For a traveler, a weapon is as indispensable as breath itself. The roads are fraught with peril, and carrying a weapon against unforeseen dangers has become common practice in this age. More than half of all travelers carry a blade, making it the most common making it the most common weapon of the time. Yet while many carry a blade, becoming a renowned blade-wielder is no easy feat.
Countless young men depart their homes with a single blade, aiming to one day build a reputation upon its edge. But how many can truly turn such aspirations into reality?
"The Reckless Blade" Li Sibei is one such youth. He rose from obscurity, building a name for himself with nothing but the steel in his hand, until he became the most outstanding young blade-wielder of his generation—famed for his alarming skill, his reckless audacity, and his shameless pursuit of women.
Li Sibei possesses a towering, muscular physique, features that few women could ignore, and a wild, barbaric air. Such was the man known as the Reckless Blade. Ever since he slaughtered the Red Beard Bandits and severed the head of the Red Beard Demon to claim the official bounty, the fame of this young blade-wielder has soared, becoming the talk of Wei City.
His romantic scandals did as much to fuel his fame as his blade ever did. His promise to Liu Bai, the renowned beauty of the Heaven Lantern Tower—that he would whisk her away to a distant land—proved to be nothing more than pillow talk meant to sweeten a single night. By morning, he remembered none of it. In Wei City, many beauties had fallen into the hands of this Reckless Blade; countless men loathed him, yet none dared challenge him.
On a winding highway cutting through vast fields as far as the eye could see, steep dark-brown earthen walls gradually rose into view. At one corner of the fortress stood a massive catapult, silent yet imposing. The sight alone proved why Wei City was famed as the great stronghold along the Dragon River.
In the afternoon, "The Merry Meanderer" Jin Tianwang arrived at Wei City. After paying the entry toll, he headed straight for the market to find lodging. For a destitute man like him, having enough coin to rent even a narrow room in a great city like Wei was a delight in itself. Jin Tianwang visited three or four inns before finally securing a room. Afterward, he set out to wander the city.
Having not yet eaten lunch, Jin Tianwang chose a roadside stall, sat down, and ordered a bowl of noodle soup. Before long, he looked up to find a large, obese man sitting across the table from him.
The man was enormous, with a beard that swallowed his round face. His girth was such that he resembled two men stitched together, making his hands, feet, and head appear disproportionately small. Dressed in bright red attire that resembled a bridegroom's outfit, he looked utterly ridiculous. He sat smiling, revealing a half-mouth of teeth, staring intently at Jin Tianwang's face before speaking.
"Brother, is this your first time traveling to Wei City?"
"Many years ago, I passed through once, but I did not have the opportunity to stay overnight," Jin Tianwang replied with a smile.
"Brother, you have a very strange smile. In the past two or three years, there has been an eccentric who likes to wander about, smiling cheerfully. Could that eccentric be you?"
Stranger still was the man who called others eccentric. Jin Tianwang continued to smile foolishly before replying, "If that eccentric is surnamed Jin, named Tianwang, then I fear that eccentric is this lowly one himself."
"Excellent! I have found you. You are indeed the Merry Meanderer, Jin Tianwang. My name is Dong Jianshan, and I wield the Flying Chakram. I wonder if you have heard of this old master?"
"I am but a wandering drifter, living in forests and mountains. Apologies, but I have never heard your name before. To meet you today... I admire you, I admire you greatly."
"How can you admire me? You are famous, a young expert who dared to confront the leader of the martial world. This old master is merely a hero residing in this city; how could I shine as brightly? However, you have acted brazenly, kidnapping people. If you still cherish your life, release the person immediately."
"Release a person? Release whom? I do not understand Brother Dong's words."
"Since you pretend to be foolish, do not blame this old master for striking ruthlessly." As he finished his sentence, he rolled up his sleeve, snatched a bright red chakram from his waist, and with a twist of his wrist, slashed it toward Jin Tianwang's chest.
Before the chakram could touch him, Jin Tianwang twisted his shoulder to dodge and lashed out with his leg, the tip of his boot kicking the chair out from under Dong Jianshan.
Dong Jianshan nearly lost his balance and tumbled from his seat. He scrambled to stand. In that same instant, the surrounding patrons rose in unison, drawing various weapons to glare at Jin Tianwang.
Jin Tianwang had not expected to make enemies of so many people for reasons unknown. Sweeping his gaze around, he realized he was surrounded. He immediately gathered his internal energy into his left palm, causing the wooden chair before him to lift from the ground. The chair rose to chest height, and with a strike of his right palm, he shattered it into splinters. His hands moved in a strange rhythm, sending the sharp wooden shards flying outward in a wide arc. He then kicked off the ground, flipping once through the air before bringing his foot down onto Dong Jianshan's right shoulder, slamming the heavy man face-first into the ground in a humiliating display. Using the recoil, he launched himself beyond the encirclement.
Although he had escaped the circle, the moment his feet touched the ground, Jin Tianwang sprinted forward with great speed, only to find a person waiting for him.
This person was a gaunt man, his face prematurely aged despite being only twenty-four or twenty-five. He wore luxurious emerald green robes. Jin Tianwang recognized him immediately: "The Young Master of the North," Ke Daoping, one of the most famous youths of the era. Besides his formidable skill, the Ke clan was among the wealthiest families of the Northern Region. The two had met once before, and Jin Tianwang remembered those emerald green robes vividly.
Jin Tianwang stopped running and slowly walked toward Ke Daoping, offering a greeting, "Brother Ke."
"Five years ago, we met once at the Virtue Association. That day, you showed bravery in defending righteousness for a friend. I did not think that after several years, you would change to this extent," Ke Daoping spoke with a hard voice.
Jin Tianwang did not understand Ke Daoping's words, so he asked, "I do not understand Brother's meaning..." Before he could finish, the sound of breaking air screamed behind him. Looking back, he saw a red shadow—the chakram Dong Jianshan had thrown, even while lying on the ground.
Ke Daoping immediately flicked his arm upward. A glittering golden beam shot past Jin Tianwang's shoulder, striking the bright red shadow. The two weapons collided and ricocheted apart. The red shadow was Dong Jianshan's chakram, while the golden beam Ke Daoping had thrown was a solid gold ingot. He then shouted, "I, Ke Daoping, will converse with Brother Jin for a moment. The rest of you, do not interfere yet."
Jin Tianwang, however, had no intention of chatting. If he delayed, he would surely be surrounded again. "I must depart immediately. Let us talk next time," he said, and charged straight toward Ke Daoping.
Ke Daoping did not expect Jin Tianwang to break through in his direction. He sighed slightly before throwing gold ingots from both hands. The golden beams shot out—one in front, one behind.
Jin Tianwang saw the two beams approaching and knew well that with Ke Daoping's skill, there must be hidden variations. The first golden beam suddenly spun, shifting from a straight shot into a spiraling arc that widened its attack radius. Meanwhile, the second beam surged faster and faster, overtaking the first in the blink of an eye. Jin Tianwang knew that if he avoided the second beam, he would expose himself to the spiraling first. And even if he escaped both, Ke Daoping would surely send more.
Jin Tianwang suddenly devised a bizarre counter. He removed his cloak and spread it wide, enveloping both golden beams. The heavy gold tore straight through the fabric—but Jin Tianwang had already vanished. While Ke Daoping waited for the falling cloak to clear his sight, Jin Tianwang used that fleeting instant of obstruction to escape. No matter how wealthy Ke Daoping was, even he could not squander solid gold without end.
Ke Daoping scanned the area again and found Jin Tianwang already several zhang away. Despite himself, he admired the man's lightness skill. Suddenly, Jin Tianwang circled back. Ke Daoping could hardly believe his eyes. His body reacted instinctively, preparing to throw another weapon, but abruptly, his limbs went weak. His balance failed, and he collapsed. Just in time, Jin Tianwang's arms scooped him up, preventing him from crashing to the hard ground. Looking around, he saw the crowd crumpling to the ground one after another in the same bizarre fashion.
"You were not afflicted by this old master's poison," a hunchbacked old man clutching a cane emerged slowly from the corner of the building.
"I happened to catch a glimpse of Senior once, so I immediately held my breath," Jin Tianwang spoke while slowly laying down the body of Ke Daoping, as if unwilling to let those luxurious emerald green robes suffer even the slightest damage.
The Elder surnamed Sun whom Jin Tianwang addressed was none other than Sun Daming, nicknamed the "Peerless Poison Beggar." He had been famous for over twenty years. In the past, he was an elder within the Beggar Sect but was expelled after spreading poison to kill a group of rival disciples within the sect, resulting in dozens of deaths. The Beggar Sect had hunted him ever since, yet they remained unable to do anything to this man.
"You have never met this old master before; how is it that at a mere glance, you recognize me?"
"Although we have never met or seen each other's faces, the stories circulated in the martial world have always made me fear you, Senior."
"I fear that you, little brat, are no good sort, knowing only how to associate with beggars big and small."
"I am a destitute man. Even if I thought to associate with wealthy tycoons, no one would lower themselves to consort with me. Only the brothers of the Beggar Sect welcome and speak with me somewhat."
"Up until now, do the beggars still tell stories about this old beggar?"
"Besides Senior's legend, lately, the beggars also like to speak of 'The Destitute Wanderer' Kang Kang."
"What sort of creature is 'The Destitute Wanderer' Kang Kang?"
"'The Destitute Wanderer' Kang Kang is a rising star among beggars. He enjoys wine and gambling, and has a penchant for meddling in the affairs of others, yet he possesses considerable skill and reputation. It is believed that he might be the heir of Senior Southern Beggar."
"The Southern Beggar? What skill does he possess? All eight of his disciples died by this old master's poison long ago. No one knows where he fled, but believe this: the Southern Beggar and his heirs no longer exist in this world."
"In that case, the beggar brothers must be mistaken." Throughout the conversation, Jin Tianwang spoke while edging toward Sun Daming. Even now, he remained cautious of airborne poison.
Sun Daming clasped his cane with both hands to support himself, appearing still and unmoving, radiating an imposing aura. His half-open, half-closed eyes stared at Jin Tianwang's figure drawing closer and closer. But when the distance closed to merely two zhang, Jin Tianwang's figure suddenly blurred. A hand appeared, clamping down on the hands holding the cane, while the other pressed against Sun Daming's throat.
Sun Daming started in shock, not expecting Jin Tianwang to possess such bizarrely fast movement techniques. By the time he regained his senses, he was already subdued by this young expert. He could only rasp, "What do you intend to do?"
"I intend to ask for the antidote for my martial artist friends here."
"They all intended to take your life, yet you still think to save them?"
"We merely misunderstood each other. For a simple misunderstanding, there is no need for anyone to die."
"Although they are poisoned, in another two hours, the toxins will dissipate on their own."
"How can Senior guarantee that?"
"Can the word of the Peerless Poison Beggar be doubted?"
"It cannot."
Sun Daming, though feeling humiliated and eyes burning with anger, continued, "Then what will you do?"
"Senior can spread poison through the air; surely you can spread the cure through the air as well?"
"This old master cannot."
"You truly cannot?"
Sun Daming had no intention of speaking further, seeming willing to die rather than utter another word of nonsense. He suddenly closed his eyes, his face etched with extreme resentment.
Jin Tianwang suddenly reviewed the entire sequence of events, feeling it was extremely unreasonable. The fact that the Poison Beggar attacked these people seemed like an intentional act to assist him. He thus lowered his voice, speaking softly, "All of this is her playing a game, is it not?"
"You understand correctly," Sun Daming opened his eyes and spoke again.
"Will I get to meet her?"
"Tonight, if you enter the city again, you will know where to find her."
"In truth, I had already rented a room, but given the situation, I can only go hide outside the city first." Jin Tianwang finished speaking, then released his hold on Sun Daming. He rolled backward before kicking off the ground, sending his body soaring away rapidly.
That very night, the sky was ink-black, with only the faint light of small stars visible in the vast expanse. In this darkness, a shadow shot over the earthen wall with the speed of a meteor, before soaring along the rooftops of the market. The shadow circled several times before dashing off again, heading straight for a building where a yellow-and-white lantern hung by a third-floor window.
The shadow utilized movement techniques as swift as a shooting star to land silently on the roof. Then, displaying immense skill, it clung to the wall, moving across the steep surface, slowly shifting toward the window with the yellow-and-white lantern. Suddenly, the sound of rushing wind erupted from inside, accompanied by glittering objects piercing through the window in two directions. The shadow was forced to lean back to dodge. Losing its grip on the wall, the figure began to fall, but the shadow was a top-tier expert; he flipped twice in mid-air and landed without issue.
A clamor arose from all sides. The interior of the surrounding buildings suddenly lit up. People who had been lying in ambush ran out from the alleys. All carried torches; the dark night was instantly banished.
"Vile thief Jin, this is too arrogant! Surround and capture him!" A familiar voice rang out from the procession of torches, before revealing the large, corpulent man gripping a bright red chakram in his hand.
Ke Daoping suddenly appeared at the window, shouting loudly, "Brother Jin, to intrude upon Lady Tie's room like this—what excuse do you have?"
The Lady Tie mentioned was actually named Tie Guanyong. She was a renowned beauty in Wei City. Originally, she was merely a servant girl of the "Lightning Swordsman" Xiang Xiubai, who was famous throughout the land. However, Xiang Xiubai disappeared mysteriously six years ago, leaving only this girl who grew up to become a famed beauty. Not only was she beautiful, but her swordplay was also inherited from Xiang Xiubai. Tie Guanyong swore never to marry, wishing to await the return of the Lightning Swordsman Xiang Xiubai, implying she waited for the return of her lover. Later, she received the title "The Everlasting Love Sword."
Tie Guanyong flashed in front of Ke Daoping at the window, shouting, "Vile thief, try receiving one sword strike of mine!" As she finished her words, she leaped from the window, thrusting her sword downward.
Jin Tianwang, though surrounded and anxious, still wore a puzzling smile at the corner of his mouth. When Tie Guanyong's sword thrust down from above, he suddenly shot upward to counter. He twisted his body slightly, easily dodging the sword path of the beauty. However, Tie Guanyong would not let him pass so easily. She forced her body to turn the sword and stab back. Yet Jin Tianwang was faster than her move; the sword tip remained a distance from his toes. Tie Guanyong missed her stab, her body losing balance and falling from mid-air. Ke Daoping, who had been watching from the window ledge, hurriedly jumped down to catch the falling figure. Her waist, slender enough to be grasped in a single hand, landed in Ke Daoping's embrace, creating a moment of embarrassment for him.
Jin Tianwang successfully reached the roof and soared toward another. While his body floated in mid-air, a loud boom suddenly erupted as the roof of a small house beneath his feet was blasted open, accompanied by the sound of metal tearing through the air toward him.
Jin Tianwang knew instinctively: this was "The Reckless Blade" Li Sibei. Seeing that the blade tearing through the air was pitch-black metal, he was certain it could be no one else. He immediately rolled in mid-air before shooting his body in another direction to escape the sweep of the incoming blade.
Jin Tianwang stood on the roof of a house with orange-red tiles, seeing Li Sibei clearly. This person had a tall, large frame packed with muscle, shoulder-length hair, dark skin, big round eyes, thick eyebrows, and a well-proportioned nose and mouth. He was considered quite a handsome man.
Li Sibei missed his slash but soared to another roof before turning to face Jin Tianwang, speaking boldly, "Everyone knows that you attacked the Eldest Miss at Jingling City. Tonight, I will bring your head back to the Virtue Association myself."
Jin Tianwang did not reply; there was only a bitter smile on his face for a moment. Several days ago, he had indeed attacked a woman in Jingling City. Quite a few villagers had witnessed the event. That story created no small wound in Jin Tianwang's heart. Thinking of the matter, he lowered his head to avoid Li Sibei's gaze.
Li Sibei immediately seized the opportunity to leap in and slash out with his blade again.
Jin Tianwang perceived the pressure bearing down on him and regained his senses, shifting his feet to retreat. But the blade circle still swept through, destroying a strip of the roof surface under Jin Tianwang's feet. Jin Tianwang's body fell as well.
Li Sibei—how could he let such an opportunity slip away? He rolled once in mid-air before soaring down to pursue. As his body descended, he suddenly felt a shadow following him. Yet, Li Sibei paid no heed, raising his blade to slash again, intending to split Jin Tianwang's body in two. When he found Jin Tianwang still lying on those roof tiles, he slashed out with the blade again. However, this time it was Li Sibei who was sent flying like a kite with a cut string.
Li Sibei's body flew and crashed into the wall of that house, shaking it violently. Li Sibei saw only a shadow in the darkness, a figure tall and large, not inferior to his own. He cried out, "It is you!"
"It is I. Since you know, why do you not hurry and get lost?" A bold voice rang out from the darkness.
"Damn it..." Li Sibei shouted aggressively before using his body to smash through the wall and escape.
Jin Tianwang woke up in a bed inside a bamboo room. Sweeping his eyes around, he saw that all the furniture was made of bamboo. Everything was arranged simply. Doors and windows were made of bamboo without oiled paper screens, so one could see through to the outside. The smell of bamboo still lingered. He believed this house was built not long ago.
Inside the room, besides Jin Tianwang lying on the bed, there was another tall, broad-shouldered man. This tall, large man was about forty or fifty years old. He had a beard reaching his chest, and his mouth appeared only as a thin line. His thick eyebrows were straight lines. His nose was high and prominent. His eyes, though not huge, expressed bravery. Overall, he had the appearance of an extremely upright and steadfast man. In his hand, he held a blade. On the scabbard, there was a metal carving of a hawk spreading its wings. The hawk's eyes were decorated with two red gems, looking as if it were truly alive.
Jin Tianwang felt a sense of relief upon seeing the tall, large man. He spoke up, "Uncle Zhang, you have saved me once again," while pushing himself up to sit, cupping his hands in a gesture of gratitude.
"You are injured quite a bit. Lie down and continue resting."
"Uncle Zhang sees that I am that useless."
"Tianwang, right now in the martial world, there are loud rumors that you have become a lecherous bandit."
"This is merely someone teasing me."
"It is the Frostflower Maiden, Han Yuexin." Jin Tianwang spoke with a small laugh,
"I expect it is her."
"There are no decent people in the Han clan. I say you should stop getting involved with her."
The Frostflower Maiden, Han Yuexin, was actually the daughter of the Heaven-Equaling Peak, Han Zhaoming, or the leader of the Virtue Association, who was accepted as the leader of the Orthodox Martial World. The Han clan had been famous for two generations. Han Xiaozhi, nicknamed the Sage of the Eight Corners, was a supreme expert in internal energy in the martial world and and the father of Han Zhaoming. The father and son of the Han clan played a significant role in suppressing the Demonic Sect fourteen years ago. The current peace in the martial world seemed to owe a debt of gratitude to this father and son pair.
"When I find her, everything will surely end well."
"Some believe that you already killed her at the market in Jingling City."
"At Jingling City, I did kill a woman, but it was not Han Yuexin."
The long-bearded man looked at Jin Tianwang with a concerned expression and said, "This woman is extremely vicious toward you. You should not associate with her anymore."
"In truth, I intend to do just that." Jin Tianwang, speaking to this point, suddenly felt a bit dizzy again.
"You lie down and continue resting."
"Li Sibei, this person did not waste the training received from Uncle. His blade skills are extremely vicious."
"The kid knows no good or evil, daring to lay a hand on you. I cut off the master-disciple relationship with this person long ago."
The Reckless Blade, Li Sibei, was a top expert in blade mastery, widely praised among martial artists for his skill. The long-bearded man was none other than Li Sibei's former master. In fact, he was far more renowned than his disciple, for he was the Blood Hawk, Zhang Zhufan, whose reputation stood on equal footing with Heaven-Equaling Peak, Han Zhaoming. The two celebrated prodigies of the past had now become middle-aged men, yet not only had they not declined—they were even stronger than in their youth.
Among the martial world, there was a saying: "One Supreme Mountain, Two Red Hawks Soaring the Sky. Sweeping eyes across the land, finding no equal." It was a phrase praising the two supreme experts of the age. Yet because Han Zhaoming's name was always mentioned before Zhang Zhufan's, this alone had long been a source of dissatisfaction for the Blood Hawk.
The Blood Hawk, Zhang Zhufan, was a blade-wielder who acted as he pleased, rampaging through the land for over twenty years, never submitting to anyone. Fourteen years ago, he was one of the important experts who dealt with the experts of the Demonic Sect at that time.
"Uncle cut ties with Li Sibei already."
"Correct. Six years ago, he dared to rampage at Meiyi's wedding."
"The wedding day of Meiyi, Uncle's daughter."
"Correct. The kid did not know his place. I accepted him as a disciple, yet he dared to disobey my orders."
Jin Tianwang seemed to connect the story himself through memory. He remembered that Li Sibei, who was Zhang Zhufan's head disciple, had secretly fancied Zhang Meizhen, Zhang Zhufan's daughter. However, as the young man and woman grew up, she naturally entered a marriage ceremony. But Zhang Meizhen did not marry Li Sibei; instead, she married the son of a district magistrate. Although Jin Tianwang did not attend the wedding, he later visited and greeted Zhang Meizhen, so he had heard some of this story. On that day, Li Sibei went so far as to attack and injure the groom. Zhang Meizhen thus became a daughter-in-law detested by her husband's parents. Jin Tianwang felt no small amount of regret for the fate of a woman like her.
Zhang Zhufan seemed to think of his daughter's fate as well. His body suddenly trembled with anger. His breathing was heavy, causing the household items inside to shake along with it.
Zhang Zhufan's internal energy had reached a terrifying level; even his breathing alone seemed to carry immense force. The objects inside the house trembled faintly with each heavy breath. Just moments ago, he had crossed blades with Li Sibei. Though he had forced the younger man back, the power hidden within that strike left a slight tightness in his chest. Upon reflection, he could not help but feel shaken—Li Sibei's skill might no longer be far beneath his own.
"The stories of the past have all passed. Uncle Zhang should worry about his own health."
"How can the skill of that beast surnamed Li compare to you? If only you intend to, you can still kill him in a single move."
"I have no grudge against him; why must I go through the trouble of seeking him out?"
"He hurt you to this extent; it counts as deserving death."
"Li Sibei is merely an unfortunate man," Jin Tianwang said quietly. "When I think about it, I am not much different myself."
"Why compare yourself to him?"
"Because both he and I were born to humble fates."
Jin Tianwang was also an orphan, living in the forest and mountains until he grew up. If he thought to marry a woman, he feared he would face rejection just like Li Sibei. Inside Jin Tianwang's heart, he felt no small amount of sympathy for Li Sibei. Thinking to this point, Jin Tianwang felt exhausted, closed his eyes, and finally fell asleep.
Zhang Zhufan, seeing Jin Tianwang asleep, walked over to sit on a bamboo chair he had made himself. He then controlled his breathing to circulate his internal energy to heal his internal injuries. Just a moment ago, he had clashed blades with Li Sibei once. Although he could push the kid back, the power latent in that blade of Li Sibei made Zhang Zhufan feel slightly oppressed in his chest. Reviewing and guessing, he feared that Li Sibei's skill did not differ much from his own right now. This was a matter of no small shock.
Zhang Zhufan thought in his heart, "Is the kid getting stronger, or am I getting old?" Circulating his internal energy to this point, faint red smoke began to rise above his head. The air near dawn is usually extremely cold. Inside the bamboo house, candles were needed for light. The cold wind blew through the doors and windows into the interior, causing the flames on the candle tips to flicker, which in turn caused the shadows of people on the wall to flicker as well.
Inside the room, there were two people. One person lay straight on the bed, while another sat by the window. It was an extremely lonely time until a voice rang out from the person sitting by the window.
"How long will you pretend to be asleep?"
The person lying on the bed continued to breathe steadily like a sleeping person.
"You know well that I am not the old man surnamed Zhang."
"In truth, you two have blade auras that are very similar." The person lying on the bed spoke, his voice clear, not like a sleeping person at all, yet his eyes remained shut.
"I and him are no longer related."
"Even your words are spoken similarly."
"You know well that I was once his disciple."
"But we only met for the first time last night."
"You are the person whom the old man surnamed Zhang must go to meet in the tenth month of every year."
"You also know this matter."
"I only know that when Meiyi was eight years old, she followed her father to travel in the tenth month. After she returned, she was unexpectedly quite good to me."
"Meiyi came to see me at eight years old? I have forgotten this matter."
"In the past, I even thought of thanking you."
"In truth, the two of us seem like close relatives."
"But today, having met you, I understand why Meiyi was pleased with that district magistrate's son."
"Brother Li should let the past pass."
"That district magistrate's son unexpectedly resembled you greatly."
"There is such a thing..." "Therefore, I decided that I must kill you." "Up to now, why have you not struck?"
"Because a feeling tells me that if I strike, it will still be me who blunders."
"I myself am not confident that I will be faster than the blade in your hand."
"You deserve to die by this blade," Li Sibei said coldly. "And I deserve a wife."
Jin Tianwang let out a faint laugh. "So if you kill me, you gain a wife? What kind of twisted logic is that?"
"She promised to marry whoever can kill you."
"She likes to speak teasing words. Brother Li cannot take them seriously."
"The words of Han Yuexin, daughter of Han Zhaoming, cannot be trusted."
Jin Tianwang, upon hearing Han Yuexin's name, felt his still-closed eyelids twitch once. Li Sibei, who was staring constantly, suddenly had a smile appear at the corner of his mouth. When experts clash, the state of mind is a crucial factor. Li Sibei had found what made Jin Tianwang's heart shake.
"Brother Li, leave like this. I am extremely familiar with Uncle Zhang's internal energy. My feelings tell me that Uncle is about to arrive." Jin Tianwang tried to stop his distracted thoughts. Right now, he was lying straight, at an extreme disadvantage. Li Sibei was trying to throw his mind into turmoil and would strike the instant he opened his eyes — the moment when sight replaced sound as his primary sense. Li Sibei was waiting for that moment. Jin Tianwang was trying not to let that moment happen.
"I do not think to be a son-in-law of the Han clan. However, Han Yuexin is rumored to be the number one beauty in the martial world. If only I spend several nights with her, I will then leave." Li Sibei continued to speak provoking words to Jin Tianwang.
Jin Tianwang's face twitched, accompanied by wrinkles between his eyebrows caused by the knitting of both brows.
"You are so foolish in love." Li Sibei suddenly felt Zhang Zhufan's internal energy approaching. After finishing his words, he hurriedly leapt through the window.
Jin Tianwang suddenly rose, shouting after Li Sibei, "Love is not a foolish thing!"
A violent gust of wind rushed into this small bamboo house. All household items seemed to float up slightly. The figure of the tall, large man with the chest-length beard appeared, speaking in a fierce voice, "You are still safe, right?"
Jin Tianwang sent a smile to Zhang Zhufan. The clothes on his back were soaked with sweat that had flowed while facing Li Sibei just a moment ago.
Jin Tianwang shared a brief breakfast with Zhang Zhufan before the Blood Hawk departed. The Hawk was never one to remain in one place for too long. As noon neared, Jin Tianwang left the bamboo cottage, his thoughts lingering on the yellow-and-white lantern that had signaled an exchange between him and Han Yuexin, the Frostflower Maiden. A faint hope stirred in his heart—perhaps, one day, they could reconcile and roam the martial world together again.
With purpose, Jin Tianwang set off towards the residence of the "Everlasting Love Sword" Tie Guanyong, where he had first found the yellow-and-white lantern the night before. The residence was a three-story wooden structure, modest in size, comprising three adjacent units divided by thin walls. Tie Guanyong's home was the leftmost unit, tucked beside a narrow alley. Moving silently, Jin Tianwang slipped into the alley, which bent toward the rear of the building. Realizing the narrow passageway provided a perfect path to scale the walls, he swiftly launched himself upwards, landing atop the roof with ease, his movements silent as a shadow.
Though it was nearly noon, the sky was overcast with white clouds, and the sunlight was mild. Jin Tianwang lay flat on the roof, his ear pressed against the cool tiles as he listened intently. Below, the soft shuffle of servant girls could be heard, their footsteps light as they went about their daily tasks within.
As afternoon approached, a loud voice erupted from the street below.
"You little brat surnamed Zhao!" The voice bellowed, thick with disdain. "You're nothing but a servant in Lady Tie's household! Don't get too cocky! I, Dong Jianshan, demand an audience with Lady Tie to discuss dealing with the lecherous bandit Jin Tianwang. Call her out, now!"
Dong Jianshan, bloated and round, still wore the same bright red robe from the day before. He was quick to boast of his martial prowess, leading a group of martial artists with exaggerated confidence. His booming voice echoed through the street, demanding to meet Tie Guanyong.
The young man addressed as "Little brat surnamed Zhao" was seventeen or eighteen years old, named Zhao Xianzhi. He was neither tall nor imposing, but thin and wiry. His face was narrow, his eyes mere slits, the pupils barely visible. His ears were small and pressed close to his head, and his lips were thin yet vividly red. In his left hand he held an unusually long and slender sword. A closer look at his hands would reveal them to be large and impeccably maintained. Hands like these marked him as a true swordsman. Yet paired with his expressionless face, they lent him the air of someone utterly cold-blooded.
Dong Jianshan's face flushed even redder as he jabbed a thick finger toward Zhao Xianzhi. "You little cur! Hiding behind Lady Tie's name—have you no shame? Draw your sword!" His voice boomed across the street, but the youth before him remained motionless, eyes cold and unreadable. In the next instant, a sharp hiss cut through the air. Dong Jianshan's body stiffened, then toppled backward, blood pouring from his throat. Before the others could react, Zhao Xianzhi had already moved. Like a shadow slipping through lamplight, he passed among them once—and they fell, one by one, each clutching a crimson line at the neck. The street fell silent as if nothing had happened at all.
From the rooftop, Jin Tianwang narrowed his eyes. He had not seen the sword leave its sheath. Yet the wounds were clean, precise—unmistakably the work of a blade. Zhao Xianzhi's strike had been so swift that even he could not follow it. Was the young man truly that fast, or had his own senses dulled? The thought unsettled him.
Several years ago, Jin Tianwang had traveled to this Wei City and had the opportunity to encounter the Lightning Swordsman, Xiang Xiubai, at an art shop. Although he did not exchange moves with this famous expert, he did not believe Xiang Xiubai possessed a sword as fast and mysterious as this young man's. He recalled that Xiang Xiubai also utilized a long, slender sword, but at that time, the swordsman surnamed Xiang was nearly fifty years old and lived a life of indulgence, never lacking for wine and women. His physique resembled that of a sickly person, appearing frail rather than strong like his renowned reputation suggested.
The corpses of the seven recently deceased were quickly cleared away by a group of people who emerged from the building, mostly from the room on the right. None of those young men showed any panic at the sight of the dead bodies; they worked swiftly and skillfully. Jin Tianwang, watching from the roof, felt quite surprised. Tie Guanyong, nicknamed the "Everlasting Love Sword," had evidently accumulated no small amount of manpower in Wei City; it seemed as if the people along this entire street were all her subordinates.
An emerald green reflection appeared at the head of the street, drawing Jin Tianwang's gaze. He saw a couple, a man and a woman, strolling side by side onto the thoroughfare. The woman looked simply elegant, clad in white garments that radiated a pure beauty, while the young man wore emerald green clothes that were extremely eye-catching. The two walked shoulder to shoulder, smiling and laughing with one another; if passersby assumed the two were lovers, it would not be strange.
However, this woman in white was actually Tie Guanyong, the female swordswoman famous for maintaining an everlasting love for Xiang Xiubai. As for the man in emerald green, he was the "Young Master of the North" Ke Daoping, the wealthy young expert.
Tie Guanyong's face remained smiling, but she used the corner of her eyes to sweep the surroundings, seemingly sensing that something had just occurred on her street. She scanned the area several more times with that smiling expression before her gaze settled on Zhao Xianzhi's face, as if silently reprimanding him.
Ke Daoping, though a renowned expert, behaved as if he had noticed nothing of Tie Guanyong's subtle shift in expression. Yet the lightness of his steps betrayed his delight, as though he were strolling through paradise.
Tie Guanyong suddenly stepped ahead of Ke Daoping, raising her hands in a formal martial arts greeting. Her small mouth produced a melodious sound as she spoke, "Thank you, Young Master Ke, for the delicious meal at the Three Rains Inn. I have arrived home. Apologies for not being able to invite you inside; I can only thank you, Hero, right here."
"To have the fortune to dine with Lady Tie for a single meal is something I will never forget in this lifetime." Ke Daoping smiled until all his features seemed to bunch up in the center of his face.
"It is rather my fortune," Tie Guanyong replied with a shy demeanor.
Ke Daoping, witnessing such a demeanor, smiled even wider than before; his face, which already looked prematurely aged, resembled that of an old man even more.
"Young Master Ke, please excuse me. My younger brother seems to have something to discuss with me." Tie Guanyong turned around cheerfully, walking straight toward Zhao Xianzhi, who had been waiting from the start. The two then entered the house together.
Jin Tianwang lay still on the roof, straining to hear the activity inside. He surmised they were climbing the stairs to the third floor, where Tie Guanyong's bedroom was located; the footsteps were accompanied by conversation.
"Xianzhi, did you kill people again?" Tie Guanyong asked in a reprimanding tone.
There was no response from Zhao Xianzhi.
Tie Guanyong suddenly sighed. "Lovely Xianzhi, why do you like to make a face like this? Do you want to shatter my heart?"
There was no response from Zhao Xianzhi.
"Or are you dissatisfied that I went out to eat with that stupid cow surnamed Ke? That person relies on his wealthy family; otherwise, he has nothing to compare to you."
There was no response from Zhao Xianzhi, but the sound of Tie Guanyong's bedroom door opening rang out.
Jin Tianwang immediately lifted his ear from the roof tiles. Whatever happened inside the bedroom between Tie Guanyong and Zhao Xianzhi, Jin Tianwang did not intend to perceive or listen to any further. With the sound of Tie Guanyong's seductive laughter ringing out, he knew what story would unfold inside next.
Jin Tianwang gazed at the sky beyond the eaves, his thoughts drifting to the name "Everlasting Love Sword." Everlasting love—what did such words truly mean? In the martial world, reputations were woven like fine silk, beautiful yet easily torn. A woman famed for constancy, yet walking hand in hand with one man by day and vanishing into another's embrace by night. Perhaps love itself was nothing more than a pleasant illusion. Perhaps Li Sibei had not been entirely wrong. And yet, no matter how he tried to reason with himself, one face continued to surface in his heart, refusing to fade.
Jin Tianwang stretched out to sleep. The roof above his head was broken, revealing the star-filled sky of the night. He smiled before closing his eyes, trying not to think about anything anymore. Yet, only the face of one person appeared, as always.
Jin Tianwang drifted off without realizing it. When he awoke, he was met with a strange sight. The alleys were devoid of the usual sleepers. Though the shops were shuttered, stalls had taken their place. The previous night the street had been empty; now it was clear that everything had been arranged in advance. The trap laid for him had been meticulously prepared from the start. A heavy gloom settled in his heart, for he knew well who had orchestrated it all.
The stalls in this area were doing bustling business. Jin Tianwang had to wait until past the second watch (around 9 PM - 11 PM) before the customers gradually dispersed and the vendors packed up their wares. Jin Tianwang, having eaten nothing but breakfast, felt no small amount of hunger. However, fearing he would be captured again, he could only endure and wait until this moment. Seeing the female vendor in the back alley depart, Jin Tianwang could hardly bear to wait any longer. But before he could jump down from the roof, he suddenly saw a window open. A shadow leaped out with a faint sound. Jin Tianwang saw it was the slender figure characteristic of a woman, so he immediately dropped down from the roof to give chase.
That slender shadow's lightness skill was anything but ordinary. She moved like an arrow loosed from the bow, her footsteps utterly soundless as she darted from the market alley toward the great bridge spanning the canal.
Prosperous cities often feature large canals cutting through them. Besides walking, people also preferred traveling by boat along these waterways. Large canals often clearly defined important districts within the city. For example, this side was the prosperous part of the city, full of crowded shops, while the other side of the large canal was a slum, a residence for the teeming poor. Wei City was like this as well. Once across the large canal, the houses in that area were both dilapidated and dirty—truly unsightly.
That slender shadow ran rapidly across the deserted bridge. Jin Tianwang followed to this point and was certain that this slender shadow was Tie Guanyong. In truth, he considered breaking away and leaving, but he secretly harbored the thought that she might be sneaking out to meet the person for whom he lamented with every breath. Thus, he continued to follow. But in the end, he was destined to be disappointed.
Jin Tianwang saw that a person was already waiting for Tie Guanyong. This person Jin Tianwang could distinguish from afar, for the figure was a hunchbacked old man whom people in the martial world feared, named "Poison Beggar" Sun Daming.
Tie Guanyong threw herself into Sun Daming's embrace. The hunchbacked old man immediately scooped up that slender, fragile body in his arms, carrying her into a house at the back that possessed only half a roof.
Jin Tianwang, witnessing the entire event, could only sigh once again. He turned on his heel, spun around, and walked into the darkness until he found a shrine. A shrine for the poor was naturally dilapidated and destitute, no less so than the people in this neighborhood. He himself had grown up among forests and mountains, poor since childhood. To him, such a shrine was nothing out of the ordinary. He chose a corner inside to sleep. Though he had gone without food for two meals, such hardship was nothing new to him—it was a story that had played out countless times before. He had always believed that if a man could still sleep, that was blessing enough.
Jin Tianwang sank back into a helpless sleep, for there was nothing more he could do. The roof above his head was broken, revealing the star-filled sky of the night. He smiled bitterly before closing his eyes, trying not to think about anything anymore. Yet, only the face of one person appeared, as always.
In the early morning, soft light filtered through the dilapidated roof, resting on Jin Tianwang's face for a long while before he sensed someone staring at him.
The first thing Jin Tianwang did was not open his eyes, but rather smile, before speaking, "Brother, what do you intend to do?"
At Jin Tianwang's feet stood a filthy man staring at him with surprised eyes. Upon hearing Jin Tianwang's words, he came to his senses, walked away, turned to face the wall on the other side, and lay down.
Jin Tianwang raised his sleeve to cover his face and continued to sleep in that position. By noon, the sunlight had grown too harsh for sleep. Jin Tianwang rose and stretched, noticing the filthy man still lying on his side, facing the wall. For some reason, he felt an unexpected affinity with the man—perhaps because his life seemed just as difficult as his own. With that thought, he stepped closer, intending to look at the man's face.
As Jin Tianwang stood at the man's feet, about to look at his face, a voice suddenly spoke.
"Brother, what do you intend to do?"
The filthy man was not asleep at all; he had already turned from the wall to face him.
Jin Tianwang could only smile before bowing his head slightly to show remorse, then walked out of the shrine.
In front of this shrine was a well. Jin Tianwang took the opportunity to draw water to wash his face. He pulled the bucket up from the well and placed it on the rim. The water in the bucket was much colder than the surrounding air. He scooped water with both hands and splashed it vigorously onto his face before rubbing his hands all over his face. Then he scooped water to splash again. The cold water made him feel extremely refreshed. However, after this splash, a young woman in an orange outfit suddenly appeared, staring at him fiercely.
The young woman wore a tight-fitting orange martial artist outfit. She had a beautiful face, her skin darker than the average city girl, aged about seventeen or eighteen. Her hands were on her hips as she stared before speaking concisely, "You are the Smiling Wanderer, Jin Tianwang."
Jin Tianwang did not expect a young woman like her to know him. With surprise, he did not answer but simply smiled once.
"Do you remember me or not? My name is Zhou Songyi."
Jin Tianwang had never met a young woman like her before. He tried to recall if he had heard this name before. His lips could only smile in surprise.
"It is good that you do not remember me, because today is your day to die." Finishing her words, the young woman suddenly flicked her arm upward.A flash of light shot toward Jin Tianwang.
The streak moved with astonishing speed. He leaned back and twisted aside, narrowly evading it—but it suddenly curved back through the air. Too late to react, he felt a sharp pain as his left shoulder was slashed. The flash resolved into a triangular throwing knife.
The blade did not embed itself in his shoulder, which counted as no small fortune for Jin Tianwang. He hurriedly kicked off to retreat, shouting, "The Fairy Flying Knife! You're from Mystic Valley!"
The young woman who introduced herself as Zhou Songyi suddenly had a satisfied smile before saying, "Do you remember me now?"
Five years ago, Jin Tianwang broke into the Mystic Valley and captured the Shadow Bat to clear a friend's guilt. It was a story that made his name in the martial art. But that was all five years ago. This young woman was about seventeen or eighteen. Five years ago, she would have been just a big child. How could Jin Tianwang remember her? He did not expect that merely meeting her would lead to an attempt on his life.
"Little Miss, I..." Jin Tianwang spoke with shock while striking out with his right palm once. The palm strike passed through the air, hitting and destroying the water bucket on the well rim. The remaining water in the bucket shattered and splashed onto the young woman in the orange outfit. He ran backward to distance himself, his eyes still watching her, wary of her Fairy Flying Knives.
The young woman shook the water off her face and shouted, "Jin Tianwang, do not just run away! Let us prove life and death!" Then she flicked Fairy Flying Knives from both hands. Jin Tianwang had already fled from the start.
Jin Tianwang ran at full speed across the large bridge, heading toward the East Gate. In his heart, he secretly blamed fate and his own bad luck. Right now, martial artists believed he was a wicked lecherous bandit, forcing him to flee back and forth. Yet he still encountered a young woman named Zhou Songyi from the Mystic Valley coming to take his life. What kind of day was this exactly? Even though a smile still appeared on his face, he muttered to himself, "Being born a human is extremely difficult; being born as me is many times more difficult."
Jin Tianwang crossed the bridge to the market. Suddenly, shouts erupted from all sides, calling his name furiously. Martial artists from every nook and cranny chased after him as he ran at full speed. A number of martial artists threw objects intending to intercept and obstruct him. He could only dodge back and forth, unable to run at full power anymore. The martial artists following behind were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, a light yellow shadow shot ahead, overtaking him to stand blocking the way in front.
The young man in the light yellow outfit had skin as white and clean as snow. His eyes were lines, pupils invisible. His small ears were pressed close to his head. His sharp red mouth was half-open, half-closed, seemingly baring teeth or smiling at Jin Tianwang. An exceptionally long and slender sword was another symbol of this young man. This sword harbored a murderous aura. Fast sword, even more murderous person. This young man was none other than Zhao Xianzhi.
"I have come to punish you for thinking to offend Lady Tie Guanyong the other night," Zhao Xianzhi spoke with an icy voice.
How could Jin Tianwang think to clash forcefully? He suddenly turned to flee in another direction.
"Damn it!" the young man said with a resentful voice, starting to run in pursuit again.
Two nights ago, Zhao Xianzhi accepted a job for Tie Guanyong outside the city. The Zhou family, who raised livestock outside the city, was dissatisfied with the trading rules set in the market and tried to persuade their associates to resist. That night, twenty-eight lives all departed with wounds on their throats. Then the house was set on fire and destroyed. No one thought to seek the culprit; everyone knew well what the story was. Therefore, two nights ago, Jin Tianwang did not meet Zhao Xianzhi.
Zhao Xianzhi was a young man with extremely fast footwork. Jin Tianwang could not shake him off easily.
Jin Tianwang saw an emerald green reflection on the side accelerating to follow, creating extreme unease for him. Just Zhao Xianzhi was already a handful; having to face Ke Daoping as well was an extremely heavy burden.
Jin Tianwang tried to run in circles, using his shoulders to sway back and forth to deceive Zhao Xianzhi's eyes, then turning corners to dodge many times already. However, he knew well that he could not deceive like this forever. He could not deceive this fast sword forever.
Suddenly, Zhao Xianzhi spun that slender sword once past Jin Tianwang's face.
Jin Tianwang suddenly switched feet and spun his body once. He happened to see some metal shooting out from the very end of that slender sword's scabbard. He considered himself to have escaped that miraculously fast sword once, understanding the secret of Zhao Xianzhi not needing to draw his sword.
The metal that shot out suddenly disappeared back into the scabbard. Zhao Xianzhi attacked and missed, turning into rage.
Those who knew Zhao Xianzhi's skills watching around felt surprised at how the fastest sword could miss. If the fast sword missed, there could only be one answer: Jin Tianwang's footwork was even faster than that fast sword. However, there was no way Jin Tianwang could be faster than Zhao Xianzhi. At least, Zhao Xianzhi would never accept it.
Zhao Xianzhi suddenly spun his sword toward Jin Tianwang again. Jin Tianwang ran in circles while keeping a suitable distance, spinning back and forth, dodging every move of Zhao Xianzhi's fast sword. The fast sword that no one saw when it was drawn could do nothing to Jin Tianwang. How could such a thing be possible? At least, Zhao Xianzhi would never accept it. Therefore, Zhao Xianzhi suddenly used both hands to hold his slender sword, spinning the sword in a circle toward Jin Tianwang again, before using his left hand to pull another mechanism. The metal extending from the scabbard tip was shot out like a dart. Jin Tianwang did not expect that slender sword to have such a mechanism. Although somewhat startled, he still ducked his head down. The metal soaring like a dart passed his left shoulder, drawing a stream of blood, before piercing into the chest of a martial artist following behind until he fell and died.
Jin Tianwang, who received a shallow wound on his left shoulder, did not stop his pace. He continued to spin before soaring out again. However, Zhao Xianzhi did not follow further, remaining standing stiffly right there.
Ke Daoping, who followed just in time, ran past Zhao Xianzhi's stiff body while throwing a weapon at Jin Tianwang.
Zhao Xianzhi suddenly felt as if Ke Daoping was mocking his ability. He roared in fury while striking the slender sword in his hand at the middle of Ke Daoping's back.
How could Ke Daoping expect Zhao Xianzhi to act against him like this? However, he was a young expert renowned in the martial world. Even though the slender sword struck without him being wary, he could throw the weapon in his left hand backward, hitting and deflecting the slender sword just in time. He turned back to look at Zhao Xianzhi's face with pitying eyes before turning back to run after Jin Tianwang, who had pulled away.
Zhao Xianzhi now knew how vast the martial world was. How could merely a trick of installing a mechanism in his slender sword cope with true experts like Jin Tianwang and Ke Daoping? But the young man's desire to win remained stubborn. He followed Ke Daoping's back, running with all his might.
Jin Tianwang saw the East Gate not far away. Hope arose in his heart that once he left Wei City and entered the forest area, he could shake off the pursuit of these people. However, his hope had to stumble and stop when he saw a tall, large man standing with arms crossed, one hand holding a black blade that harbored the most ruthless and vicious aura, blocking the front of the city gate.
This tall, large man was naturally "The Reckless Blade" Li Sibei, the unrivaled expert of this Wei City.
"Whoever dares to be an enemy of Jin Tianwang seeks death!" A voice rang out, seemingly from the sky, accompanied by a massive figure like a giant bird diving straight toward Li Sibei blocking the gate.
Jin Tianwang naturally knew it was "The Blood Hawk" Zhang Zhufan coming to help him. However, for Zhang Zhufan, who was like a legend of the martial world, to come help him who was branded a lecherous bandit was an extremely uncomfortable matter.
Both Zhang Zhufan and Li Sibei had tall, large bodies like giants. Fighting fiercely became an earth-shattering matter. The blade in Zhang Zhufan's hand was made of bizarre metal, red as blood, while Li Sibei used a blade made of pitch-black metal harboring a ruthless aura. The two blades clashed, creating circles of red and black blades sweeping out and scattering. Those with weaker skills all suffered misfortune; some received minor wounds, some lost arms or legs.
"Uncle Zhang, let us go together!" Jin Tianwang shouted.
The city gate was bolted shut. The city guards were all well-acquainted with Li Sibei and naturally cooperated with him. Jin Tianwang ran through the fighting circle of the two blade masters at full speed before passing through as if nothing had happened.
In truth, how could Li Sibei allow Jin Tianwang to pass? But Zhang Zhufan's blade circle kept intercepting and obstructing. Furthermore, Jin Tianwang's footwork was extremely fast, fast enough to be startling.
Jin Tianwang did not slow down when facing the gate blocking the front. Suddenly, a loud boom erupted like a mountain collapsing. "Boom!"
Li Sibei, who was bold, was still startled by the loud boom like a mountain collapsing. He had to retreat to escape by instinct. Before looking back at the city gate, he found that the city gate, made of hardwood thicker than the span of an arm, was now miraculously shattered. And Jin Tianwang and Zhang Zhufan had left Wei City.
Up to this point, Li Sibei still pondered, not understanding what happened to this city gate. How did Jin Tianwang shatter this city gate and escape? When he failed to understand it, he simply stopped trying. Li Sibei was that kind of man.
City officials were thrown into chaos upon discovering that the city gate, built to withstand the ravages of war, had been unbelievably shattered and damaged. Even during wartime sieges, destroying such a massive and sturdy gate would be no easy feat. Yet now, the gate stood broken. Eyewitnesses recounted wildly different stories: some claimed a massive fireball had blasted it open, while others swore a giant hammer had smashed it to pieces. Regardless of the tale, the responsible officials were left with a colossal headache. If such an incident were reported to their superiors, many heads would surely roll. Thus, a resolution had to be found. In the end, a consortium of major merchants in Wei City stepped forward to bear the cost of the damages and arrange for the gate's repair as swiftly as possible.
Tonight, the number of armed guards patrolling the area had to be doubled or tripled, as the East Gate could no longer bar entry or exit.
Although night had fallen, the people still debated the numerous events that had transpired during the day. Roadside stalls and inns bustled with activity, despite the fact that the day's events had resulted in no small number of injuries and deaths. They spoke of the hunt for the "Lecherous Bandit" Jin Tianwang, whose footwork was swifter than a hound's; of the terrifying sword skills of two giants clashing before the city gate; of the gate itself being blasted open with a hole large enough for a person to pass through; and of the defeat of the fast swordsman named Zhao Xianzhi.
At a small tavern beside the great bridge, selling strong "Iron Liquor"—a spicy, potent drink that could knock a large man flat after just two bowls—a young man sat, having already consumed over a jar, still drinking.
The young man had pale skin, narrow eyes, and thin red lips. As he lifted the bowl to drink the Iron Liquor one bowl at a time, his pale skin looked even paler, his narrow eyes even narrower, and his thin red lips even redder. Passersby in Wei City recognized this young man instantly. He was Zhao Xianzhi, the swordsman once hailed as the fastest.
In Zhao Xianzhi's hand, there was no sword—only a liquor bowl. He sat drinking the Iron Liquor like a liquor demon.
Zhao Xianzhi had to become a liquor demon because he could no longer be the fastest swordsman. Had he still been the fastest, he wouldn't have suffered defeat. ... Since Zhao Xianzhi could no longer be the fastest swordsman, he could no longer be a person.
There was no longer the "Fast Sword" Zhao Xianzhi. Moreover, the secret of the mechanism at the end of his scabbard had been exposed. People now looked down on his skills, calling them mere parlor tricks using toy mechanisms. Life often worked this way: defeat brought shame and scorn—sometimes in words, sometimes in just a look. The people in this small tavern were doing exactly that to Zhao Xianzhi.
"Do you all have dogs for ancestors? If you aren't barking, you're begging with your eyes," a woman's voice rang out, seemingly scolding the crowd on Zhao Xianzhi's behalf. A seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl with sharp features, dressed in dark orange, walked in.
"Your father is the dog, you dog-mouthed woman!" a man shouted, standing up aggressively. Suddenly, a glowing light shot toward the man who had stood up, and his left ear was severed. The light passed him, then circled back, slicing off half of his right ear.
Three other men who were drinking with the victim lunged at the fierce woman. The glowing light appeared again, shooting straight for the throat of the man leading the charge. The light did not stop there; after piercing his throat, it flew toward the two men following him. Moving in an arc, it curved left, then tilted right, and hooked back left again. With this trajectory, it slashed the throats of both men instantly.
This woman in dark orange had struck only twice but defeated four men. Her skills were incredibly ruthless. She turned to stare at Zhao Xianzhi's face, her fierce eyes conveying some meaning, like the warning of a close friend who understood him well.
Zhao Xianzhi felt ashamed. He stood up abruptly, grabbed the chair he had been sitting on with his right hand, and smashed it onto the table. The table shattered along with the chair. One leg of the chair remained in his hand, and he used it as a weapon, swinging it at the people around him who had just been looking at him with disdain.
These people only knew how to mock the hopeless. When they saw that Zhao Xianzhi intended to attack them, they fled for their lives, causing a chaotic riot.
After his outburst, Zhao Xianzhi felt somewhat relieved. He realized that even though he was defeated, he could start over—start anew in a new place free of people who knew of his failure. But starting over would require immense physical and mental strength. He was still a young man, strong as a tiger or lion physically. The hard part would be the mental strength. Therefore, he could not be without Tie Guanyong. She was his greatest source of strength. Zhao Xianzhi looked around again. The woman in dark orange had vanished. So, he journeyed back home—a warm home where the woman he loved waited for him.
The three-story building in the center was a structure of three connected shop units. The leftmost room was the place Zhao Xianzhi called home. Built of hardwood planks arranged in an interlocking pattern, it was extremely sturdy. But tonight, the familiar home seemed strangely cold. Zhao Xianzhi's instincts told him so. The door would have been bolted long ago, but that could not stop Zhao Xianzhi from entering. He went to the narrow alley at the back and climbed up to the second-floor window. The interior of this house was etched in his memory. This window would lead him to the hallway connecting to the third-floor stairs.
Zhao Xianzhi entered without anyone noticing his return. In his heart, he didn't want anyone to know he was back either. Zhao Xianzhi felt that he had changed. When he left this house in the morning, he was still the fastest swordsman—"Fast Sword" Zhao Xianzhi, who had never been defeated. But now, he was different.
Though everything had changed, Zhao Xianzhi hoped that Tie Guanyong had not. That she was still waiting for his return, still willing to start over with him. Every step he took was filled with thoughts, fear, and anxiety. Time seemed to freeze, becoming incredibly slow. He could even feel his own heartbeat. But then, a seductive laugh rang out from above. That sound nearly shattered Zhao Xianzhi's heart, for he recognized that seductive laugh all too well.
The slow feeling turned rapid, but his heart beat even faster. He pushed open the room door and rushed straight toward the bed, the source of that laughter.
Between the door and the bed stood a round table in the center of the room. On the table lay a saber and a sword. Zhao Xianzhi grabbed the sword from the table, gripping it tightly before thrusting it toward the bed with incredible speed.
Zhao Xianzhi's body launched toward the naked man and woman on the bed. The man suddenly grabbed the woman's body to block the incoming sword. Only then did Zhao Xianzhi clearly see the naked woman. She was indeed Tie Guanyong—the woman whose voice he could recognize even if blind, whose scent he knew, whose touch he remembered precisely. Thus, the sword in his hand deviated.
Tie Guanyong felt no small amount of panic seeing her own sword thrust straight at her naked body, only to deviate slightly, sparing her from death.
The naked man behind her seized the opportunity to spin around, frantically grabbing the blanket and sheets to wrap himself and cover his shame before smashing through the window to escape.
Zhao Xianzhi's body stiffened like a log as he locked eyes with Tie Guanyong for a moment. Then, he too leaped out the window, shouting, "Li Sibei, I will kill you!"
"The Reckless Blade" Li Sibei was the man making love on the bed with "The Everlasting Love Sword" Tie Guanyong. When Zhao Xianzhi burst in so suddenly, he was startled. Now realizing the intruder was Zhao Xianzhi, why should he flee any longer? His only regret was that his blade was still in that bedroom. Now he had to stand on the street, using bedding to cover only half of his massive body, clutching it with his left hand. His face showed extreme annoyance.
"Go die!" Zhao Xianzhi shouted, thrusting his sword.
Li Sibei merely extended his right hand in a chop. The palm transformed into a blade arc rushing toward Zhao Xianzhi.
Zhao Xianzhi, whose speed was unmatched, was now so consumed by jealousy that he forgot himself. He made no attempt to dodge, using his flesh and blood to meet the palm strike. Li Sibei saw Zhao Xianzhi attacking him recklessly. Even if his palm struck Zhao Xianzhi dead, he himself would still be harmed by the thrusting sword. He was forced to switch footwork and retreat.
Zhao Xianzhi, turning madness into martial skill upon seeing Li Sibei dare not clash directly, pursued and swung his sword in an arc.
What kind of person was Li Sibei? His retreat was not out of fear or flight, but merely to create distance specifically to deal with Zhao Xianzhi. When Zhao Xianzhi switched from a thrust to a sweeping slash, it fit Li Sibei's intention perfectly. He suddenly used his right hand to grab the right hand swinging the sword toward him. Then, releasing his left hand from clutching the bedding covering his body, he turned it into a fist and punched Zhao Xianzhi squarely in the face.
Zhao Xianzhi, mad as a raging bull, never expected Li Sibei to be shameless enough to stand naked in the middle of the street—even if it was night, the street wasn't entirely empty. Li Sibei's fist struck his face solidly. His entire body flew with the force of the punch, rolling on the ground for over two wa.
The naked Li Sibei continued to advance toward Zhao Xianzhi, who lay on the ground like a corpse, intending to strike a palm to end the brat's life. But after taking only three steps, a glowing light shot toward him. He had to tilt his body to dodge. However, the glowing light did not pass by; it curved back to attack his back again. Li Sibei, though startled, did not lose his composure. He whipped his left hand around, creating a blade arc that knocked the glowing light to the ground. He then showed a slightly shocked expression and shouted, "Fairy Flying Knife!" concluding his words with a mid-air roll to escape, naked body and all.
Even "The Reckless Blade" Li Sibei would not think to face the Fairy Flying Knife without his weapon.
Suddenly, the woman in the orange outfit appeared, walking toward Zhao Xianzhi and speaking, "Not dead yet, are you?"
Zhao Xianzhi, lying face down, let out an incoherent sound, "Ugh."
"If I hadn't saved you, you would have died at the hands of that shameless man."
Zhao Xianzhi did not reply, only roaring while his face was still pressed against the ground, "Waah!"
"My name is Zhou Songyi. From now on, I am the master of your life. You are my slave."
Zhao Xianzhi still did not answer, but the name Zhou Songyi sank into his thoughts strangely.
"As a slave, you are no longer a person. You must erase your past. Be only an Earth Demon serving me until death."
Zhao Xianzhi listened to the woman in front of him and felt it made perfect sense. He should no longer be a person. He should erase all his past. If he became her slave, why did he need to be Zhao Xianzhi anymore? Why not be an Earth Demon? Excellent. Thinking this, he spoke, "I am your slave. I will serve you until death. I am the Earth Demon."
"The Earth Demon cannot be weak and powerless. Get up and follow me." With these words, Zhou Songyi walked away.
Zhao Xianzhi stood up and followed the woman he had just met, willing to be a servant until the end of his life.
The martial world was undergoing change again. Now, a woman using the Fairy Flying Knife technique was roaming the martial world. The Fairy Flying Knife was one of the supreme techniques of the Demonic Sect in the past that people feared. Its return to the martial world—did it mean the Demonic Sect would return to cause trouble again? A number of martial artists witnessed the events of this night. This story would surely reach the ears of the Virtue Association.