Medical Classic," and the "Poison Classic."

The "Medical Classic" was authored by the Butterfly Valley Medical Immortal, Hu Qingniu,

and encompassed almost every method for treating the difficult and miscellaneous illnesses of the Heaven-Dependent world.

The "Poison Classic" was authored by Hu Qingniu's wife, Wang Nangu,

and its contents involved the identification, preparation, and detoxification methods for various poisons.

These two classics were of immense help to Zhang Jie; after all, medicine and Wu Gong have been inseparable since ancient times.

"Lion King, Zhang Jie of Wu Dang pays his respects."

Zhang Jie introduced himself to the Golden-Haired Lion King with great politeness.

"Wu Dang is truly a place of spiritual energy, producing generation after generation of talent!"

The Golden-Haired Lion King, who only located Zhang Jie's position once he spoke, sighed repeatedly.

The older generation of Wu Dang had that exceptionally fierce old Daoist, Zhang Sanfeng.

The prime generation had the Wu Dang Seven Heroes, all first-class experts of the Wu Lin, as their pillars.

The younger generation had this rising star, Zhang Jie, whose depth he could not fathom.

The rise of the Wu Dang Sect was unstoppable; the future of Wu Dang was limitless!

"The Lion King overpraises me."

Facing the Golden-Haired Lion King's praise, Zhang Jie shook his head slightly.

Compared to the Wu Dang Seven Heroes, who were all first-class experts, if not for his own sudden emergence,

the third generation of Wu Dang would only have Song Qingshu and Zhang Wuji to shoulder the burden.

And Song Qingshu was a sycophant and a traitor at heart, who ultimately brought about his own demise.

Zhang Wuji, due to factors involving Song Qingshu and others,

did not have a deep sense of belonging to Wu Dang, and in the end, he retired to Ice Fire Island with Zhao Min.

If not for his own reincarnation into the Heaven-Dependent world, and being saved by Yu Lianzhou, the third generation of Wu Dang would have been truly miserable to behold.

Not to mention comparing him to Zhang Sanfeng, who could almost fight the entire Wu Lin alone, and was called by the Shaolin Abbot: "Master Zhang, before your Qi is exhausted,

... than Zhang Sanfeng, who said, "You might not be able to wipe out all of us from the six major sects."

One can only say that Wudang actually fits the historical progression of a power, or even a dynasty, quite well:

The first generation has talent, luck, and ideals, and through arduous struggle, they found the power.

The second generation, influenced by the first, understands the hardships of starting and

maintaining the enterprise, and handles various matters relatively fairly.

The power moves toward its peak under the efforts of the first and second generations.

But by the third generation, born with silver spoons in their mouths,

they have come to take their existing status and resources for granted,

no longer cherishing them as much, and begin to enjoy themselves and issue orders as they please.

If no heaven-sent hero appears, then such a power must inevitably head toward decline.

"What brings you to find this old man, little friend?"

The Golden-Haired Lion King, unaware of the myriad thoughts swirling in Zhang Jie's mind, asked directly.

"This junior has come specifically for the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

The Lion King has always been elegant and cultured; surely you will not let me return empty-handed."

Zhang Jie smiled, using the style of Chu Liuxiang—praised by those in the Jianghu as the

"Grand Marshal among bandits, the fine gentleman among rogues," and honored as the "Bandit Prince" and "Fragrant Prince."

"You arrogant brat, you're daydreaming!"

The Golden-Haired Lion King, not understanding the meaning behind Zhang Jie's phrasing, refused flatly.

"Foster father, Senior Brother did not come for the Dragon-Slaying Saber itself,

but for what is hidden inside it. It is rumored that the great hero Guo Jing and his wife..."

Zhang Wuji hurriedly explained to Xie Xun.

Since he was able to bring Zhang Jie to Ice Fire Island, he naturally asked for Zhang Jie's views on the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

And Zhang Jie, who always treated people with sincerity, told Zhang Wuji that Guo Jing and Huang Rong had melted down the Mystic Iron Heavy Sword

that Yang Guo obtained from the tomb of Dugu Qiubai,

and placed the "Nine Yin Manual," the "Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms," and other divine arts,

along with the military treatise "Wu Mu's Testament" left by Yue Fei, into the intermediate layers of the recast Heaven-Dependent Sword and the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

"What 'Wu Mu's Testament'? What intermediate layers?

I suspect this is all just a lie this brat made up to trick you!

Wuji, my child, you are still too naive."

The Golden-Haired Lion King clearly did not believe this narrative.

His thinking was not without reason: he had possessed the Dragon-Slaying Saber for over ten years,

and he could be said to know every inch and every pattern of the blade like the back of his hand,

yet he had never found any intermediate layers at all.

"Senior Brother."

Knowing he could not persuade his foster father, Zhang Wuji looked to Zhang Jie for help.

As far as he knew, Zhang Jie's speaking skills were extremely superb:

The people of the Zhu-Wu Linked Manor were all easily brought under Zhang Jie's command.

Even the travel expenses for this trip to Ice Fire Island were taken from the Zhu-Wu Linked Manor.

And on the ship they took, the captain and his crew had been diligent and conscientious these past few days without a single complaint.

All of this was clearly due to Zhang Jie's powerful personal charisma and speaking skills.

Zhang Jie: I excel at convincing people with reason~

"I..."

"Junior, leave Ice Fire Island immediately; I do not want to see you again!

And do not harbor any improper thoughts about the Dragon-Slaying Saber!"

Without waiting for Zhang Jie to speak, the Golden-Haired Lion King impatiently issued an order to leave.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jie's expression could not help but turn cold.

Could it be that his gentleness just now made Xie Xun think that he, Zhang Jie, was a weak person who could be bullied?

Those routed soldiers, Yuan troops,

bandits, and the Zhu and Wu families of the Zhu-Wu Linked Manor who died by his hand would have something to say about that!

Zhang Jie walked slowly toward Xie Xun.

"Senior Brother!"

Seeing Zhang Jie's actions, Zhang Wuji became anxious.

This Senior Brother of his was no pushover; at the very least, Zhu Zhangling had died a miserable death.

And based on the strength Zhang Jie had displayed during this time,

his foster father was by no means a match for Zhang Jie.

"Rest assured, I will not harm your foster father."

Zhang Jie gave Zhang Wuji a reassuring look.

"Arrogant junior!"

Seeing Zhang Jie treat him with such contempt, the Golden-Haired Lion King's anger burned even hotter.

Think of him, the Golden-Haired Lion King, who was once a generation of experts who traversed the world.

Even if Zhang Jie's methods were beyond his understanding, he had confidence in himself.

Whether he could win or not, he would only know after fighting!

He raised his saber and delivered a "Splitting Mount Hua" strike toward Zhang Jie.

However, considering that Zhang Jie was his Wuji's fellow disciple, he did not use his full strength.

Once Zhang Jie could not block it, he could withdraw the Dragon-Slaying Saber,

to avoid killing Zhang Jie and making things difficult for Zhang Wuji at Wu Dang.

Of course, while there would be no danger to his life, he would certainly suffer a good deal of pain.

Even though Zhang Jie's performance just now was unfathomable, Xie Xun did not have much awe.

With the blessing of the divine weapon that was the Dragon-Slaying Saber, let alone Zhang Jie,

even if Zhang Sanfeng came, he would dare to exchange a few moves with him!

"Xie Xun is still sensible."

Zhang Jie nodded slightly.

If Xie Xun had truly dared to try and kill him, then he would not have shown mercy either.

Just like Brother Yan (Yan Shuangying), who would kill everyone who pointed a gun at him,

Zhang Jie would also finish off everyone who had murderous intent toward him and dared to act on it.

Facing the Dragon-Slaying Saber that came whistling with a fierce wind,

Zhang Jie reached out his right hand, which looked as if it were crafted from the finest mutton-fat jade, warm and moist, glowing with a faint light,

and without a single visible pore, and grabbed the Dragon-Slaying Saber in one motion.

"Impossible, impossible!"

Discovering that the Dragon-Slaying Saber had been caught, Xie Xun roared in disbelief.

Even if he hadn't used his full strength, the sharpness of the Dragon-Slaying Saber itself could cut through iron like mud.

There was no one in this world who could catch the Dragon-Slaying Saber with their bare palms.

Not even Zhang Sanfeng, who had been invincible in the world for sixty years on Mount Wudang,

and who made people suspect he had already become an earthly immortal, could do it!