Chapter 36

【But this isn't strange either. Although Dugu Qiubai was strong, this sword technique was probably created in his early years, when he himself might have still been in the "feeling out the stones as he crossed the river" stage, so he left room for later generations to imagine for themselves】

【In many Wu Xia Works, the pinnacle of the sword Dao is generally the "No-Sword" realm, and the power of that realm differs from work to work】

【So in this world, to what extent does one count as having reached "No-Sword"?】

【Sigh, I'm overthinking it. I'm attached to appearances. Different works have different settings, and not every swordsman has to walk the same path】

【Dugu Jian's "Twenty-Third Sword" sends the Yuanshen out of the body directly, already transcending the mortal realm】

【Yan Yan Shisan's "Death-Claiming Fifteenth Sword" claims to come from hell, symbolizing death and destruction】

【Whether that's boasting is another matter. After all, the "Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms" can't really subdue dragons either, but no one saw Yan Yan Shisan abandon his sword and stop using it】

【There's also Lang Lang Fanyun, whose self-created "Overturning Rain Sword Technique" can shatter the void. Even the "Yellow Series" novels' "Four Great Strange Books," the "Changsheng Jue" and the "Cihang Sword Canon," cannot do this】

【So did Lang Lang Fanyun stop using a sword? He's still using one!】

【From this one can see the martial Dao is vast and profound. One must keep an open mind, let a hundred schools of thought contend, and never bind oneself to the words of a single school】

"Free one's mind, and not bind oneself to the words of a single school?"

Seeing this, quite a few sword-wielding women fell into thought.

Mengzhou, on the great grassland.

The green-clad young girl propped her chin on a small hand and tilted her head to glance at the green bamboo staff beside her.

As for swords, she had never used one.

As for the No-Sword realm, she had never thought about it either.

And so-called sword Qi, sword intent, sword gleam, sword momentum and the like—she actually understood none of it at all.

Whenever she faced an enemy, she merely gave the bamboo staff a light wave…

And her opponent would fall!

Later she heard people call the power she released "sword Qi," and call her movements "sword techniques."

At the time she looked at the green bamboo staff in her hand, which had nothing whatsoever to do with a sword, and fell into deep thought.

Still, although she was a bit puzzled in her heart, she couldn't be bothered to dwell on it. Let people call it whatever they liked; any name was the same to her.

She had never cared about the word "sword." Whatever she did, she followed her heart's desires.

She had just seen Jiang Sishui say the "Nine Swords of Dugu" could break this and break that, and talk about "with sword, without sword" and the like, and she actually found it very boring.

Because she had never agonized over these questions, nor did she understand what there was to agonize over.

But Jiang Sishui's final remarks happened to greatly suit her fancy.

Suddenly, the young girl's gaze sharpened.

【There's also the Yue Maiden A Qing, who with a single bamboo staff knocked the weapons from two thousand Yue armored soldiers of the Spring and Autumn period—soldiers strong enough to annihilate a nation】

【The most terrifying part is, she didn't even kill them outright, only knocked their weapons from their hands one by one, and the sound of the weapons hitting the ground actually linked into a continuous stream, making it impossible to tell them apart!】

【Truly baffling】

Seeing this, every one of the women turned pale with shock!

The fame of the Spring and Autumn Yue armored soldiers was recorded in the Central Domain's historical annals; even now many people had heard of them.

Yet before this woman called A Qing, they were actually so fragile!

Didn't this mean that A Qing alone could annihilate a Spring and Autumn-era nation?

And if she were still alive in this world, could the present dynasty together with its divine artifacts stand against her?

The women's hearts surged, rising and falling without cease.

Especially since the other party was also a woman, yet so outstanding—the impact on them was truly considerable.

……

The green-clad young girl A Qing looked at the deeds of her past that had appeared in the diary, her expression faintly dazed, a look of reminiscence on her face.

Several hundred years ago, the Spring and Autumn era.

The states of Wu and Yue were at war. The King of Wu won. To seek peace, the King of Yue offered himself to Wu, suffering every humiliation.

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

At that time Yue had an important minister, Fan Li, who by chance saw that A Qing's sword techniques were superb, so he trotted out his identity as a "man of Yue" and asked A Qing to "train" Yue's swordsmen.

A Qing was simple by Ren Tianxing, and unable to withstand the entreaties of that old fox Fan Li, so she agreed.

At that time, she also had a good sister, Sister Xi Shi, whose beauty was like flower and moon, whose radiance astonished the world—simply indescribable in words.

Fan Li went privately to see Sister Xi Shi, and once again used his identity as a "man of Yue" to persuade her, begging her to enter the state of Wu and employ a beauty trap, bewitching the King of Wu, while buying breathing space for Yue.

This conversation happened to be overheard by A Qing, who immediately came out and gave Fan Li a thorough scolding, then took Sister Xi Shi and left in anger.

Later, Yue still relied on the three thousand armored soldiers "trained" by A Qing to annihilate Wu.

After the King of Yue had avenged his former shame, the man grew arrogant and overbearing, indulging in extravagant luxury and lust.

Once by chance, the King of Yue heard that within Yue's borders there was a woman named Sister Xi Shi, the foremost beauty under heaven, and his thoughts were stirred, so he ordered his men to bring Sister Xi Shi into the palace.

When the uninvited guests arrived, A Qing happened not to be by Sister Xi Shi's side, and Sister Xi Shi was only an ordinary person, naturally unable to resist.

A Qing returned from herding sheep, heard of this matter, and in fury killed her way into the King of Yue's palace.

And so occurred the matter recorded in the diary.

However, the diary's account also has discrepancies: at the time she defeated three thousand men.

After A Qing defeated the three thousand Yue armored soldiers, she learned that Sister Xi Shi, after being dragged into the palace, had refused to suffer the humiliation and so taken her own life.

With the meat already snatched from his mouth, the King of Yue flew into a towering rage. He had just been about to order all the attending palace maids executed when A Qing came Shashang Sect.

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

Fan Li, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, saw the situation and hurriedly opened his mouth to counsel.

But A Qing still tapped her staff through the King of Yue's skull with one strike!

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

Recalling this past event, a trace of melancholy appeared on Aqing's naturally carefree face.

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

And even if Xi Shi had not died that day, eventually passing away of old age, by now she would also be nothing but yellow earth, wouldn't she?

After all, she was just an ordinary person.

Indeed, because of her congenital frailty, she simply could not practice martial arts.

Recalling Xi Shi's voice, appearance, and smile, Aqing sighed.

【After learning the "Dugu Nine Swords," I practiced breaking sword moves with Qiying, and our feelings developed very quickly.】

【Qiying is not only beautiful, but also gentle, intellectual, and understanding; she will surely be a virtuous wife and mother... hmm, a virtuous wife is enough.】

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

"A virtuous wife and mother? Why did Brother Jiang say a virtuous wife is enough? Does he not want children?"

Zhao Qiying pondered thoughtfully.

【Speaking of virtue, besides Qiying and Rong'er, I suddenly remembered another person.】

【Bai Axiu, the Paizhang Sect's granddaughter from the Xueshan Sect in "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer".】

Qingzhou, Lingxiao City.

"Is it me?"

Bai Axiu paused for a moment; her clear, water-like eyes shifted, revealing a hint of complex meaning.

【Character: Bai Axiu】

【Appearance: 10】

【Affection: 10】

Seeing the double-perfect scores, she knew that her status in Jiang Sishui's heart, though perhaps not equal to Huang Rong's, was certainly not far off.

Then, did the diary owner's attitude toward her, like toward Huang Rong, mean he absolutely had to have her?

Bai Axiu could not help but raise such a question.

She had never seen Jiang Sishui and did not know if she would like him, but she had truly never thought about serving one husband alongside another woman.

Therefore, regarding her affection for Jiang Sishui, she felt more at a loss.

However, thinking about these things now is too early; what hasn't happened can be discussed later. Bai Axiu looked back at the diary, wanting to see how Jiang Sishui evaluated her.

And "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," I wonder what fate the Bai Axiu in the book met; will the diary reveal anything?

【Axiu is a very kind and good Miss, gentle and reserved, refined and polite; her entire being is free of scheming, purer than the snow lotus on the snow mountain.】

【There is a line in the ending theme song "Tian Xian Zi" of the TV series: "An ice-and-snow maiden enters the mortal dust."】

【This line perfectly summarizes Axiu's image.】