Chapter 443: Borrowing the Sword from Sword Nine Yellow

The Xuanyuan family was originally a world-renowned martial arts clan, and with Yu Liancheng having recently dealt a crushing defeat to the Liyang Dynasty, it vaguely showed signs of becoming the second Wudi City; thus, martial arts travelers arrived in an endless stream, wishing to catch a glimpse of the Master of Huishan's demeanor.

With the death of the person in charge, Xuanyuan Jingcheng, Yu Liancheng had originally assumed the entire Huishan would fall into chaos for a while; although he had the ability to manage it, he was too lazy to bother. His original intention was to let them slaughter each other and then randomly choose someone to manage affairs.

Yet, unexpectedly, Xuanyuan Qingfeng quickly pulled herself together. After seeking instructions from Yu Liancheng, the nominal Master of Huishan, she became the second-in-command after Xuanyuan Jingcheng and organized the entire "Heaven Beyond Heaven" in an orderly fashion.

After Murong Wuzhu learned the news of the deaths of Xuanyuan Jingcheng and his wife, she stayed by Xuanyuan Qingfeng's side, occasionally counseling and comforting her, fearing that this close friend might be unable to overcome her grief.

Upon hearing the news, Yu Liancheng rolled his eyes; that woman was ambitious, so how could she be unable to overcome it? Perhaps in the future, she might even come to challenge him—a black-clad figure against a black-robed one.

After staying in the Wending Pavilion for a period of time, Nangong Pushe requested leave from Yu Liancheng, intending to return to the Beiliang Prince Mansion. Compared to the Tingchao Pavilion, the Wending Pavilion was ultimately far inferior.

……

On Daxueping.

Two figures, one black and one white, were equally peerless in grace and equally independent from the world.

"Hey, Nangong, do you want me to give you a lift?" Yu Liancheng stood with his hands behind his back, his black robes fluttering.

"No need," Nangong Pushe said calmly. "I can just ride a horse back to Beiliang; it won't take much time."

Yu Liancheng chuckled, "Don't you want to know why Wuzhu and I stayed on Wudang Mountain for a while, yet arrived at Huishan almost at the same time as you? Today, not only can you know the reason, but you can also experience it yourself."

"Oh? What method is it?"

White Fox Face's eyes lit up.

"Flying."

"Flying?"

The next moment.

Even the knowledgeable White Fox Face could not help but exclaim; she discovered that she had truly begun to fly, as if wrapped by a gentle breeze, her body light as if it had no weight, and soon she was drifting off Daxueping like a white cloud.

A breeze brushed against her face, tousling her dark hair, and White Fox Face was shocked to find herself hundreds of feet in the air. Although her movement technique was quite brilliant, it was still a distance away from riding the wind.

At the same time, White Fox Face also realized she was being held in Yu Liancheng's arms. A blush of shyness flitted across her fair cheeks, but her pair of peach-blossom eyes looked at the scenery flying past below, revealing an expression of wonder.

The world was vast, and all things were but a grain of millet.

For a moment, White Fox Face seemed to forget about Yu Liancheng; she slightly spread her arms, as if transforming into a Qingniao soaring through the world, unconstrained and free, with the sky high and the earth wide.

But at this moment, their speed suddenly accelerated, and the breeze turned into a gale, causing her robes to snap loudly and her face to feel as if it were being cut by knives.

The previously clear scenery became blurred, and she couldn't help but stretch out her arms to hug Yu Liancheng tightly, unable to refrain from cursing, "Bastard, slow down."

The words had only just left her lips before they were blown away in the wind.

Yu Liancheng laughed heartily, his toes tapping in the air once more as if stepping on invisible stairs, and his speed surged, almost turning into a streak of light, flashing toward the direction of Beiliang like lightning.

"Slow down, bastard, it's so fast, how can anyone stand it?"

The exclamation was blown away in the wind.

In less than half a day, the two had already arrived outside the Beiliang Prince Mansion.

The Beiliang Prince Mansion was not lacking in supreme experts on guard. Faintly hearing the snapping wind and sensing experts approaching rapidly, they all became vigilant, their expressions grave. Such rapid speed was simply inconceivable. Clearly, they had been a hundred feet away just moments ago, but within a breath, they were already before the mansion.

Fortunately, Yu Liancheng slowed down when entering the mansion.

Upon realizing it was Murong Tonghuang and Nangong Pushe, the experts in the mansion could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. At such speed, if they were to assassinate the Great Pillar Kingdom, it would not be an impossible feat.

"See, I told you it would be fast."

Yu Liancheng's figure drifted gracefully, a smile on his face, his toes tapping on the surface of the lake, causing ripples to spread out; he was like an immortal walking on waves, and with the white-robed beauty in his arms, they were truly a perfect match, like a pair of celestial lovers.

"You fellow, let me go quickly..."

Nangong Pushe's body felt weak, a faint blush on her cheeks.

After a long while, she finally had the strength to push Yu Liancheng away.

White Fox Face glared at Yu Liancheng with her amorous peach-blossom eyes, then tapped her toes and darted toward the direction of the Tingchao Pavilion.

Before entering the Tingchao Pavilion, she did not forget to smooth out her disheveled dark hair, finally understanding why Murong Wuzhu had been constantly fixing her hair when they first met. Yet, thinking of how she had hugged Yu Liancheng's arm like a little girl earlier, a flush stained her fair cheeks, though it soon dissipated.

Yu Liancheng watched White Fox Face walk into the Tingchao Pavilion, shrugged his shoulders, and turned to leave.

"Little Murong, is there any of that wine from last time left?" Just then, a lazy voice sounded. In front of the Tingchao Pavilion, an old man with one arm was picking at his toes while sunning himself.

……

In front of the Tingchao Pavilion.

The one-armed old man Li Chungang sat on the ground, with a plate of peanuts and a pot of wine placed before him.

The old man ate peanuts with one hand while picking up the "Peach Blossom Brew" handed over by Yu Liancheng, taking a long drink, and then revealing an expression of endless aftertaste.

In this world, there were only a handful of people who could drink Peach Blossom heartily without getting drunk.

"Tsk tsk, although the Green Ant Wine of Beiliang is potent enough—the moment it hits the throat, it feels like a ball of fire is ignited—it ultimately lacks something, missing the room for an aftertaste. Your 'Peach Blossom Brew' is the exact opposite; it is much lighter, yet the aftertaste is endless, worth savoring slowly when drinking alone."

Yu Liancheng laughed, "As long as you like it, old man."

"You treat me to wine, I'll treat you to peanuts." The Old Sword God Li Chungang pointed to the peanuts in front of him.

Looking at the plate of peanuts and recalling the carefree posture of the Old Sword God picking his toes while sunning himself and tossing peanuts into his mouth, Yu Liancheng politely declined, "Eat your ass, don't come here to disgust me."

"The kid is truly arrogant; you don't know how to respect your elders at all, just like I was back in the day." The Sword Saint Li Chungang did not get angry, but chuckled.

"You're wrong; actually, I've already been very respectful to you, senior. If it were anyone else being this disgusting to me, I would have kicked them away long ago, beating them into a state of semi-paralysis first."

Yu Liancheng summoned the steward and had him prepare a long tea table, with rare fruits and fine wine, not a single thing missing. The steward was very sensible and even specially selected four or five beautiful maids in the prime of their youth to massage his shoulders and legs.

In this Beiliang Prince Mansion, Yu Liancheng's status was exceptionally high, likely only slightly lower than the Great Pillar Kingdom and the Prince.

"You kid, you certainly know how to enjoy yourself," the Old Sword God Li Chungang said grumpily.

Yu Liancheng chuckled, "If the Old Sword God doesn't mind, you can enjoy it together with me."

"Forget it, I'm afraid of shortening my life. It's enough to just feast my eyes on these young lasses."

The Old Sword God waved his sleeves and again examined the maids with lecherous eyes, staring fixedly at their curves without blinking, occasionally letting out "tsk tsk" sounds of admiration. Knowing they were being watched until their cheeks turned red, the maids hid behind Yu Liancheng without leaving a trace, and only then did the old man in the sheepskin coat speak slowly.

"Little Murong, lately there have been rumors everywhere that you killed an Imperial Prince named Zhao Kai, as well as the Human Cat Han Diaosi and Yang Taisui. Is it true?"

Yu Liancheng said, "It's not entirely true."

The Old Sword God chuckled and said, "Indeed, that is the case. I don't know about others, but I do know a thing or two about the Human Cat. That old eunuch not only possesses remarkable cultivation, capable of killing a Heavenly Phenomenon expert while at the Mysterious Finger realm, but his escape skills are also not bad at all..."

"He even killed one Land Immortal and one Mysterious Finger expert who had fallen from the Land Immortal Realm. As for those below the First Grade, I haven't counted them carefully..." Yu Liancheng took the warmed Green Ant Wine from a beautiful maid and drank it in one gulp. He then grabbed a handful of bait and tossed it into the lake, causing the red carp to scramble for food.

The Old Sword God coughed twice, hurriedly picked up a bowl of Green Ant Wine to drink, hiding his slightly astonished expression, and then gave a thumbs up: "Good, kid Murong, you not only inherited my true legacy of being a romantic, but your spirit is not a bit inferior either."

Yu Liancheng glanced at the old man in the sheepskin coat and gave a cold chuckle.

"Alright, I was indeed not as handsome as you back in the day, and my Martial Dao cultivation was a bit weaker, but it wasn't much of a difference, just a thin line apart."

The Old Sword God scanned Yu Liancheng with a look as if he were looking at a monster: "You kid, you're handsome, your martial arts are high, and your literary talent and romantic flair are top-notch. The generation of Xu Fengnian is going to be unlucky; all the glory will be stolen by one person, just like when I was a World Walker in the Edo."

"Are you praising me or praising yourself in a roundabout way? Senior Li, you are the Old Sword God after all, have some shame." Yu Liancheng rolled his eyes.

"What I said is the truth." Li Chungang chuckled: "You kid, you truly have the ability to contend with Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City. The biggest difference between you and ordinary martial artists is that not only is your Qi long-lasting, but the speed at which your Qi recovers is very fast; I fear even Land Immortals cannot compare. It can simply be described by the four words 'endless and continuous'. Unlike ordinary experts, whose Qi is exhausted after breaking through a hundred or two hundred armors, and on the battlefield, they would be crushed into a pulp of meat by cavalry in a few charges."

Yu Liancheng chuckled: "Why, want to learn? I'll teach you, call me Master and let me hear it."

"Forget it." The old man in the sheepskin coat picked at his toes: "I am very satisfied with my own Sword Dao; there is no need to walk someone else's path."

"As you wish." Yu Liancheng comfortably enjoyed the service of the pretty maid: "By the way, where is Lao Huang?"

"He went to Wudi City to challenge for the sword." The old man in the sheepskin coat rubbed his chin, a look of contemplation on his face.

"I have seen his sword. Although Sword One through Sword Eight have some merit, they are just so-so. Sword Nine 'Six Thousand Li' is indeed quite extraordinary, but against that guy Wang Xianzhi, it cannot be considered a formidable move."

"As for Sword Ten, it is natural and perfect, with Sword Qi soaring to the heavens. As for whether he can survive under Wang Laoguai, that is hard to say. After all, if Wang Laoguai is in the mood and doesn't hold back, there are few people in this world who can survive those fists. When he left, Lao Huang said there was still a Sword Eleven. It is a pity he only sensed this form; I did help him complete the prototype, but it is only a prototype after all..."

After speaking, he casually picked up a chopstick and thrust it forward, plain and simple, without any mystery to speak of.

This plain and simple thrust, however, made Yu Liancheng fall into deep thought.

After a long while, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared in the eyes of the elegant and peerless young man in black: "Although it is only a prototype, it is brilliant and reaches the peak of sword techniques. In reality, what this sword truly lacks is spirit. A sword technique without spirit, no matter how brilliant, will always be stagnant."

The old man in the sheepskin coat nodded.

If a technique has spirit, even if it is mediocre, it will become mysterious. Conversely, a sword technique without spirit, even if the changes are exquisite, will always be inferior.

Yu Liancheng asked: "What is the name of Sword Ten?"

The old man in the sheepskin coat said: "Sword Nine was named by that kid Xu Fengnian, called Six Thousand Li, because Jian Jiu Huang only realized the ninth sword after following the Xu kid on a six-thousand-li journey. As for the tenth sword, Lao Huang said it was equivalent to letting him walk another three thousand li, so it is called 'Nine Thousand Li'."

"A good name." Yu Liancheng flicked his sleeve, and a sword appeared in his palm—long, narrow, ancient, and pitch-black. It was the "Duoqing" that had been by his side since he first entered the world.

This Duoqing was originally unremarkable, but perhaps having drunk the blood of many heroes, its luster flowed, and it seemed to have gained a hint of divine sharpness. As soon as it was unsheathed, its sharpness was fully revealed.

"If you do a good deed, do it to the end. Since I have given Lao Huang 'Sword Ten' Nine Thousand Li, I will give him one more sword. Doesn't Wang Laoguai want to fight me? Let's use this sword to whet his appetite first."

Yu Liancheng held the Duoqing sword and muttered to himself: "Sword Nine 'Six Thousand Li', 'Sword Ten' Nine Thousand Li, I will call this sword 'Half Boundless', hoping that one day, Lao Huang can realize 'One Sword Boundless'."

Then, he turned his wrist and held the sword toward the Old Sword God Li Chungang.

The old man in the sheepskin coat laughed heartily: "A good 'Half Boundless'! I will add a move of Opening Heaven Gate, borrowing the sword for ten thousand li, to let Wang Laoguai see the style of our new and old generations of Sword Gods."

He took the Duoqing sword, slightly sensed the vast Sword Intent, laughed again, and tossed it lightly.

This sword went off to Open Heaven.

Yu Liancheng lowered his head and pondered.

The Old Sword God Li Chungang, the New Sword God Murong Tonghuang, wouldn't that make Deng Taohua the Middle Sword God? This refers not only to the time the three became famous in the Edo, but is also related to their ages.

Tsk tsk, there are old, middle, and young generations of Sword Gods; I wonder if there will be a "Young Sword God" in the Edo in the future.

PS: Seeking monthly tickets.