Unsheathed

There was a dark expression on the face of the female fiend who looked like a young woman. “Song Yushao, do you insist on fighting with me today?”

The old man in black fished out an old almanac from his robes. He flipped to a certain page and placed his finger somewhere, murmuring to himself, “A suitable day for fasting, a suitable day for seeking wealth.”

Song Yushao put the almanac away and returned his ancient bronze sword to its scabbard. He extended a hand toward the young woman and said, “I’ll allow you to sacrifice wealth to avert calamity.”

The young woman was well aware of this strange old man’s rules, so she immediately retrieved a yellow jade copper coin from her sleeve. The characters “end of plum rain and beginning of scorching summer” were engraved on its front side, and the characters “thunder rumbling across heaven’s peak” were engraved on its backside. These types of jade coins were similar to snowflake coins, in the sense that both were currencies used by immortals from the mountains.

The jade coin in the young woman’s hand was commonly known as a lesser heat coin[1]. Lesser heat coins were far more valuable than snowflake coins; the difference between the two was like the difference between silver taels and copper coins.

She lightly tossed the lesser heat coin toward Song Yushao. However, she didn’t make any more threats. She instead smiled sweetly and said, “It was through blows that we became acquainted with each other, so I hope you won’t turn me away when I visit your Sword Water Villa in the future.”

The old man in black was expressionless as he caught the lesser heat coin and put it away. He made no attempt to stop the young woman as she transformed into a cloud of blackish-green smoke and slowly drifted away from the abandoned temple.

The sword grandmaster called Song Yushao flicked his fingers and released several wisps of arrow-like wind, striking several acupoints on the chests of Xu Yuanxia and Zhang Shanfeng. The two of them had been tricked and immobilized by the female fiend just then, and with their acupoints seals, they were unable to move or speak.

Given enough time, they could have broken through these seals by themselves. However, until that happened, Chen Ping’an would have been forced to fight against the young woman by himself.

This was the first time Zhang Shanfeng had experienced the acupoint sealing techniques of an elite cultivator from outside the mountains. He started to breathe deeply, trying to get rid of the strong sense of discomfort he was feeling.

Xu Yuanxia was a top-notch pure martial artist to begin with, so he couldn’t help but flush bright red with embarrassment after suffering this major slip-up. He cupped fists his fists at the old man and said, “Thank you for your help, Sword Saint Song!”

The old man in black was an eccentric person, and he completely ignored the big-bearded martial artist’s words of gratitude. He directly walked over to the campfire and sat down with his legs crossed. He placed his sword across his knees and closed his eyes to rest.

Upon seeing this, Xu Yuanxia lowered his voice and roughly explained Song Yushao’s background to Zhang Shanfeng and Chen Ping’an.

In the central region of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent — actually in the dozen or so nations near Colorful Garment Nation — there were four sword grandmasters extremely well renowned. There was a sword god in Colorful Garment Nation, but he had already left the cultivation world and lived in seclusion in the mountains for 30-odd years. People praised his sword skills as godly, and his sword was called Illuminating Sun.

However, a nightmarish piece of news had spread around lately, claiming that the old sword god had died at the hands of someone seeking vengeance. This had sent tumultuous waves through the surrounding cultivation world. Everyone was feeling uneasy.

Then there was the old man in black sitting in front of them right now. He was the previous villa master of Water Combing Nation’s Sword Water Villa, and someone with a very strange temperament. He was one generation younger than Colorful Garment Nation’s sword god, and he enjoyed the honorable title of sword saint. His sword was called Iron Water. He was also the founder of Sword Water Villa, the largest force outside the mountains in Water Combing Nation. The current villa master was his eldest grandson, someone who was also very impressive with the sword.

Meanwhile, an extremely famous sword paragon had burst onto the scene in Ancient Elm Nation. He possessed incredible destructive power, but his martial ethics were truly as terrible as could be. He was a wandering cultivator with no permanent residence, and he hadn’t founded his own force either. He always traveled around by himself. However, it was rumored that he had a fairly good relationship with the emperor of Ancient Elm Nation. His sword was called Green Jewel.

Finally, there was the youngest prodigy from Pine Stream Nation. This person had given himself the title Green Bamboo Sword Immortal.

These four sword grandmasters were like dazzling stars shining brightly in the skies above Colorful Garment Nation and the dozen or so surrounding nations. Even the immortal forces from the mountains didn’t dare to underestimate them.

Song Yushao suddenly opened his eyes and chuckled coldly, saying, “Stop sneaking around! Show yourself!”

The old man venerated as a sword saint drew his bronze sword and casually slashed down in the direction of the deity altar in the temple. A wave of dazzling sword qi suddenly burst forth and completely annihilated the already decrepit deity altar. A pretty but skinny young girl was revealed. Her hands were wrapped around her head, as if to protect herself.

When this strange young girl appeared, Zhang Shanfeng’s demon-detecting bell started to softly chime again.

When it came to the cultivation methods of spirits, demons, ghosts, and yin entities, almost all of them were unorthodox and heretical. If these beings didn’t possess a powerful cultivation base, they would often be easily detected by demon-detecting bells.

It was because of this that demon-detecting bells were a necessity for Qi refiners, with only the Bai Ze Album being superior to it. They were highly valued and used by everyone. Before advancing to the fourth tier of martial arts, Xu Yuanxia had also possessed a similar demon-detecting bell as a form of defense and warning.

Right now, most of Xu Yuanxia and Zhang Shanfeng’s attention was focused on the young girl.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping’an was amazed by the old man’s sword strike. The young boy also wanted to practice the sword, but he was still unable to find the figurative entrance to this path. Song Yushao’s sword strike appeared casual and relaxed, and he had seemingly unleashed a huge wave of sword qi with a simple sweep of his arm. The wave of sword qi was unstoppable, and it was like a thundering waterfall crushing everything in its path.

Liu Chicheng had become abnormally quiet after the female fiend had lashed out at them. He was squatting beside the campfire and silently warming his hands with his head lowered.

“This is a pure Buddhist temple, so how can measly demons like you be allowed to sully it?!”

There was a cold and stiff expression on Song Yushao’s face as he flicked his wrist. The tip of his bronze sword shuddered slightly, instantly releasing a blinding white ray that looked like the demon-binding chains used by immortals from the mountains. Its wavy form quickly spread apart in mid-air, transforming into a large net as it descended toward the frightened young girl who had been categorized as a demon. It was as if she were being hunted by a vast net of laws brimming with Heavenly Dao.

This was truly an eye-opening experience for Chen Ping’an.

Sword qi should have been concentrated and meticulous, yet it could also be manipulated and transformed like this?

The old man was carefree and confident as he wielded his bronze sword with a single hand.

Chen Ping’an was most fascinated by Song Yushao’s calm and composed demeanor. This was something that he longed for.

There were crackling sounds as the net of sword qi landed on the young girl. She writhed around in pain on the floor, and the bone-piercing pain caused by the scorching sword qi was already beginning to damage the depths of her soul. Back then, Chen Ping’an had also experienced torturous pain in the bamboo building on Downtrodden Mountain. However, this time the victim was a minor demon lax with cultivation and never competed with others.

A short moment passed, and the young girl was no longer able to maintain her human form after being struck by the sword saint’s attack. Half of her face reverted to that of a fox’s, and tufts of white fur also appeared on her neck and the back of her hands. A faint foxy smell wafted through the air.

The snow-white fox spirit with a weak cultivation base struggled and wailed, “I’ve never hurt anyone before! I’ve never hurt a single person before! I’ve only pranked and frightened some scholars who seek shelter in this old temple. Don’t kill me, don’t kill me…”

There was seemingly a knot in the old man’s heart as he held his bronze sword brimming with sword qi and glowing with sword light.

“Demons are demons, and fiends are fiends!” he exclaimed in a stern voice. “So what if you haven’t hurt people before? Once your cultivation improves, you’ll naturally start to kill innocent people for fun!”

Half of the young girl’s body had already reverted to her original fox form. She prostrated herself on the ground and said through labored breaths, “I even rescued two scholars from the hands of that mama. I had to give her some items that I’d been treasuring for a long time in order to do this, and only then was she willing to release the scholars. I’ll never hurt anyone, I’ll never hurt anyone in my life…”

“A measly fox spirit like you deserves nothing but death!” the old man in black sneered. “I dare say that I’ll only kill one innocent being at most out of 100!”

The young fox spirit was already too weak to say anything else. Her clothes were tattered, and her bloodied body convulsed on the ground. Her bright black eyes had been especially lively before, but they were already dim and lusterless at this moment.

As she died, she didn’t feel hatred toward the old man for being ruthless and unreasonable. Instead, she dazedly looked toward the door of the temple as if she were waiting for an impoverished scholar to arrive. It was as if she were waiting for someone to prank and scare. Succeeding one time could make her feel happy for several months.

Liu Chicheng slowly looked up. A hint of golden light flowed in his profound eyes, and there was also a cold smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. A resigned sigh escaped his lips, one that reflected his familiarity and experience with worldly affairs. He felt like the world would still be as uninteresting as always even if another thousand years passed.

Just as Liu Chicheng was about to stand up…

Chen Ping’an stood up and adjusted the sword case on his back. “Senior Song, what if this fox spirit is the one innocent being? What will you do then?” he suddenly asked.

The old man pursed his lips before replying with a smile, “Then that’s perfect. It will guarantee that the previous 99 and subsequent 99 beings that I kill will be demons and fiends causing trouble for the common people. Knowing this, my sword strikes will become even faster and more resolute.”

Chen Ping’an pointed at the young girl who had completely reverted back to her original fox form already. “Then what about her?”

Song Yushao patted his chest and replied in a blunt voice, “If my old almanac says that today is suitable for burying people, then I’ll bury her after killing her. If not, then I’ll leave her corpse exposed to the elements. She can pray to reincarnate into something better in her next life, and hope that she doesn’t become a demon or fiend again. Of course, it’s more important for her to pray that she doesn’t come across me again.”

Chen Ping’an was slightly stubborn, and he said, “It’s naturally correct for Senior to slay demons and subdue fiends. However, you can do even better.”

The old man carefully observed the young boy with the sword case. He suddenly chuckled and said, “Little boy, are you an idiot? You’re simply seeking shelter in an old temple, yet you’re actually treating yourself as a benevolent Bodhisattva liberating people from suffering now?”

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment before asking, “Senior Song, under what condition will you let this fox spirit go?”

Song Yushao stood up and replied in a solemn voice, “Little boy, seeing that you’re also a swordsman roaming the cultivation world, I can use my killing blow for her against you instead. If you can block my strike, then I’ll let the matters in this old temple slide. Regardless of whether this fox spirit commits sins or performs good deeds in the future, you’ll be the one to bear the karmic fate. If you fail to block my strike and die by my hands, however, then you can only blame yourself for being too weak to stand up for others. What do you say?”

Xu Yuanxia and Zhang Shanfeng both stood up. It was as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

Song Yushao roared with laughter. “I don’t mind if the two of you want to interfere as well. After all, I simply need to launch two more sword strikes. The rules will be the same.”

His laughter was loud and sonorous. In fact, it was filled with so much energy that even the decaying beams in the temple started to shudder, causing countless plumes of dust to float through the air.

“I accept!” Chen Ping’an said with a nod.

He then shook his head at Xu Yuanxia and Zhang Shanfeng, signaling for them not to interfere.

“Be careful.”

The old man was a direct person, and he immediately launched a sword strike after giving a warning.

There were only three meters between them, and the sword ray and astral energy of the strike instantly arrived in front of Chen Ping’an.

An inch movement talisman had already slid out from the young boy’s sleeve. The talisman was made from ordinary yellow paper, and it was resting between his fingers. Chen Ping’an vanished from the spot the instant that the sword qi neared him.

The old man in black snickered upon seeing this.

1. Lesser Heat or Minor Heat is the eleventh of the twenty-four solar terms, around mid-July. ?