Chapter 785: You All This Sword

When these words were uttered, Yin Changgeng, Han Xingyan, and their group, along with Li Yibai, Song Tinglu, and Dan Eryi, were all utterly astonished.

To proclaim that a grandmaster like Qi Jiajie, who was destined to become the paramount figure in swordsmanship, wouldn't even be able to draw his sword from its scabbard?

Perhaps only Patriarch Lu, who once passed through the Heavenly Gate but chose not to enter, could utter such a claim in a thousand years of martial arts history.

Was this fellow, with a book still tucked under his arm, trying to overwhelm others with sheer presence? Although Qi Jiajie wasn't known for abundant internal energy that dominated the martial world, he was the capital's foremost swordsman, with combat prowess second only to the Fourteen Martial Masters. To say he couldn't even draw his sword was simply preposterous.

A precarious situation, clearly signaling an impending battle, lay before them. Yet, Chai Qingshan, inexplicably drawn into the heart of this storm, remained still. He showed no intention of leaving with Li Yibai and his two disciples, nor did he circulate his internal energy in preparation for the unexpected. It was evident that if Xu Fengnian and Qi Jiajie engaged in an all-out fight, whether they remained in Taoshu Town or withdrew from it, the difference would be negligible. Chai Qingshan was likely betting on a gentleman's duel, a precise contest where both parties would tacitly agree to limit their engagement to a small area, ensuring the town's inhabitants would not be affected. Such a pinnacle sparring session, possessing the subtle charm of "hair-splitting" precision, was ideal for observers with some insight into martial arts to hone their own martial mindsets. How could Chai Qingshan possibly miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Qi Jiajie held the famous sword, Chang Jia, forged in the Jinglong Sword Furnace, diagonally. The sword was three feet three inches long. His slender, jade-like right hand did not reach to draw the blade, but Chang Jia suddenly clanged like a dragon's roar. It emerged less than an inch from its scabbard, and instantly, a biting, frosty wind seemed to sweep from beneath the inn's eaves.

After this brief "pause," the Chang Jia's blade suddenly extended to more than three inches from its scabbard.

Both times, Chang Jia slid from its scabbard with incredible smoothness.

However, in this world, things can happen once, or twice, but not always a third time.

Subsequently, Chang Jia remained perfectly still. The three members of the East Yue Sword Pool, whose hearing had become sharper after martial arts training, could already hear a continuous, faint buzzing sound, like the fluttering wings of mosquitoes or flies.

Yin Changgeng and the others also noticed dust gradually rising from the street outside the eaves, forming small, slow-spinning dust devils that resembled a group of women in yellow skirts gracefully dancing.

Finally, Chang Jia emerged from its scabbard by a little over an inch, at a speed so incredibly slow that even Gao Shiqing could discern it with the naked eye.

Yet, Qi Jiajie's Shu silk robe, which seemed impervious to dust no matter where he stood, began to tremble gently, like ripples spreading across a calm lake surface after a dragonfly dips into it.

Under the scorching sun of Taoshu Town, the spot beneath the inn's eaves where Qi Jiajie stood was where light and shadow met. Threads of straight light, normally imperceptible to ordinary people, not only became clearly visible but also instantly twisted.

Song Tinglu and Dan Eryi blinked simultaneously, thinking they were experiencing an optical illusion. But after blinking, those bizarre light rays indeed wriggled like snakes.

At the same time, the small dust devils on the street shattered and dispersed.

Chang Jia finally extended another inch from its scabbard.

Gao Shiqing was completely unaware that she was drenched in sweat, with strands of hair clinging damply to her flushed cheeks. Zhao Wenwei also unconsciously loosened his fists, opened his palms, and wiped sweat on his robe.

The white-clad sword-bearing girl was also an outsider, but in fact, she was even more nervous than Gao Shiqing and the others. She whispered to her fellow disciple, "Song Tinglu, do you think Mr. Qi's sword can be fully drawn?"

Song Tinglu, whose long sword at his waist was surprisingly four feet long, pondered for a moment before solemnly replying, "Call me 'Senior Brother,' and I'll tell you the answer."

The girl wore a sword-shaped zitan hairpin, and her willow-leaf eyebrows resembled slender swords, making her look particularly spirited when she furrowed them. However, she quickly burst into a bright smile and sweetly called out, "Senior Brother."

The young man shivered as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight, then feigned ignorance with a chuckle, "The answer is... I don't know either."

Ordinarily, with the girl's temper, she would have long since drawn her sword and chased the future master of the Sword Pool all over the mountain. But today, for the first time, she took a deep breath and let Song Tinglu off the hook. He quickly understood why, rolling his eyes fiercely. Compared to Zhao Wenwei's earlier frustrated glare at his junior sister, the normally energetic young man suddenly wilted like a frost-bitten eggplant, his entire demeanor drooping. There was nothing he could do; his junior sister was diligently maintaining a ladylike image in front of someone she, along with almost all the senior and junior sisters of the Sword Pool, collectively admired. His junior sister, who he had thought would never bother with makeup in her life, started lingering in front of cosmetic shops every time they saw one on the streets after arriving in Youzhou. He should have, even if it meant throwing a tantrum, convinced their master not to agree to let her come to Beiliang.

After the dust that formed the small dust devils dissipated, rising with the wind, Xu Fengnian casually waved his hand and gently dispersed it.

Qi Jiajie's hand, which held the sword, curved its fingers, transitioning to a loose grip on Chang Jia. The long sword spun rapidly, as if thunder rumbled in his palm.

Taking advantage of this, the Chang Jia's blade was forcefully pulled another three inches from its scabbard.

Just then, a spiderweb of cracks burst open in the bluestone slab beneath the northern swordsman's feet, and these fissures continued to expand outwards. Startled, Gao Shiqing quickly pulled Zhao Wenwei and retreated in a hurry.

The young couple, Yin Changgeng and Zhao Chunyuan, both saw the hem of Mr. Qi's white robe begin to flutter and billow. The movement grew increasingly pronounced, flapping loudly like battle flags caught in a strong wind on a battlefield.

Zhao Wenwei, who had previously had the leisure to secretly glance at the white-clad girl, now felt uneasy. He wished he could wave flags and cheer for Mr. Qi, hoping that Mr. Qi would draw the entire Chang Jia in one go to quell the arrogance of that young King of Beiliang! Honestly speaking, this notorious northwestern vassal king, infamous in both the court and the common folk of Liyang, when seen in person and aside from his highly provocative words, was no different from the outstanding scholars Zhao Wenwei had encountered while studying in the diligent chambers of the imperial palace and the Zhao family's Guozijian. He had a good background, good looks, and a decent temper, belonging to that type of charming individual whom one might not particularly like but couldn't bring themselves to hate.

When Qi Jiajie finally raised his right hand, two fingers pressed together and hovered an inch above Chang Jia's blade, his aura suddenly transformed. If it had previously been like the Five Sacred Mountains towering over the Central Plains, it now resembled the vast Guangling River surging eastward to the sea.

Chai Qingshan softly told the two children, "Watch carefully! See how others observe the tides to gain sword insights! Qi Jiajie witnessed the great tides of Guangling three times, at the ages of eighteen, twenty-seven, and thirty-six, eventually comprehending this method of internal energy circulation, a flash of inspiration born from a moment of intuition. Among today's martial arts masters, regarding the endurance of internal energy, Qi Jiajie is far inferior to the Fourteen Martial Masters, and not even among the top ten on Daxueping. But in terms of the instantaneous surge of internal energy, even I, your master, or even Xuan-Yuan Qingfeng, might not be able to compare."

At this point, Chai Qingshan couldn't help but let out a cold snort. "You two have been to the Guangling River twice now. You've seen plenty of excitement, and your mouths haven't stopped chattering. What insights did you gain?"

Song Tinglu turned his head and made a face behind his master's back.

The girl solemnly stated, "Master, next time we observe the tides, I will definitely concentrate!"

Chai Qingshan was momentarily stunned, then offered a wry smile.

Song Tinglu muttered, "Acting, keep acting!"

Dan Eryi's face instantly flushed crimson. She reached behind her back, barely resisting the urge to draw "Fuji," the new sword she had forged herself.

Every disciple of the Sword Pool, wishing to leave the sect and wander the martial world, had to forge their own new sword. Thus, besides an endless stream of brilliant swordsmen, the East Yue Sword Pool also boasted countless talented master sword-smiths whose names were etched in history. Dan Eryi, the disciple Chai Qingshan had recognized at first glance, possessed astonishing talent in both learning and forging swords. While a martial artist's physique requires gradual cultivation to become robust, and Dan Eryi was only a fourth-rank martial arts expert, her unique comprehension of the Way of the Sword had, in Chai Qingshan's view, already reached the realm of a second-rank minor grandmaster.

Song Tinglu quickly pleaded, "Junior Sister, can we please not fight here? There are so many outsiders! How am I supposed to achieve that undefeated record wandering the martial world later?!"

Dan Eryi couldn't be bothered with this fellow who constantly claimed he would roam the martial world with an undefeated record. Of all people to imitate, he chose Wen Busheng, who had a fleeting presence in the capital and declared that he sought not to defeat many masters in his life, but merely to remain undefeated! This was precisely why disciples had to carry a new sword they had forged themselves when leaving the sect; otherwise, Song Tinglu would still be carrying a wooden sword slung casually across his back at the Sword Pool!

After the internal energy within him suddenly burst forth like a surging river tide, Qi Jiajie's Chang Jia was almost entirely drawn from its scabbard, with only the very tip remaining unpulled.

Zhao Wenwei quietly exclaimed, "Good!"

He then found himself on the receiving end of Dan Eryi's angry glare, and the bewildered young man's spirit quickly plummeted.

At this crucial moment, Xu Fengnian actually walked onto the street and looked up towards Mount Wudang.

On the mountain, in front of the thatched hut near the Elephant Washing Pond, stood a young Daoist wearing an ordinary Dragon Tiger Mountain robe, and a person squatting on the ground, squinting hard as he perused an ancient book.

The latter softly remarked, "Ningshen, this action is not something a gentleman would do."

The young Daoist calmly replied, "Sir, although it goes against my true feelings, I am, after all, surnamed Zhao, and a Daoist of the Celestial Master's Mansion. My uncle has preached in Taian City for many years, and now in the capital, he is still in a precarious position. In his letter, my uncle even self-deprecatingly remarked that he couldn't even be a 'Green Prose Prime Minister.' Furthermore, you also know, Sir, that if Wu Lingsu is allowed to gain power, it would not only be a misfortune for Buddhism, but the legitimate lineage of Daoism throughout the land would also become unstable."

The refined man, whose eyesight seemed poor as he was almost touching the book page, sighed, "Is it a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils?"

He hesitated, then shook his head with a helpless smile. "I won't bother you with my grand theories, Bai Yu. They say to stick to the facts, but we scholars, when we know a lot, tend to elaborate, turning one point into two, three, or four. If you don't stop us, five, six, seven, eight, and nine will follow too. Sometimes, honestly, it's quite annoying. Alright, go do what you need to do, don't mind me. This book is good; I've been looking for it for years and couldn't find it. I'll take this opportunity to read it first."

Zhao Ningshen hesitated. "Although this joint effort will, at most, cause him to lose the imminent surge of destiny he has accumulated in the Western Regions, you, Sir, still shouldn't have come to Mount Wudang. If he becomes enraged, my death would be insignificant, but you, Sir, should not perish here in Beiliang. You ought to go further than Xun Ping did back then!"

Bai Yu moistened his finger, gently turned a page, and said, "Too grand a heart inevitably leads to a grander appetite, which is harmful to one's health."

Zhao Ningshen sighed, took a few steps forward, closed his eyes, and formed a hand seal.

At the Celestial Master's Mansion on Dragon Tiger Mountain, the highest bud on the purple golden lotus in the lotus pond suddenly bloomed, then withered just as quickly.

On a large multi-story ship of the Qingzhou Fleet, a scholar sat cross-legged with a bowl of water before him. He held a pristine white stone between two fingers and smiled, "Since things have come to this, and it's the way of the world, you can't blame me, Xie Guanying, for kicking a man when he's down."

The stone dropped into the water in the bowl.

Simultaneously, a streak of white light flashed from the southeast to the northwest and vanished.

After observing the north, Xu Fengnian withdrew his gaze and turned to look towards the east.

With the support of that internal energy withdrawn, Qi Jiajie's Chang Jia slid back into its scabbard.

Qi Jiajie then removed Chang Jia and casually discarded it on the street.

Yin Changgeng and the others were all puzzled.

Dan Eryi and Song Tinglu also wore bewildered expressions.

Chai Qingshan, who had seemed to be merely observing the spectacle, also took a step forward.

Xu Fengnian looked into the distance and smiled, "A new sword painstakingly forged by the East Yue Sword Pool, with Qi Jiajie as its master, a gathering of the few remaining Qigong practitioners from Liyang, coupled with the combined efforts of Zhao Ningshen from Dragon Tiger Mountain, and Chai Qingshan's assistance. This sword, summoned from thousands of miles away, is a far grander feat than the one I used to kill Han Shengxuan back then."

Qi Jiajie softly replied, "I am ashamed."

Chai Qingshan remained silent.

Xu Fengnian, who still had *Records of Swordsmanship from Lushui Pavilion, Jiazi Edition* tucked under his arm, showed no sign of anger or embarrassment. He said, "Mount Wudang isn't far. Burning incense and making wishes there is quite effective. You'd best hurry and pray that I don't catch this sword."

The girl from East Yue Sword Pool timidly asked, "Xu Fengnian, isn't it said in the martial world that you are the reincarnation of Emperor Zhenwu? Will our prayers even work?"

Xu Fengnian couldn't help but chuckle, "You're right."

Xu Fengnian glanced at her and the young man who indeed resembled Song Nianqing. The latter quickly gripped his sword hilt tightly, knowing full well that this King of Beiliang was quite adept at borrowing swords without asking for permission! And often, he would borrow hundreds or even thousands at a time.

However, the girl, who was already leaning towards outsiders before fully growing up, winked at Xu Fengnian, indicating that the sword on her back was quite good and he could just take it, no need to borrow.

Xu Fengnian gently exhaled, faced east, and murmured to himself, "No need to borrow. As for swords, I have plenty of my own now."

Xu Fengnian sprang up from the ground and soared into the air.

In the sky, around him, swords swarmed like locusts.

I have swords, two thousand four!

My aura extends six thousand *li*!