Chapter 388: 362 The Sun-Holding Envoy

Tang Zhao frowned, his heart involuntarily stirring.

Was it someone from Caiyungui outside?

Come to think of it, he did remember that people from Caiyungui had participated in this battle against the Asura, and their position was right next to the position of Lao Qiao and the others. It was just that Tang Zhao had been at the very center afterward, so he hadn't seen them clearly, and the dispatching hadn't moved their positions either.

But since they were important allies, they should naturally be treated with special courtesy; they should have returned to the city with General Cui, and Moyun City should have provided official transport, so how did they end up intercepting a carriage halfway back to the city?

Could it be that they were really coming for him?

Tang Zhao had a feeling that "trouble was imminent."

However, Caiyungui likely did have an alliance with those from Qianjin City, and both sides had to look out for each other; this was a kind of "great righteousness" of the front line. Shanye Gang truly found it difficult to turn these two away. Amidst muttering, the Fire Seed Carriage opened its gate and let the two women from Caiyungui in.

Tang Zhao frowned slightly, and Qiao Hai said in a low voice, "Don't want to see them? How about this, you go hide in the room, and I'll handle it."

Tang Zhao waved his hand and said, "It's not that exaggerated; they aren't my creditors. Since they've come, I might as well meet them."

When it came down to it, although meeting them might be trouble, Tang Zhao hadn't done anything wrong, so why act sneakily and furtively, as if he had done something shameful? He would just meet them and see what kind of tricks they were up to.

It was just a Sword Guest with an ordinary disciple, was he afraid of her?

Even if they only talked about strength, Tang Zhao wasn't afraid. Even if the Sword Guest was very strong, he still had friends here, and besides... his sword was very suitable for escaping. If he couldn't win, he could still run.

Of course, it was best not to have to run.

Tang Zhao remained at the wine table without moving. After a while, he heard someone behind him say, "Ah, Sword Guest Tang is here. Truly, one might search for something for a long time only to find it without effort."

Tang Zhao turned his head and stood up generously.

He saw two women descending from the roof of the carriage. One of them went without saying; it was indeed Fan Haiyu. The other woman wore a deep purple long dress, her hair adorned with pearls and jade, with a cloud-patterned shawl draped over her shoulders; her attire was magnificent. In terms of apparent age, she and Fan Haiyu looked about the same, only her temperament had a bit more maturity and composure, and one could see the accumulation of years in her bones.

Tang Zhao said politely, "Forgive my lack of observation, but I don't seem to have ever met you. May I ask how to address this Sword Guest?"

The woman bowed and said, "This humble one, Chen Yingxia, greets Sword Guest Tang."

After the greeting, her water-like gaze turned to Tang Zhao's face, her eyes brimming with emotion, and she said softly, "Good, truly good."

Tang Zhao didn't like her direct gaze, but he remained calm on the surface and said, "So it is Sword Guest Chen. Greetings."

Qiao Hai stood up as well and said, "Greetings, greetings to everyone. Sword Guest Chen, please sit. Although we are not colleagues and have never met, meeting halfway is fate. This Fire Seed Carriage is like my humble abode; as the saying goes, all who come are guests. Since you have graced my humble abode, sit down and have a drink together. Let me introduce the people on our carriage."

Although Chen Yingxia was not interested in the others, her manners were still impeccable. Qiao Hai introduced the Sword Guests on the carriage as if he were hosting a banquet at his own home, pouring wine and serving food, already taking the initiative. She did not show any signs of being distant, cold, or impatient; instead, she said many polite and warm words, followed by three consecutive cups of wine, her face flushing red, yet she remained smiling and chatting.

She drank heartily and gave everyone face, so Tang Zhao couldn't say anything and clinked glasses with her.

After a few cups, Shanye Gang laughed and said, "Sword Guest Chen, at the time of the battle, we were in the position right next to yours, not far away, and could see each other. I think your Sword Art is truly excellent, both powerful and beautiful; you are worthy of being a great Sword Guest of Caiyungui."

Chen Yingxia smiled and said, "Sword Guest Shan is too kind. The three of you's Sword Art was what truly opened my eyes, especially that fist that rose from the ground like a mountain, like a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting..."

She was eloquent and quick-witted, flattering the three of them one by one, and the atmosphere became increasingly lively.

Immediately after, she said softly, "Actually, I was just there by chance and didn't intend to fight. But since I encountered such a major event, it was naturally my duty to act. I can only say that since we are all in the Suiyu, we are all in a relationship where we prosper together or suffer together; how could we not contribute?"

Even Tang Zhao nodded at these words, and Qiao Hai and the others, having been in the Suiyu for a long time, couldn't help but praise her repeatedly.

Qiao Hai said, "Sword Guest Chen said it well! What is the situation in the Suiyu now? Who can stay out of it? Just like us, we often wander around the Suiyu and often leave the range of Qianjin City; if we encounter a Heavenly Demon disaster, would we not act? If you don't act today and I don't act tomorrow, as time goes on, there will be no need for the Suiyu to exist, and everyone can just go to the Human World and wait for the sky to collapse and the earth to crack. It is precisely because of people like Sword Guest Chen that the Suiyu still has hope."

Chen Yingxia sighed and said, "Indeed. However, you and I are but small Sword Guests. We can only do trivial things, killing a few Heavenly Demons, eliminating a few Phantoms; it is nothing more than seeking peace of mind. What use is it for the overall situation?"

Tang Zhao raised an eyebrow slightly, and Shanye Gang said, "Hey, why think so much? Small Sword Guests do small things. Leave the big things to the big shots. Just like you said, Sister Chen, just seek peace of mind."

He called her 'Sister' out of habit, even to show closeness, but Chen Yingxia still picked up her wine glass and took a sip to cover up her expression, saying, "One must think of a way to solve it once and for all... or at least a way to maintain peace for a period of time."

Qiao Hai said, "Such methods must be thought of by the City Lords, right? We are mere Sword Guests, what is the use of us thinking about these?"

Chen Yingxia sighed and said, "It is precisely that big shots have big shots' considerations, and small characters have small characters' tasks. Perhaps one day, the future of the Suiyu will lie with the small characters. Like us in Caiyungui, we have always had a task passed down for hundreds of years, just to earn a moment of peace for the Suiyu, for the world."

Shanye Gang blurted out, "I know—it's the Sun-Holding Envoy, right?"

Qiao Hai gave him a subtle glare, blaming him for saying that term out loud.

He actually didn't know what a Sun-Holding Envoy was, nor did he know what the Sun-Holding Envoy had to do with Tang Zhao, but he was knowledgeable and knew that every time Caiyungui had disciples come out of the mountains, they would cause a huge commotion over this Sun-Holding Envoy, as if it were a fixed farce. He knew this was a big trouble. Smart people encountering such trouble should avoid getting involved.

Chen Yingxia, however, quickly followed up and said, "Exactly. The Sun-Holding Envoy; if the Sun-Holding Envoy is found, then at least this piece of Suiyu under our feet will be more prosperous and stable. Everyone will benefit from it. Unpredictable disasters like today's surprise attack by the Xiuluo, which nearly wiped out the city, will never happen again."

Even though Qiao Hai didn't want to hear her continue talking about the Sun-Holding Envoy, he was attracted by the prospect she described, and he also knew that anyone living in the Suiyu would not talk nonsense about such things, just as ordinary people would not joke about their own lives. Since Chen Yingxia said it, there must be some basis for it.

Over there, Shanye Gang was even more surprised: "Is it that magical?"

Chen Yingxia sighed long and said, "It is just that magical. The Sun-Holding Envoy is like the Suiyu itself, a treasure left by our ancestors. It's just a pity that it's hard to find someone to inherit the treasure."

Shanye Gang said, "What exactly is this Sun-Holding Envoy? Is it a Sword Guest? Or a Power Sword Envoy?"

Chen Yingxia smiled and said nothing.

Her meaning was naturally that it was not for outsiders to know. Others might have seen her meaning and would have been tactful enough not to ask anymore, but Shanye Gang was not very good at reading people's expressions. Since Chen Yingxia didn't answer, he guessed for himself, slapped his thigh, and said:

"I guess it must be a Power Sword Envoy, right? You said if it were a Sword Guest, relying on whatever geniuses you find, holding whatever ancient Immortal Sword, wouldn't they still have to cultivate honestly from a Sword Student to a Sword Guest? By the time they become a powerhouse capable of supporting one side—at least a top-tier Sword Hero or even a Sword Immortal—wouldn't decades or a hundred years have passed? And what if they die halfway? Wouldn't decades have passed again? I don't think you can afford to wait."

"A Power Sword Envoy is different. Once a suitable person is found, they can immediately wield the sword and inherit the sword's power. If it is an Immortal Sword, they would immediately become a figure comparable to a Sword Immortal. It's immediate, and that's what you can call doing big things."

When he said this, he was still not satisfied and asked, "Big Brother, do you think I'm right?"

If it were any other time and he was rambling like this, Qiao Hai would have glared at him and told him to shut up, but at this moment he also laughed and said, "There is some truth to it?"

Shanye Gang became even more interested and said, "Look, our Big Brother says the same! And don't you always look for the Sun-Holding Envoy? If it were a Sword Guest, wouldn't you have to cultivate them for eight or ten years? I remember you look for one every year or two, and every time it's a big commotion, isn't it? A Sword Guest can't die every six months, right? Maybe the conditions for a Power Sword Envoy are harsh; the candidate was suitable at the time, but after a year or two, they were no longer suitable. I heard that a Power Sword Envoy consumes a lot of a person; to wield an Immortal Sword, wouldn't you exhaust your foundation? So you have to change people often, and each person can only use it for a period of time, right?"

Chen Yingxia was still smiling politely at first, but as she listened, her smile gradually froze.

Shanye Gang continued, "What kind of Sword Envoy are you looking for exactly? Is there an age limit? I remember someone saying you only look for handsome youths, and also saying you..."

Chen Yingxia placed her wine glass on the table with a "clink."

Qiao Hai also felt that he was talking too much and scolded, "You blockhead, what nonsense are you spouting? How can such street rumors be believed?"

Chen Yingxia didn't turn hostile; instead, the corners of her mouth pulled up, revealing a smile, but this smile was too sharp, appearing to have no laughter at all, and she said, "Sword Guest Shan, your speculation is indeed reasonable, but unfortunately... it's all wrong."

Shanye Gang was startled and said, "Is it wrong?"

Chen Yingxia said lightly, "Naturally it is wrong. Power Sword objects are ultimately external paths; how can the rise and fall of a world be entrusted to a Power Sword?"

Shanye Gang said, "But don't you have a Sun-Holding 'Envoy'..."

Chen Yingxia said, "This 'Envoy' is an envoy of mission, not an envoy of a Power Sword. A mere Power Sword Envoy, how could they tarnish the name of our Sun-Holding Envoy? The Sun-Holding Envoy is a righteous and upright Sword Guest, the most bright and upright of all."

The others were also very surprised. Tang Zhao also thought the Sun-Holding Envoy was a Power Sword Envoy; just as Shanye Gang said, if it were a Power Sword Envoy, then the details would match, but if it were a Sword Guest, it wouldn't match.

Shanye Gang said, "But every time you look for..."

Chen Yingxia said: "It is very simple; we do not look for people because each person is only suitable for a period of time, but because they are all unqualified, and we can only look again."

She took a deep breath and said: "Originally, I only wanted to speak of this to Sword Guest Tang alone, but since you all misunderstand, I have no choice but to say a few more words to vindicate my Caiyungui. We do not tell people simply because the matter is of great importance and carries immense weight, so we must be exceptionally cautious; it is not that we have something to hide."

"I only Ask you all, do you know what the most important sword in Suiyu is?"