Chapter 13: Master and Master

Having KO'd Ling Feng, Heng Xian felt no trace of superiority.

Ling Feng has innate Tier Two!

He is innate Tier Four!

Setting aside swordsmanship, he himself is already two minor realms above the opponent.

He turns back to keep swinging his sword; his lifelong OCD makes him uneasy if he doesn't forge twenty thousand swords each day.

At that moment, the female gate attendant behind him let out an "ah", lifted her skirt, and ran out.

Ling Feng sat up, looked at Heng Xian's back, and his heart was filled with astonishment.

A boy who cannot cultivate, yet was defeated by a single sword??

What does this indicate?

What kind of talent and ability is this?

No, this must be reported to the Second Master!

He couldn't even bother with formalities, turned and left.

Heng De stationed himself at the largest market of the Heng family; every day the Seven Cliff Grass from East Garden was escorted by hundreds of Heng family experts, and he sold it personally.

By the time Ling Feng arrived, Heng De was settling accounts with Kong San Ye: "... This sum cannot be touched; in half a month is the Pill Medicine Conference! In three months, the triennial Young Generation East Wind Martial Arts Gathering! Our Heng family will be the host.

Especially the East Wind Martial Arts Gathering, when the five great families, thirteen minor families, and ten thousand members of various major forces will converge at our Heng family,

Being the host will be a considerable expense…"

He said this, then froze upon seeing Ling Feng approach:

"A Feng, your complexion looks off!"

Ling Feng exhaled: "To be honest, the Second Master might not believe it, but I was just beaten by the young master!"

Heng De instantly lost interest: "My son beating you is perfectly normal!"

Ling Feng asked: "Did the young master beat you with a sword?"

Heng De was startled: "He learned opera singing with that sword? Fine, my son has the talent of a Drama Emperor!"

"Uh..." Ling Feng rephrased: "I used a knife, he used that opera‑singing sword; we fought honorably, and he defeated me with a single move!"

Heng De sprang to his feet: "Is that true?"

Ling Feng said: "I dare not deceive the Second Master; the young master has been practicing swordsmanship five hours each day these past few days!"

Heng De frowned: "After only a few days, he already beat you?"

Ling Feng replied: "Yes!"

"What does this represent?" Heng De asked.

Ling Feng's face grew solemn: "Although the young master cannot cultivate, his swordsmanship alone is worthy of being called a genius!"

"My son has the talent of a Sword Emperor!" Heng De strode outward, "I'm going to the Offering Courtyard to appoint a swordsmanship master as his teacher!"

…

"... 19823, 19824..."

In a corner of East Garden, Heng Xian sweated like rain.

Not far behind, Su Wan'er lightly bit her vermilion lips: "The young master is always like this; I feel sorry for him!"

Lan Xiang nodded: "Me too!"

A Gou sat on the ground: "If the young master keeps training like this, will he exhaust himself?"

"Nonsense!" Su Wan'er spat, "The young master just defeated Commander Ling, he'll surely keep getting stronger!"

"Ge Jian Shi, isn't my son very strong? I'm scared just looking at him!" a voice came from outside the courtyard.

Heng De, Ling Feng, and another middle‑aged man with long beard in his forties were peering inside through the doorway.

The long‑bearded man, sword at his waist, frowned: "He does have some perseverance, but this brute‑force approach is terribly poor, offering no benefit!"

Heng De was somewhat displeased: "Perseverance is also a skill; otherwise why would I invite you?"

Ge Jian Shi twirled his beard: "As a Heng family retainer, when the Second Master asked me to teach his child, I naturally have no reason to refuse,

It's just taking private work; twenty thousand low‑grade spirit crystals a month, does that sound suitable to you?"

Heng De gritted his teeth: "Suitable!"

Ge Jian Shi smiled proudly: "Very well! I'll give him the first lesson now; let the idle onlookers stay away!"

He said that and walked into the courtyard.

Heng De immediately called Su Wan'er and the other two out, then shut the courtyard gate and moved to the side.

…

"... 19998, 19999..."

Heng Xian, meticulous as ever, sliced off the final few sword strokes.

The advantage of the True Body of a Sword Saint is that the sword merges with the body, making sword practice far easier than for ordinary people.

"Ahem, rogue disciple!" Ge Jian Shi's stern voice came from behind.

"Twenty thousand!"

Heng Xian swung his final sword, wiped his sweat, turned back to Ge Jian Shi, and, surprised, said: "Who are you calling a rogue disciple? You've misspoken, haven't you?"

Ge Jian Shi's face froze, and he shouted angrily: "I am the sword master hired by your father to teach you swordsmanship; you child are so impolite, you have no respect for teachers!"

"You teach me swordsmanship?" Heng Xian surveyed him from head to toe, "What rank are you?"

"Rank?"

Ge Jian Shi thought for a moment, then smiled proudly, "I am at innate Tier Nine, Great Perfection realm; I've spent my life obsessed with swordsmanship, and in the whole Heng family, I am among the top few..."

He was cut off before finishing, a sword tip lodged in his throat.

Heng Xian raised his sword, his face astonished: "Is that all?"

Uh…

This kid draws his sword quite fast, Ge Jianshi's old face flushed, then, embarrassed and angry, he shook off Heng Xian's sword: "I've long heard you're capable of any misdeed; didn't expect you to be so rude. Have I finished speaking?"

Heng Xian was even more surprised: "In a life‑or‑death duel, do I still have to listen to your comic routine?"

"Alright!" Ge Jianshi stepped back two steps, his expression turning serious, drew the Snowflake Sword from his hand, and performed a sword flourish:

"The mastery and conception of the sword are divided into sword form, sword momentum, sword bone, sword Qi outward release, nine layers of sword intent, and the rules of the sword!"

Each layer is stronger than the previous; this I call sword form! Do you see clearly?

Kid, raise your sword! I don't need realms to simply spar with you!

Swoosh—

Heng Xian thrust his sword—straight, fierce, swift—instantly lifting Ge Jianshi's blade and again pressing against his throat.

"Uh…" Ge Jianshi fell silent for a moment, unable to escape the situation, stepped back: "Wrong, try again!"

Cough—

Heng Xian's sword again reached his throat and knocked his sword away: "Flashy nonsense!"

…

Outside the courtyard, Heng De, Ling Feng, and Su Wan'er stood together in a cluster.

Ling Feng said, "Ge Jianshi is the foremost swordsman of our Heng family, and even the clan head admires his understanding of the sword!"

Heng De nodded, "I naturally trust Ge Jianshi; he's immensely talented, but I'm afraid Heng Xian's enthusiasm will wane after a day and he'll give up tomorrow!"

You should know that three months from now is the Dong Lan Huiwu!

That truly will be a gathering of talents, tigers and dragons clashing; if my son can show a move at Dong Lan Huiwu, even if he loses immediately!

It would still make for a fine story!

Ling Feng said, "The young master has persisted for five or six days, and with a strict teacher like Ge Jianshi, perhaps… he can truly make a run at Dong Lan Huiwu, and Second Master need not worry!"

"Exactly!" Heng De waved his hand, "Look!"

The five of them stealthily peered through the cracks in the wall, and were all stunned wide‑eyed!

They saw Ge Jianshi, unabashed and frantic, kneeling before Heng Xian, pleading desperately, "Master, please accept me as your disciple; I can serve tea, pour water, make the bed—nothing I cannot do!"

Heng Xian sneered, "You're too old, you have no future; I don't like you!"

Ge Jianshi said, "Perhaps the disciple will achieve greatness late; becoming a sword master at eighty is not impossible!"

Heng Xian continued to scoff, "Then come back when you're eighty!"

"Uh!" Outside, Heng De and the other four were bewildered beyond belief.

"Did we… get something wrong?" Ling Feng swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Heng De flicked his sleeve and walked toward the main gate: "What kind of decorum is this?"

Upon hearing this, Ge Jianshi could not hide his expression, rose, left the courtyard, approached Heng De, and let out a long sigh to the heavens:

"Heng Xian, self‑taught, has a steady sword form, mountain‑like sword momentum, proud sword bone; if he could cultivate, his sword Qi would burst outward and I'd lose my life!"

"I have never seen such a sword‑technique prodigy, I—"

He covered his face and fled in tears!

Ling Feng, Su Wan'er and the others who rushed over were stunned! Has the young master become that… formidable?

Heng De was also stunned, then rushed into the courtyard: "My son is a great talent! Tonight the two of us will have several rounds of drinks!"

…

Heng De was truly excited.

That night they prepared five bottles of burning knife, got drunk, and mumbled about going to some snow mountain to find a holy pill to open their son's meridians!

Heng Xian didn't take it to heart, because he decided to go challenge Ye Qingyi tomorrow!

A promise is a promise!

(End of chapter)