Chapter 35

This is not strange; although Senior Senior Dugu Senior Senior Dugu Qiubai was powerful, this sword art was likely created in his early years, when he himself might still have been in the stage of "crossing the river by feeling the stones," thus leaving room for later generations to imagine.

In many martial arts works, the ultimate realm of the Sword Dao is generally the "Swordless" realm, yet the power of this realm varies across different works.

So in this world, what level must one reach to be considered "Swordless"?

Alas, I am overthinking it; I have become attached to appearances. Different works have different settings, and not every swordsman must walk the same path.

Senior Senior Dugu Senior Dugu Dugu Dugu Dugu Jian's "Sword Twenty-Three" directly projects his primordial spirit out of his body, already transcending the bounds of the mortal world.

Yan Yan Shisan's "Fatal Fifteenth Sword" is hailed as coming from hell, symbolizing death and destruction.

Whether this claim is mere boasting is another matter; after all, the "Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms" cannot truly subdue dragons, yet no one has seen Yan Yan Shisan abandon his sword.

Then there is Lang Lang Fanyun, whose self-created "Overturning Rain Sword Art" can shatter the void, a feat that neither the "Longevity Art" nor the "Cihang Sword Canon" from the Huang series' "Four Great Wonder Books" can achieve.

Does Lang Lang Fanyun not use a sword then? He still does!

This shows that the Martial Dao is profound and vast; one must open one's mind, allow a hundred schools of thought to contend, and never bind oneself to the words of a single school.

"Liberate the mind, do not bind oneself to the words of a single school?"

Seeing this, many women who wield swords fell into deep thought.

In Mengzhou, on the vast grasslands.

A young girl in a green robe rested her small hand against her cheek, tilting her head to glance at the green bamboo staff beside her.

As for swords, she had never used one.

As for the realm of Swordlessness, she had never even thought about it.

As for so-called sword qi, sword intent, sword radiance, sword momentum, and the like, she actually understood nothing of them.

Whenever facing an enemy, she would simply wave her bamboo staff lightly...

And the opponent would fall!

Later, she heard people call the power she released "sword qi" and refer to her movements as "sword arts."

At that time, looking at the green bamboo staff in her hand, which bore no resemblance whatsoever to a sword weapon, she fell into deep contemplation.

However, although she felt somewhat puzzled in her heart, she was too lazy to dwell on it; let others call it whatever they wished, for all names were the same.

She never cared about the so-called character "sword"; everything she did was done according to her own whims.

When she first saw Jiang Sishui speak of "Senior Senior Dugu Nine Swords" breaking this and that, and about "having a sword or having no sword," she actually felt very bored.

Because she had never tangled herself with such issues, nor did she understand what there was to tangle over.

However, Jiang Sishui's final remarks quite matched her own sentiments.

Suddenly, the girl's gaze condensed.

There is also Yue Maiden Aqing, who with a single bamboo staff knocked the weapons from the hands of two thousand Yue armored soldiers of the Spring and Autumn period, a force sufficient to destroy a nation.

Most terrifying of all, she did not even strike to kill; she merely knocked away each opponent's weapon one by one, yet the sound of the weapons hitting the ground merged into a single continuous roar, making them impossible to distinguish!

It was truly incomprehensible.

Seeing this, all the women turned pale with shock!

The fame of the Yue armored soldiers of the Spring and Autumn period, and their strength, was recorded in the historical annals of the Central Region, and many people today had heard of them.

Yet before this woman named Aqing, they were so utterly fragile!

Did this not mean that Aqing alone could destroy a nation from the Spring and Autumn period?

And if she were still alive today, could the current imperial dynasty, even with its divine artifacts, stand against her?

The hearts of the women surged with emotion, rising and falling endlessly.

Especially since the other party was also a woman, yet so outstanding, the impact on them was indeed significant.

The green-robed girl, Aqing, seeing her own past deeds appear in the diary, looked slightly dazed, her face filled with nostalgia.

Hundreds of years ago, during the Spring and Autumn period.

The states of Wu and Yue were at war; the King of Wu was victorious, and the King of Yue, seeking peace, sacrificed himself to enter Wu, enduring great humiliation.

After returning to his country, the King of Yue slept on brushwood and tasted gall, vowing never to forget his old shame.

At that time, Yue had a high minister named Fan Li, who happened to witness Aqing's superb sword skills; invoking their shared identity as "people of Yue," he begged Aqing to go and "train" the swordsmen of Yue.

Aqing, being simple by nature, could not resist the pleas of this old fox Fan Li, and so she agreed.

At that time, she also had a good sister named Xi Shi, who possessed a face like a flower and moon, with a radiance that startled the world, almost beyond description.

Fan Li privately visited Xi Shi and once again used their "Yue people" identity to persuade her, begging her to enter the State of Wu to execute a beauty trap, bewitch the King of Wu, and thereby buy time for Yue to catch its breath.

Aqing happened to overhear this conversation; she immediately came out and scolded Fan Li thoroughly, then took Xi Shi and angrily departed.

Later, Yue still relied on the three thousand armored soldiers "trained" by Aqing to destroy the State of Wu.

After the King of Yue had wiped away his past shame, he became arrogant and presumptuous, indulging in extreme luxury and desire.

On one occasion, the King of Yue heard that there was a woman named Xi Shi within Yue, the foremost beauty of the age, and his mind was stirred; he ordered his subordinates to bring Xi Shi into the palace.

When these uninvited guests arrived, Aqing happened not to be by Xi Shi's side, and since Xi Shi was merely an ordinary person, she naturally could not resist.

When Aqing returned from herding sheep and heard of this matter, she flew into a rage and charged into the palace of the King of Yue.

And so, the event recorded in the diary occurred.

However, there was a discrepancy in the diary's account; at that time, she had defeated three thousand men.

It was only after Aqing had defeated the three thousand Yue armored soldiers that she learned Xi Shi, after being abducted into the palace and unwilling to suffer humiliation, had immediately taken her own life.

With the meat he had hoped to taste now gone, the King of Yue flew into a towering rage and was just about to order the execution of all the palace maids on guard when Aqing killed her way to his door.

Seeing that the three thousand Yue armored soldiers could not stop Aqing, the King of Yue immediately lost his nerve.

Fan Li, who rushed over upon hearing the news, saw the situation and hastily began to persuade her.

But Aqing still pierced the King of Yue's skull with a single strike of her staff!

That was the first time in her life she had killed a man.

Recalling these past events, a trace of melancholy inevitably appeared on A Qing's face, which was usually carefree and untroubled.

Several hundred years have passed; the changes in the world are truly immense!

Even if Xi Shi had not died that day and had eventually passed away of old age, by now she would likewise be nothing but a mound of yellow earth, wouldn't she?

After all, she was merely an ordinary person.

Indeed, due to her congenital frailty, she was fundamentally unable to practice martial arts.

Recalling Xi Shi's voice, appearance, smiles, and expressions, A Qing sighed.

[After learning the "Nine Swords of Senior Senior Dugu," I practiced breaking down sword moves with Zhao Zhao Qiying, and our affection developed very quickly.]

[Zhao Zhao Qiying is not only beautiful but also graceful, intellectual, and understanding; she will surely be a virtuous wife and... hmm, a virtuous wife is enough.]

In the room, Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying's lips curled slightly, revealing a joyful smile, her face radiating a glow of happiness.

"A virtuous wife and loving mother? Why did Brother Jiang say a virtuous wife is enough? Could it be he doesn't want children?"

Zhao Zhao Zhao Qiying fell into thoughtful contemplation.

[Speaking of virtue, besides Zhao Zhao Qiying and Rong'er, I suddenly recalled another person.]

[Bai Bai Bai Axiu, the granddaughter of the Snow Mountain Sect leader from "A Hero's Journey."]

Qingzhou, Lingxiao City.

"Is it me?"

Bai Bai Bai Axiu paused for a moment, her water-clear double pupils shimmering with flowing waves, revealing a hint of complex emotion.

[Character: Bai Bai Bai Axiu]

[Appearance: 10]

[Affection Level: 10]

Seeing the two perfect scores, she knew that her status in Jiang Sishui's heart, even if not equal to Huang Rong's, was certainly not far off.

Then, was the diary owner's attitude toward her also like his toward Huang Rong, absolutely indispensable?

Such a doubt inevitably arose in Bai Bai Bai Axiu's mind.

She had never met Jiang Sishui and did not know if she would like him, but she had indeed never considered sharing a husband with another woman.

Therefore, regarding her feelings of affection for Jiang Sishui, she was mostly at a loss.

However, it was still too early to think about these things; matters that had not yet occurred could be discussed later. Bai Bai Bai Axiu looked back at the diary, wishing to see how Jiang Sishui evaluated her.

And as for "A Hero's Journey," she wondered what fate befell Bai Bai Bai Axiu in the book, and whether the diary might reveal a hint or two.

[Bai Bai Axiu is a very kind and good young lady, gentle and graceful, refined and polite; her entire being is devoid of scheming, purer than the snow lotus atop the snow mountains.]

[There is a line in the ending theme song "Heavenly Fairy" from the TV series: "An ice-and-snow maiden enters the mortal world."]

[This single sentence perfectly summarizes Bai Bai Axiu's image.]