Chapter 668: One Question One Answer

A carriage arrived late outside Danzhongping, slowly parting the crowd. Spectators watched as a slender figure lifted the curtain, stepped down, and ascended the steps to Danzhongping, holding an ancient sword with a rustic sheath.

In the path of swordsmanship, for nearly a century, there has been no trend of revering the ancient over the modern. No junior swordsman could find an ancient manual and become invincible. This is thanks to Li Chungang's sword intent and Deng Tai'a's swordsmanship, both of which surpass those of the ancients. Of course, the sword forging of Dongyue Sword Pond must also be mentioned; every new sword produced there is a treasure coveted by swordsmen across the martial arts world. However, in the realm of sword crafting, Western Shu, a region surrounded by mountains, has always been an anomaly, with the saying, "the older, the more precious." Among the top three Shu swords, besides "Difuzi" which retired from the martial world with its owner, the Shu Sword Emperor, "Shudao" and "Leixa" have consistently remained among the ten greatest swords since their creation.

It was unclear who first recognized the name of the ancient sword, but suddenly, everyone was discussing "Shudao." It was widely known that after the fall of Western Shu, this sword had been sealed away in the Tide-Listening Pavilion for many years, finally seeing the light of day once more.

Some shrewd and quick-witted spectators, upon seeing the young nobleman, were about to shout and kneel in deference. However, halfway through their acclamations, they noticed the disapproving glares around them and awkwardly gave up, quietly swallowing their flattery.

A strong martial spirit flowed in Beiliang's veins. In the eyes of most common folk and martial artists, since the new King of Liang had arrived simply and unassumingly for the appointment, he clearly wasn't trying to flaunt his status as the Butcher's eldest son. Instead, he intended to engage in a proper martial contest. This place wasn't the Central Plains with its intricate rituals; here, fists were the only measure of worth. That's why it was said that Beiliang's civil officials could single-handedly defeat military generals from the Liyang imperial court. The Beiliang populace tolerated the numerous military clans and the almost two decades of "harm" they caused, largely due to their inherent nature. While those military scions indeed committed misdeeds, their fathers were truly generals who had emerged from piles of corpses. If others could be born into good families, that was their capability; there was no need to complain if one's own birth wasn't as fortunate. The most important thing was to ensure one's own children could be born into better circumstances in the future.

Perhaps he had truly waited too long, for Sui Xiegu yawned, his two snow-white eyebrows fluttering even more spiritedly.

Xu Fengnian evidently intended to make the "sword-eating ancestor" wait a little longer. After stepping onto Danzhongping, there was no immediate sign of him launching an attack. He propped his long sword on the ground, his palm resting on the hilt. To the spectators outside, this posture truly exemplified the calm and imposing demeanor of a master. While the people of Beiliang were fierce in internal conflicts, their xenophobia was equally strong. Compared to the unfamiliar old man who carried no weapon, they naturally felt closer to their former "Young Master," the prodigal son who was now worth more than gold. Thus, when Xu Fengnian appeared on the platform, a chorus of cheers and acclamations immediately erupted.

Sui Xiegu, whose vital energy flowed like a magnificent waterfall, surveyed his surroundings before finally fixing his gaze on Xu Fengnian.

The contest between masters involves a struggle of strength, vital energy, wisdom, and courage, but ultimately, it is a battle of wills.

Sui Xiegu intended to challenge this young "foremost expert under heaven" for his "strongest technique," naturally wishing for a satisfying and fierce life-or-death battle. This was also where the old man felt confused: if the Tide-Listening Pavilion restricted their movements, wouldn't Danzhongping be even more constraining? But since the young man had specifically chosen this location for their confrontation, Sui Xiegu was too lazy to object. In any case, if innocent people were harmed, they would be subjects within this fellow's domain. Sui Xiegu had remained hidden in the martial arts world for nearly a century, always alone and unburdened by attachments, so he had nothing to fear. Sui Xiegu was not a magnanimous person; if Xu Fengnian, not knowing his own limits, were to bite off more than he could chew, Sui Xiegu would certainly seize the opportunity to eliminate him. As for whether the unfathomable Xu Yanbing would pursue him for thousands of miles afterward, or whether Beiliang's 300,000 iron cavalry would surround and intercept him, why would Sui Xiegu care? If anything, the sword-eating old man was more concerned that the old woman from the Guanyin Sect might harbor resentment towards him, but that was the extent of his worries.

Xu Fengnian gazed at Sui Xiegu, somewhat entranced. He recalled those early days wandering the martial arts world behind the old man in sheepskin, when first hearing of experts whose vital energy could traverse hundreds of miles in an instant felt like encountering a divine text. Now, having climbed to the peak step by step, especially after entering the Heavenly Human realm, capable of surveying the Vajra, Finger-Mystery, and Heavenly Phenomena stages of the First Rank, he had gained many unique insights into the profound mysteries of martial arts. The "sword-eating ancestor" before him was unlike ordinary martial artists, bearing a resemblance to that young grand-uncle who rode an ox. He walked the path of the Heavenly Dao, rooted in the transformation of vital energy into all things. Although the general path was the same, there were differences in breadth; Hong Xixiang's path was certainly broader. Yet, Sui Xiegu had sought the Dao through his sword, cultivating it meticulously for a full eighty years since he first held a blade. Whether it was the circulation of blood and qi, the ascent and descent of qi in the internal organs, or the opening and closing of crucial acupoints, every aspect had reached the pinnacle of perfection. Rather than saying the old man sought the Dao through his sword, it was more accurate to say Sui Xiegu had already manifested the Dao through his sword. This was likely the source of Sui Xiegu's confidence when he dared to challenge Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City. While the old man was certainly not as physically powerful as the eccentric old Wang, as long as Wang Xianzhi did not presume to be higher than the Heavenly Dao itself, then the two of them would have a genuine fight on their hands.

Just then, a white rainbow, appearing from tens of thousands of miles away, streaked across the sky and plunged into Danzhongping.

Everyone instinctively closed their eyes to shield themselves from the dazzling brilliance. When they slowly opened them, for some reason, Danzhongping appeared unchanged. The old man with the snow-white eyebrows remained perfectly serene, and the new King of Liang, Xu Fengnian, was also calm. Other than them, the platform was empty.

However, Sui Xiegu seemed displeased and let out a muffled grunt.

Xu Fengnian, whose palm was still resting horizontally on the sword hilt, suddenly smiled, a look of sudden enlightenment on his face, as if a deeply knotted problem had finally been untangled.

He recalled an out-of-body journey through the Spring and Autumn periods, where on a muddy road, he had met Beiliang's Imperial Advisor Li Qingshan twice. It was unclear whether the encounter was before or after, but it too was a fortunate緣分. That Qilin Daoist had claimed his ascension was imminent, and now he had indeed ascended. However, before his ascension, Li Qingshan transformed into a rainbow and visited Beiliang, personally delivering a message to Xu Fengnian. Unfortunately, apart from the deeply cultivated Sui Xiegu, no one else present could truly appreciate this astonishing scene. For the thousands of people outside Danzhongping, it felt like merely the blink of an eye, but for Xu Fengnian and Li Qingshan, it was like the duration of an incense stick burning. After crashing into Danzhongping, Li Qingshan stumbled, nearly colliding with Xu Fengnian. When the latter smiled and steadied him, the old Daoist's face lit up, though with a touch of self-deprecation he said, "Since it's my first ascension, and into the upper ranks of the eighteen grades at that, I previously thought I'd at most be riding a dragon or crane in the middle ranks. Even I found it a bit hard to control. Much of it is thanks to you; it wouldn't have been right, in terms of both sentiment and reason, for this poor Daoist not to come."

Xu Fengnian bowed slightly, saying, "Congratulations, True Master, on forging your immortal body."

Li Qingshan extended a finger and tapped his forehead, saying, "Let's not waste time with pleasantries; they're watching from above. Here in the human world, I was regarded as a living immortal, but up there, I'm just a raw newcomer, bound to act cautiously. My presumptuous visit this time is to impart some parting words to you, consider them an immortal's final advice to the world. After all, whether there will be more ascensions or immortals in the future is uncertain... But never mind that. Xu Fengnian, let me ask you something; just reflect on it yourself. This poor Daoist must leave as soon as I've asked; I won't wait for an answer."

Xu Fengnian respectfully replied, "Please ask, True Master, I will ponder it carefully."

Li Qingshan straightened his expression and asked in a solemn voice, "When a cultivator seeks to prove the Dao of longevity and join the ranks of immortals, are they not challenging the Heavenly Dao? When a martial artist trains their body to nurture life and extend their years, are they not competing with Yama, the King of Hell? Since both go against the natural order of heaven and earth, why do we still have ascended Heavenly Humans, and why do First Rank experts still exist?"

Xu Fengnian couldn't help but chuckle, "True Master, are you here as an advocate for this realm?"

Li Qingshan shook his head and said, "Think again."

Just as Xu Fengnian was about to speak, Li Qingshan pointed at Xu Fengnian's chest, then vanished in a flash. Immediately afterward, a pillar of destiny's light, invisible to ordinary mortals, shot up from the ground, soaring into the sky and piercing the heavens.

Xu Fengnian looked up at the lingering cloud sea in the sky, still stirred by the gradually fading pillar of light.

He suddenly recalled a cultivation method from Mount Wudang, passed down for a thousand years and made public: When cultivating on the mountain, one questions heaven and earth; when cultivating down the mountain, one questions others; and finally, when on the verge of proving the Dao, one questions oneself.

To cultivate the Dao is to cultivate truth.

Xu Fengnian began to realize that ever since accompanying Xu Xiao to meet the Northern Mang Empress in that snowstorm, he had been far too busy. Moreover, this mental preoccupation was very self-absorbed, and almost certainly not Xu Xiao's original intention.

Deep down, Xu Fengnian yearned for the martial arts world beyond Beiliang, a place that had been his childhood dream. He had once thought it was like a snowman he had described to Xuanyuan Qingfeng—once melted, it was gone forever, beyond retrieval.

In that martial arts world, many people left Xu Fengnian with feelings of regret and guilt. He missed Old Huang with his missing front tooth, the young wanderer with a wooden sword, the aging old man in sheepskin, Hong Xixiang who rode an ox, his eldest sister who married far away to Jiangnan, and even the demonic couple from the Yatoulu Inn, as well as Mother Qingzhu, the Northern Mang woman who never forgot her deceased daughter.

There were many people in the martial arts world he deeply cared about, yet he had watched helplessly as they either parted from him in life or were separated by death.

There were many things he hadn't done well. He couldn't stop Old Huang from going to Wudi City, couldn't prevent Wen Hua from becoming undefeated in the martial arts world, couldn't keep his eldest sister in the mortal realm, couldn't prevent his second sister from taking the imperial throne, and couldn't keep Hongshu away from Dunhuang City.

Thus, Xu Fengnian often felt that being the hereditary King of Liang was merely an inescapable heavy burden, not something he genuinely wanted to do.

It was only now, prompted by Li Qingshan's question, that Xu Fengnian truly began to deeply ponder what he himself wanted to do.

Xu Fengnian looked towards the Nine Heavens and murmured, "The Heavenly Dao is a narrow, perilous bridge only Heavenly Beings can cross. But the Grand Dao is a broad, sunlit path that everyone in the mortal world can walk."

He did not realize how remarkably similar this statement was to one made by Li Yufu, who once caused countless thunders to roll away across the heavens.

Xu Fengnian finally said to himself, "What do I want to do? It's simple: I just want to be Xu Xiao's son! Xu Xiao provided a path to survival for so many desperate common people during the Spring and Autumn era. As his son, I want to protect that path. If anyone disagrees, I will make them agree."

Sui Xiegu, who had been waiting for a long time, rolled his eyes and impatiently asked, "Are you going to fight or not, kid?"

Xu Fengnian offered an apologetic smile and raised his hand, and the "Shudao" sword floated out of its sheath.

But just then, a woman's voice abruptly rang out in everyone's ears, "Sui Xiegu, get down!"

With a look of schadenfreude, Xu Fengnian asked with a slight smile, "Elder Sui, are you going to fight or not?"

Sui Xiegu's expression stiffened. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Fight? Of course I'll fight! Tantai Pingjing, women have no say here!"

Xu Fengnian's smile faded as he said, "It's fine. Li Chungang once said that all matters under heaven are but a single sword stroke."

He glanced at "Shudao" and whispered, "Go."

The ancient sword "Shudao" instantly vanished.

Sui Xiegu abruptly looked up.

Xu Fengnian smiled and said, "However, I have quite a few of these sword strokes."

At almost the same moment, numerous individuals simultaneously looked up: the hundreds of swords in the Wu Family Sword Mound in Beiliang, Xuanyuan Qingfeng of Huishan, Luoyang, Xu Ying, Tuoba Pusa, Deng Mao, as well as the man who didn't use a sword himself but wore one for his wife, several masters from the Northern Mang Chess-Sword Music Academy, Qi Xianxia who was still wandering outside Longhu Mountain, Lu Baijie, the Tangxi Sword Immortal in the capital, the young Daoist Li Yufu who was heading to Mount Wudang with his apprentice Yu Fu, and Jiang Ni, who was lost in thought in the old capital of Great Chu.

Jiang Ni, in particular, hesitated for a moment before murmuring to herself, "Lend."

The Wu Family Sword Mound, Dongyue Sword Pond, and the Chess-Sword Music Academy—three places widely recognized in the martial arts world for holding, burying, and storing the most swords—were particularly astonishing.

All the famous swords under heaven soared into the sky, heading towards Beiliang.