Chapter 132: 127 Willow Bank

Early spring, the weather was slightly cold; it was the perfect season for all things to sprout and for plants and trees to be lush and tender.

A clear stream flowed out from the mountains, gradually converging into a river that wound through forests, fields, and towns, flowing eastward day and night. Both banks of the river were lined with willow trees that had just put forth tender, yellowish-green buds.

It was not yet the season for willow catkins to drift in the air, and the weeping willows by the river were exceptionally tranquil.

On the official road by the riverbank, two horses approached at a slow pace. The riders were both youths of outstanding appearance; the slightly older one was not yet twenty, his bearing elegant and his spirit vibrant, while the younger one was sixteen or seventeen, possessing a golden-jade quality and unparalleled grace, unable to hide the scholarly aura about him.

Although the two were riding fine steeds, they did not let them gallop, instead loosening the reins to walk slowly, enjoying the spring scenery along the river as if they were out on a leisurely excursion.

"Haa—yawn." The younger youth let out a long yawn while on horseback.

The older youth tilted his head slightly and said with disdain, "What's going on? You've been yawning since early this morning. What did you do last night?"

"Last night... I stayed up late studying," the other youth said, covering his mouth with a perfunctory tone.

The older youth shook his head repeatedly. "Tsk tsk, young people these days really aren't up to it. When I was your age, I could stay up late and get up early, pulling an all-nighter without any issues. Unlike you, being this drained after just one night. You're like this just after leaving the mountain; if the road gets bumpy, won't your little frame be shaken to pieces?"

The other youth recalled for a moment and said, "When you were my age? Isn't that just four years ago? Four years ago, you were putting on airs in front of people during the day and staying up late to practice martial arts at night, turning day into night; it was indeed very exhausting."

Provoked by him, Jiang Shenyi said angrily, "Hey, is that the attitude to take when speaking to a Senior Brother? While there's no one around, do you want me to teach you what it means to be a Senior Brother?"

Tang Zhao laughed. "Why? Must a Senior Brother teach a Junior Brother a lesson to be considered a Senior Brother? Has our sect changed its rules so that the strongest and most robust is the Senior Brother? That would be great; let's go back, storm the villa, and seize the throne. I'll be the Senior Brother, and you can be the Junior Brother, how about that?"

Jiang Shenyi said, "To hell with that! Why should you be the Senior Brother and me the Junior Brother? I want to be the Senior Brother. Ptooey—you brat, behave yourself. This is your first time leaving the mountain to go elsewhere, right? I've been down the mountain many times and traveled long roads; I'm experienced. You'd better listen to me obediently, or I'll dump you in a busy marketplace, and you won't even be able to find your way home even if you cry."

Tang Zhao laughed. "I am leaving the mountain for the first time, but before I went up the mountain, I was already at the foot of it."

Jiang Shenyi said, "Heh, can that be the same? Before you went up the mountain, did you know how to pretend—to be a qualified disciple of a prestigious sect? Do you know how to navigate the pugilistic world? If it weren't to guide you on how to walk the pugilistic world, I could have reached Jianzhou in three days using my Driving Wind and Thunder Twin Wings. Would I have needed to leave a month early and wander around with you on these big beasts?"

Tang Zhao said, "That's true. What is it that you, Senior Brother, want to teach me?"

Jiang Shenyi's eyes shifted, and he said, "I'll teach you—first, try to keep up with me!" Suddenly, he flicked his whip and spurred his horse into a wild gallop, disappearing into the distance in a flash.

"If you don't keep up, you don't get to eat!"

Tang Zhao hurriedly spurred his horse to follow, chasing from behind and calling out, "Senior Brother—"

Seeing that his speed was not as good as his own and knowing his horsemanship was average, Jiang Shenyi said triumphantly, "What do you want?"

"When are you going to pay back the money you owe me?"

"Get lost!"

The two chased each other along the road, both carrying the excitement of having just left the mountain. If one were to speak of relationships on the mountain, Tang Zhao had good relations with everyone, but when it came to friends he could truly play with, it was really only Jiang Shenyi. Hua Xifu was his friend, but their circles were different, and he lived far away. Xue Yeyu was also close to him, but the age gap was large, making her more like an older sister.

Jiang Shenyi was Tang Zhao's neighbor and was four years his senior, but he had gone up the mountain earlier and spent almost his entire youth on the isolated Jiugao Mountain. His temperament was proud and competitive yet simple, even more childish than his peers, while Tang Zhao had been through major events and was more mature than the average child. The two were roughly the same age, and in the eyes of their master and senior sisters, Tang Zhao was actually more steady than Jiang Shenyi.

The two had grown up together for over three years, counting as classmates and childhood friends. Their relationship was close, and they didn't have as many formalities as with other senior brothers; they often teased each other and were a pair of "damaging friends." Once off the mountain, they were even less inhibited and did as they pleased.

After chasing for a while, the two suddenly slowed down at the same time and reined in their horses.

At a bend in the long river, under a large willow tree, stood a middle-aged man.

The man looked disheveled, with stubble on his face, unkempt hair, half a square scarf draped over his neck and shoulders, and a blue-gray Confucian robe washed until it was faded white, looking like a destitute, failed Scholar.

Such a person should not have attracted attention, but the two noticed the sword on his back at a glance.

A Treasure Sword!

He was a Sword Student!

A so-called Sword Student is a prospective Sword Guest who has found a suitable sword but has not yet comprehended the Sword Heart. Such people are only one step away from being a Sword Guest. Although some never comprehend the Sword Heart in their entire lives and never become Sword Guests, that is the minority. Except for those born with a silver spoon in their mouths and top-tier family backgrounds, most Sword Students who get the opportunity to hold a sword are talented and determined individuals; comprehending the Sword Heart is just a matter of time.

The reason they recognized him as a Sword Student at a glance was that most Sword Students carry their swords on their backs, and they are always half-drawn, making them very easy to identify. It is said that when the day comes for the treasure sword to leave the scabbard and the Sword Light to bloom, that is the birth of a Sword Guest.

Encountering a Sword Student, while not requiring the extreme caution of meeting a Sword Guest, still demands respect. Galloping past would be too rude, so both dismounted and led their horses past him. After all, Zhuoyu Villa was considered a prestigious sect, and Xue Xianyun was a famous master; both had good upbringing and discernment.

When passing behind the middle-aged man, both bowed slightly without making a sound to disturb him. The man seemed completely unaware, stroking the weeping willow with his fingers and murmuring, "Yantai willows, Yantai willows..."

These two lines were like a poem Tang Zhao had memorized, and he continued almost silently, "Are the greens of the past still here..."

Although the voice was extremely soft and only his lips moved, and the middle-aged man did not seem to notice, Tang Zhao still realized he had been abrupt. He closed his mouth, bowed again, and walked away leading his horse with Jiang Shenyi.

After walking a mile, the two mounted their horses again and stopped galloping, proceeding at a steady pace. After another two miles, Jiang Shenyi let out a breath and said, "This is hitting the jackpot; we can run into a Sword Student on the side of the main road. If we sleep in the middle of the night, won't a Sword Guest jump in through the window?"

Tang Zhao hurriedly said, "Don't say that, I have psychological trauma."

In truth, if one were to discuss strength, both felt that even if they didn't count as Sword Guests, they might not be without the power to fight a mere Sword Student. But they weren't out to cause trouble; maintaining respect and parting ways was enough.

Walking along the river, they never left the official road. By noon, they had bypassed Jichun City, and there were no other large cities for a hundred miles, making it difficult to find a place to rest. That night, the two stayed at a post station by the side of the main road.

The post station was originally for officials, with the main courtyard receiving government officials, but there were also side rooms for rent to traveling merchants and civilians. Tang Zhao now had the official status of the Land Inspection Department; if he revealed his identity, he could naturally stay in the main room, but he felt that one more thing is worse than one less, so he just paid for a side room and bought some pancakes and stewed vegetables from the postman to eat.

Along the way, Jiang Shenyi couldn't help but demonstrate the details of being cautious while away from home. For example, testing food for poison, not showing off one's wealth, checking for holes in the room—especially the window paper—and whether the roof tiles were intact; he was quite articulate. The only pity was that he forgot to bring money, and it was Tang Zhao who paid.

At night, after the two had washed up and were chatting, they couldn't help but talk about the Sword Student they had passed. Jiang Shenyi said, "According to your observation, what is his Sword Intent? What is his Sword Image?"

Guessing a Sword Guest's Sword Intent and Sword Image to their face is not polite, just like prying into someone else's martial arts; it inevitably carries hostility and can even lead to conflict. But chatting behind closed doors in private is fine; who doesn't analyze intelligence?

Tang Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "We are just guessing blindly anyway, based on those few clues. If I had to guess, the Sword Image can only be a willow tree."

Jiang Shenyi said, "I guess so too. When a Sword Student is trying to comprehend the sword, there is always a hazy feeling, and they tend to go near things that lead to the Sword Intent. He must have a feeling for willow trees. The Sword Image is easy to guess, but the Sword Intent is a bit more ethereal, though not impossible to guess. 'Liu' (willow) is a homophone for 'Liu' (to stay/leave behind). Breaking a willow branch has always been a gesture of farewell; wasn't there a poem about that?"

Tang Zhao said, "There are many. 'Long ago when we left, the willows were swaying; now that we return, the rain and snow are falling.' Also, 'The willow branches are all broken, the flowers have all flown; may I ask if the traveler is returning or not?' Oh, and that one—'Whose jade flute is playing in the dark, drifting into the spring breeze to fill Luocheng? Hearing the "Breaking Willow" tune tonight, who would not feel a longing for their hometown?'"

Jiang Shenyi stopped him and said, "Alright, alright, I know you have ink in your belly; having that meaning is enough. Anyway, choosing the willow means reluctance to part. I saw that his face was full of nostalgia and lingering feelings; he might be thinking of an old friend. It's very likely a woman."

Tang Zhao said, "A woman? Is it really the 'Zhangtai Willow'? How did you see that?"

Jiang Shenyi said, "Of course I can see it. That kind of deep affection and lingering, the feeling of being unable to part—if he were thinking of a man, it would be too disgusting. It must be a woman, no mistake."

Tang Zhao muttered, "Really?"

Senior Brother, you have absolutely no experience, how can you be so certain?

Jiang Shenyi said confidently, "Listen to me, I'm right. Comprehending the sword often requires strong emotions or obsession; it is not uncommon to use love as a guide to enlightenment. You might have seen it often before; their Sword Images are often gentle and lingering, very beautiful, like wind, flowers, snow, and moon, but there are also withered and ugly ones—that is from the pain of losing a loved one or even turning love into hate."

Tang Zhao felt there was some truth to this and said, "Since he is missing a woman, could the Sword Image not be a willow, but the woman herself?"

Jiang Shenyi said flatly, "Of course that's impossible. A Sword Image avoids complexity first, and intelligence second. Especially, it cannot be a human image; otherwise, let alone Manifestation, even descending would be difficult. Even if you see a person when you comprehend the Sword Intent, it usually dissipates, leaving only the imagery on her, such as a pearl hairpin or a round fan."

Tang Zhao nodded, feeling he had been taught something. He had spent all his energy on Rune Formulas and martial arts over the past few years, studying day and night, and his knowledge of Sword Guests was actually inferior to Jiang Shenyi's. He said, "I didn't expect you, Senior Brother, to be so knowledgeable..."

Just as they were speaking, someone suddenly knocked on the door.

It was already late at night. The post station was not an inn and only had postmen; it was impossible to have late-night service, and there were no acquaintances inside or out, so the two became alert at once, simultaneously getting off the bed silently and reaching for their weapons.

Tang Zhao called out, "Who is it?"

Someone outside the door said: "It is I. Do the two young friends still remember our chance meeting under the willow tree by the river?"