Chapter 393: Questioning and Answering with the Sword

A table of people sat under the tree, while a ghost perched on the locust tree.

One moment, a joyful face; the next, a sorrowful countenance.

The page boy, who carried a sword and had seen a ghost twice in broad daylight, was badly frightened. Lu Baixie didn't even bother to scold him this time. Only after Tong Zhuoyi left the courtyard did he speak: "Since it is known that Mr. Cao intends to help Princess Jiang Si restore Western Chu, I have been deploying forces specifically against Guangling Dao ever since I joined the Ministry of War. If Your Highness has an opportunity to meet Mr. Cao, please apologize on my behalf. It is truly my duty, and I cannot simply stand by."

Xu Fengnian casually chuckled, "I saw Cao Qingyi once outside Iron Gate Pass. I probably won't have a chance to see him again in the next few years. Besides, he might not even care about this matter."

After hearing the words "Iron Gate Pass," Lu Baixie's expression remained unchanged, still calm. After finishing a light meal in the twilight, he put down his chopsticks and softly said, "A challenge."

Xu Fengnian remained seated and nodded. At the table, Xuanyuan Qingfeng and Qingniao sat quietly, only young Wu was still eating his rice. After the page boy respectfully handed the red sandalwood sword case to the Tangxi Sword Immortal, he hurried to the courtyard gate, the farthest point from the old Dragon Claw Locust tree. He was simultaneously irritated by the white-haired Northern Liang heir's arrogance and rudeness, wondering what right he had to remain calmly seated after his master's sword challenge, and terrified that he might have provoked some unclean spirit, wondering why he seemed to be the only one who saw the bright red-robed female ghost. Lu Baixie stood, holding the sword case horizontally. With one hand, he struck the end of the sandalwood case, and the sword case and sheath flew together towards the page boy, leaving behind Baxiu, the last legendary sword forged in the Tangxi Sword Furnace.

Before Lu Baixie could grasp the ancient sword Baxiu, a metallic chime rang out. For no apparent reason, the long sword developed an indentation in the middle of its blade. The Tangxi Sword Immortal, instead of being alarmed, was pleased. He smiled faintly, gripped the hilt of the twisted ancient sword, and gently flicked his wrist. Wisps of sword energy rippled outwards. With a sweeping motion, a brilliant white sword energy tore through the air towards Xu Fengnian at the table, like a force capable of sweeping aside an army. However, the sword energy dissipated as soon as it formed, ending surprisingly without effect. Xu Fengnian tapped his finger on the tabletop. Lu Baixie leaned back, and Baxiu swung in a semicircle, its sword energy shining brilliantly like a crescent moon. But before the crescent sword energy could fully erupt, Lu Baixie proactively drew his internal energy back into the sword. He slammed his palm on the ground, spun his body, and the tip of Baxiu in his hand twisted into a serpent-like movement. Leaves fell continuously in the courtyard, scattering between the two men. Sword energy emanated from the tip, not as a long, straight thrust, but along a path where three fallen leaves lay; only the central one was ground to dust, clearly a superior swordsmanship technique where energy overflowed from the point of impact. Xu Fengnian swiped a finger across the tabletop, and his flying sword clashed with the sword energy, spreading out like a cloud of mist.

The Tangxi Sword Immortal's steps were like treading mystic diagrams, his sword intent surging. Fallen leaves in the courtyard were enveloped by sword energy, rising with the wind. As the wind intensified, so did the sword energy. Lu Baixie suddenly withdrew his sword, tossing Baxiu towards the page boy and the sword case. The page boy quickly caught the ancient sword and put it into its sheath. Only then, looking closely, did he see over a dozen flying swords faintly trembling and stopping around his master, who was praised for his sword's ethereal quality. Shocked, he turned to Xu Fengnian. Could it be that this man had been controlling his swords invisibly the entire time? Such skill must surely be at an astonishing first-rank realm! Lu Baixie sat back down at the table, frowning. "Compared to when we first met in Jiangnan Dao, why has your internal energy regressed instead of advancing? How are you able to control twelve flying swords?"

Xu Fengnian openly stated, "The Wu family's sword tomb cultivates swords in a unique way. Once a flying sword's 'sword embryo' matures, even someone with third-rank internal energy, let alone second-rank, can control the sword to fly several zhang through the air. The rumors outsiders spread, that even a child from the Wu family can cut butterflies with a flying sword while riding a bamboo horse, are not exaggerations."

Lu Baixie asked with a smile, "But how could you cultivate twelve perfectly formed flying sword embryos in just one year? Was there some shortcut you took?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head, "There were a few coincidental opportunities, but mostly it relied on the most painstaking, continuous effort. For twelve swords, I cultivated each one for an hour at a time, persisting for over half a year."

Lu Baixie sighed, "He who endures the bitterest hardships becomes a cut above the rest. The ancients truly did not deceive me."

Xu Fengnian said bitterly, "I once reached the Vajra realm, but I entered a 'false realm' twice. I estimate there's no hope for me to make any significant progress in the first rank in this lifetime."

Lu Baixie asked, "Twice entered the pseudo-Zhi Xuan realm?"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "Once Zhi Xuan and once Heavenly Phenomenon. So, even if I could leap realms, I'd have to go directly from Vajra to a Land Immortal. But I'm not that kind of Buddhist figure."

This caused even Lu Baixie's expression to change dramatically. He slapped the table and sighed softly, "What a pity, what a pity!"

Xu Fengnian said with a carefree air, "In the future, I won't be able to single-mindedly devote myself to martial arts anyway. I'll just go with the flow and find a way to step down gracefully."

Lu Baixie shook his head. "Originally, I didn't believe Huang Longshi's theory that the chaotic fortunes of the Spring and Autumn Period had permeated the martial arts world. But now, young talents are sprouting like mushrooms after rain. Their innate aptitude, fortune, and opportunities truly far surpass those of the previous sixty years; it wouldn't even be an exaggeration to describe them as uniquely brilliant in the last five hundred years. I have to believe it. I had originally placed great hopes on you, hoping that one day you too could secure a place among the top ten martial artists in the world. This sword challenge to you was originally meant to be a test; if you met my expectations after your counter-challenge, I would simply bestow upon you my esteemed master Yang Yuzhang's insights into swordsmanship along with the Baxiu sword. Alas, who would have thought things would turn out like this."

The Tangxi Sword Immortal looked distressed. He gazed up at the old Dragon Claw Locust tree, muttering to himself, "Ancient texts record that old locust trees are ominous, their shade appearing dark green or black in spring and summer. A single tree is an auspicious sign, but an even number harbors ghosts. Is that truly so? Fengnian, why do you carry such an 'ominous presence' with you? Are you not afraid of diminishing your own fortune?"

Xu Fengnian calmly said, "I have no more fortune left to diminish. The fact that it has stayed by my side, never abandoning me, already makes me deeply grateful. As for whether its intelligence has just awakened and it feels gratitude, or if it instinctively believes I am still a valuable asset, it makes no difference to me. With such a Heavenly Phenomenon talisman protecting me, I feel somewhat more at ease entering the capital."

Lu Baixie nodded, then suddenly smiled. "Do you know who the most striking swordsman in the capital is right now?"

Xu Fengnian countered, "Isn't it those two long-standing, famous adversaries in Tai'an City, Qi Jiajie and Bai Jiangshan? I recall Qi Jiajie once blocked your path with his sword when you first took office in the capital."

Lu Baixie shook his head. "Not those two. It's a previously unknown wandering swordsman who sought out Wu Liuding, the current Sword Grandmaster of the Wu family. It seemed like he was picking on an easy target, even bypassing the female sword attendant whom Wu Liuding had challenged. Yet, unexpectedly, both became famous after that one battle. The woman, known only as Cuihua, actually used 'Two Sleeves of Green Snakes,' a technique that had become a lost art since the death of Sword God Li Chungang. And that wandering swordsman was also quite impressive; it's said he only delivered two sword strikes, but he lost with honor. I missed that particular sword duel. Later, the wandering swordsman challenged Bai Jiangshan and Qi Jiajie in two more matches, both of which I personally attended. This young man's swordsmanship is extremely unusual. Those two strikes can be considered the pinnacle of both sword technique and sword philosophy, as if swordsmanship, when practiced to that level, reaches the summit from which all other mountains seem small, with no higher view to attain. Yet, everyone can see that no matter who he fights, he only ever uses two swords. When Wang Xianzhi first entered the martial arts world, he initially took a complex path, drawing widely from various schools and integrating them. This young swordsman, however, is different; one could say he is precisely the opposite."

Xu Fengnian said straightforwardly, "He's discarding one of two swords, skipping a huge portion of the path that most swordsmen might never reach the end of in their entire lives. Clearly, he's had guidance from an unrivaled master; otherwise, he wouldn't be so audacious. If he truly masters the art of using only one sword, that would be an incredibly unreasonable move. At that point, only a handful of people like Sword Grandmaster Wu Liuding, Northern Mang's Sword Qi Jin, Dragon and Tiger's Qi Xianxia, and Wudang's Wang Xiaoping, would be able to contend with him. Entering the Dao through an unconventional path—I feel like it has some of Huang Sanjia's influence."

As he spoke, Xu Fengnian seemed disheartened. Hadn't *she* disdained even controlling swords, directly breaching the realm of a 'half-sword immortal's' sword mastery?

Lu Baixie chuckled, "Then it's fortunate this young man is challenging me to a duel three days from now. Otherwise, wouldn't I be sure to lose?"

Xu Fengnian was stunned. "That fellow challenged you?"

The Tangxi Sword Immortal smiled, "I was thinking of giving you a sword so I could find an excuse to avoid it. After watching his two duels in broad daylight, the impeachment memorials from the censors have been flying into the imperial palace like snowflakes. There's a limit to how many times one can push it."

Xu Fengnian whispered, "You originally wanted me to take your place in the duel?"

Lu Baixie nodded calmly. "Don't the millions in the capital all disbelieve that you killed Fifth Mo?"

Xu Fengnian said helplessly, "I've disappointed Uncle Lu."

Lu Baixie offered no comfort; instead, he added insult to injury, saying, "So, I'd better fight this duel myself. Consider it a final practice for my hopeless ambition to reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship. As for the Baxiu sword, you shouldn't hope for it anymore. Regarding my esteemed master Yang Yuzhang's insights into swordsmanship, as long as you don't cause any trouble before the Winter Solstice ceremony, I might still consider it."

Xu Fengnian softly said, "The tree desires stillness, but the wind does not cease."

Lu Baixie sighed, stood up, and took his leave.

The young page boy no longer dared to underestimate the white-haired young man as he had initially. He hastily followed his master out of the courtyard, full of grievance and suspicion, and whispered in a low voice, "Master."

The Tangxi Sword Immortal gave him another tap on the head. "If your conscience is clear, why fear ghosts or spirits?"

The sword-carrying boy mumbled, head bowed, "But that red-robed female ghost, hanging on the old locust tree like a hanged ghost, was truly terrifying."

"Go back and reflect on your actions by copying texts."

"Master, why does the heir have white hair?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I wouldn't dare. He can control flying swords now, and I wasn't very polite to him back in Jiangnan Dao. What if he's petty and sends a flying sword to take my head? Who would carry your sword for you then, right?"

"Didn't you also disbelieve that he killed the Lord of Tibing Mountain earlier? You even made a private bet with Er Qiao. How much did you lose?"

"Heh, just a few silver coins. I even felt I lost too little."

"Look at you, making progress. When you're young, if you're lucky enough to meet a girl you like, and if you're confident you can make her happy and secure in the future, then tell her quickly."

"I haven't read enough books, my knowledge isn't sufficient, and I haven't mastered my swordsmanship. Master, perhaps later?"

"As you wish."

Lu Baixie nodded farewell to Tong Ziliang, the attendant from Xiamawei Station who was guarding outside the courtyard. He then walked out of the inn's gate and turned to glance at the Dragon Claw Locust tree.

Medical texts state that boiling the tender sprouts of a locust tree in water and consuming the concoction can prevent hair from turning white and grant longevity.

What use is that now?

Only the children of the Xu family truly realized that Xu Fengnian was the one who suffered the most.