Chapter 316: Morning Plan

Chi Deputy Envoy paused for a moment, recalling the beginning—that is, yesterday morning, when he saw the state of the Sword Hut.

At that time, he had not followed the boat from the Reception Hall, but had been brought up the mountain by Jiang Shenyi on a thunderbird. However, the timing was about the same as the boat's arrival.

He had seen with his own eyes a beam of light shoot up from the top of the Sword Furnace, piercing the clouds; before the crowd could even get a good look at the massive Sword Furnace, it had already collapsed into ruins.

As a mere bystander Sword Guest, he had thought at the time that this was a sign of successful Sword Casting, and even sighed that it was truly a sword forged from the essence of heaven and earth, to have such great momentum the moment the Sword Furnace opened. It really had a bit of the "heavens weeping and spirits trembling" quality that the storytellers in Jichun City boasted about.

Could it be that he had thought wrong?

"That light wasn't some sign of successful Sword Casting, but your Sword Image, was it?"

A beam of light connecting heaven and earth?

Tang Zhao explained, "Actually, it wasn't that bright."

He waved his hand lightly, and a beam of light the thickness of a mung bean flashed past like a shooting star, drawing a relatively bright arc in the air before immediately disappearing. At this time, the daylight was bright and sunlight was everywhere; that light blended into the thousands of rays of sunlight and was impossible to distinguish—it could be called hiding a tree in a forest. It would only be particularly eye-catching if one were to manifest the Sword Image at night.

Chi Deputy Envoy felt a bit relieved and laughed in turn, "That doesn't matter. A Sword Image is always most magnificent when it first appears, weakest when manifested again, and gradually strengthens with cultivation. To reproduce the grand spectacle of the beginning, one must wait until advancing to Sword Hero. When I first comprehended my sword, the fragrance of wine overflowed, intoxicating people for ten miles. As for now, it can only stain my clothes, and it doesn't even smell very fragrant, instead being shunned by others."

Tang Zhao said, "So the Deputy Envoy's year-round smell of alcohol is a Sword Image."

A Sword Image is no secret, and Chi Deputy Envoy had no taboos, saying, "It's not all Sword Image. I naturally drink a little too. I am the smell of wine, you are light; we are both quite distinctive. But your light still has more style; with you surrounded by radiance, you look like an Immortal or a Great Saint no matter how one looks at it, while my smell of alcohol just makes me look like a dead drunkard."

Tang Zhao sighed; to tell the truth, he had originally thought his Sword Image would be the sun.

Sunlight is merely the light emitted by the sun; he always felt it was a bit inferior to the sun, and it didn't seem as good as the Yanggu Sword he had always been simulating. However, Xue Xianyun had said it was not bad, a good Sword Image, because it was clean, neat, and pure enough, with a bottomless upper limit.

Xue Xianyun had said at the time, "For things like Sword Images, one doesn't fear mediocrity, only greed for greatness and perfection. Mediocrity at most means an unclear direction and weak Sword Art. A Sword Image that is too high-end carries the danger of cutting off one's future path. You say you want the firmament, the Thirty-Three Heavens, or the hundred ghosts of Huangquan—are those good? If you really comprehended that stuff, I'm afraid you'd never think of becoming a Sword Hero in your whole life. The cultivation of a sword is the process of the Sword Heart constantly communicating with the Sword Image to strengthen it. Your Sword Heart can't even cover the Sword Image at the start; others walk ten steps, and you can't even walk one—when will you ever be able to manifest the Sword Image? Your light is very good; the direction is clear, the Sword Art is surely outstanding, and the cultivation is not difficult. Much stronger than me."

That way of putting it... it was as if one could control what kind of Sword Image one comprehended.

Tang Zhao indeed preferred the sun, but thinking about it carefully, when he was comprehending the sword, he really was thinking of sunlight. At that time, his thoughts were very pure; it was facing the voice from the bottom of his heart, it was something in his bones, and personal temporary preferences counted for nothing at all. Since what was comprehended was sunlight, then sunlight was what was most suitable for him at this time.

As for the future, there is actually room to modify a Sword Image; that is a matter for after becoming a Sword Hero and beginning to add Sword Intent. Changes in Sword Intent will directly affect the Sword Image. Moreover, at that time, one's own realm will be different, and one will be able to bear a more powerful Sword Image. Therefore, those Sword Immortals and Sword Saints of extremely high realms have Sword Images that look high-end and grand, but they may not have been like that at the beginning. That Kun Sword, which uses the divine object "Breathing Soil" as its Sword Image, might have only been a lump of dirt at the start.

But sunlight itself is not bad; it is worthy of becoming an Immortal or a Saint.

However, who can say for sure about things in the future? Let's just reach that step first.

After a brief discussion on the topic of the sword, it was clearly not the time to delve deep; although that Vermilion Bird was gradually fading, the red-haired Spring Pillar of State was still there.

Tang Zhao asked, "Is your condition still alright? Shall I take over?"

Chi Deputy Envoy laughed, "It's fine, I can hold on. Don't look down on this old drunkard."

Since he said that, his condition was naturally not good.

Tang Zhao drew his sword and said, "Then I will hold the line. Do not resist, just relax." A flash of Sword Light.

"Sword Art—Morning Plan!"

A beam of light shone down from above, landing on Chi Deputy Envoy's hair. He closed his eyes involuntarily, letting the sunlight bathe his whole body, and was instantly both warm and refreshed.

Opening his eyes, Chi Deputy Envoy felt as if he had just had a wonderful, dreamless sleep, had taken a good hot bath, and had just eaten hot millet porridge and fried dough sticks, ready to put on new clothes and go out for duty. He was brand new from the inside out.

Although his hair and clothes still had traces of being scorched, he was already a different person; his spirit and physical strength were completely replenished, and he could engage in a brand new battle.

He was pleasantly surprised, gave Tang Zhao a thumbs up, and said, "Good Sword Art."

Tang Zhao said, "A petty trick; it cannot treat wounds or illnesses, only restore one's state."

Even though they were teammates, his own Sword Art needed to be kept secret, but this kind of Sword Art that provided buffs to teammates should be truthfully disclosed to improve team efficiency.

Chi Deputy Envoy said, "That doesn't matter. There are many Sword Arts and medicines for treating wounds, but there are few Sword Arts that restore one's state so well; many people don't think of it. Can it be used on multiple people?"

Tang Zhao said, "Currently there is only one beam of light at a time; it takes effect as long as the beam of light can shine on them."

Chi Deputy Envoy nodded and said, "That's already quite good. If used well, an entire squad can enjoy this Sword Art. You and Lao Xing's Amnesty can be used together—a one-stop shop for healing and recovery." He patted Tang Zhao again, "Azhao, your heart is good. Although the Sword Art is not as direct to the original heart as the Sword Image, it reflects your mood at the time very well, especially the first Sword Art, which mostly follows the Sword Intent. Your first Sword Art is actually recovery; it shows that your wish is to make people better, unlike us who only have fighting and killing on our minds."

Tang Zhao explained, "This is not my first Sword Art. My first Sword Art was also for fighting and killing."

Chi Deputy Envoy said in astonishment, "What? Didn't you just become a Sword Guest yesterday?"

Tang Zhao said, "Exactly, so I don't have many Sword Arts I can use. It's fine against Sword Guests, but if I really encounter some strong enemy, like that old man Pillar of State, I might not be able to help much."

Chi Deputy Envoy chuckled, "That's already quite a lot—usually new Sword Guests don't have so many Sword Arts." He was full of oddity, wanting to complain about the unfairness of heaven, yet also wanting to earnestly say a few more words to Tang Zhao, reminding him that while comprehending many Sword Arts at the beginning makes one strong quickly, if they are not matched well, it might delay one's future path; one should first build a system carefully according to the Sword Intent before acting with a specific goal. But there was no time to explain in detail now; the red-haired one would arrive in the blink of an eye. He only said, "Like this, you still step back and hold the line for me; this round is still mine. Don't think I will lose; I have already thought of a way to break the situation, it's just that the previous consumption was high and I couldn't use the Sword Art. Now there is no problem. Watch me. My next Sword Art will decide the victory."

Tang Zhao nodded and retreated into the shade of the trees. Actually, he could have hidden and then launched an attack by surprise, but having just shone light to save someone, and that person not being blind, how could they not know the other side had reinforcements? Naturally, they would have been on guard long ago. There was no chance to sneak attack by hiding, so he simply stood here, the intention of intimidation clear.

Just as he stood still, he heard someone above laugh loudly, "Good—I wondered what kind of helper had come, so it's just a pretty boy!"

He saw a ball of flame descend from the sky; it was that red-haired Pillar of State. Quite some time had passed since Chi Deputy Envoy used the smell of alcohol to ignite the fire. If he wanted to extinguish it, he would have had plenty of time, but he actually did not extinguish it, letting the flames burn on his body as if they were his own internal energy; the flames blurred his figure and also formed a suit of armor.

"This is also from the Land Inspection Division? Very good, the more people from the Land Inspection Division come, the happier I am. It's just right to wipe you all out together; today not one of you will live! Killing you all counts as a bit of interest; sooner or later I will kill my way to the Land Inspection Division and exterminate your whole clan."

Tang Zhao watched with cold eyes and couldn't help but frown slightly—it wasn't that he cared much about the man's wild words, but he was just lamenting that it was no wonder a dignified Deputy Envoy of the Land Inspection Division was at a disadvantage in a one-on-one fight; this was truly a bit of a counter. Chi Deputy Envoy's sword carried the smell of alcohol, which was clearly a fire-inducing substance; the opponent was not afraid of fire and could instead control fire to harm the enemy—wasn't this just one-sidedly taking a beating?

On the contrary, his own sword might be able to contend with this sword. Light precedes fire; there might be a suppression. It was just that Chi Deputy Envoy had spoken to take the round, so it was not convenient for Tang Zhao to intervene without authorization.

Let's see what way he has to break the situation first. If the battle situation remains unfavorable, Tang Zhao cannot just ignore it; after all, the battle situation on General Xing's side was unclear and also needed support.

Furthermore... this sword, it really seemed to be the sword he was very familiar with. It really was a bit... desirable.

Chi Deputy Envoy took a sip of wine and said, "You brat, you really are persistent. However, being too persistent is not good."

He suddenly went "pfft" and spat out a mouthful of wine vapor.

Whoosh, a ball of flame ignited on the spot.

Immediately after, he spat out wine mouthful by mouthful, igniting balls of flame all around; in the blink of an eye, those flames actually formed a forest of fire.

The fire-man was slightly startled; this was originally what he was going to do. He had made up his mind to release a powerful fire Sword Art as soon as he came up, forming a net of heaven and earth to burn the two Land Inspection Division dogs to death together. But this sloppy drunkard actually started the fire himself.

Did he not want to live?

Certainly not.

Was he planning to fight fire with fire?

What a joke, his own flame was the Southern Bright Separation Fire, one of the most powerful flames in the world; what did this old drunkard rely on to dare to resist with fire?

This was undoubtedly ordinary fire; if there was anything special, it was that there was a bit of wine fragrance in the flames.

This smell of alcohol... it was indeed quite fragrant.

He had clearly covered his facial features with flames, yet he could still smell it. The fragrance of wine drilled into his nose in wisps.

As he smelled it, he actually felt a hint of intoxication; that feeling of being slightly tipsy was actually quite comfortable.

Just as the fumes of alcohol were going to my head, I saw someone appear calmly from behind the flames; it was that drunkard in green, swaying and drifting, clearly heavily intoxicated, his eyes brimming with the scent of wine fixed on me, flickering with a strange light.

"Hey, you brat, you've repeatedly made fierce threats and cursed at our Land Inspection Division; why? Is it because of the matter of Yinhuo Township?"