Chapter 84 Green Strand

In front of the shabby temple at the foot of Sword Mountain, an old Confucian scholar with a book box on his back came today.

The old Confucian scholar who climbed the mountain with the old master didn’t stay on the mountain for a long time and then came to the shabby temple at the foot of Sword Mountain. He talked about the sages’ principles and said that he would reason with the three people in the temple. Xie Lu and Liu Yibai were experts in killing people with a sword and didn’t have an interest in reasoning, so after the old Confucian scholar came down to the temple, he had to talk with Xian Chunan who was always gentle. The old scholar with a book box on his back seemed not to have read books for many years, and he just quoted the principles from the books while reading, so he wasn’t learned and didn’t baffle Xian Chunan. Xian Chunan was good-tempered and reasoned with the old scholar for a long time and didn’t feel bored. In the evening, seeing that the old scholar still didn’t give in, Xian Chunan asked with a smile if they would compete on swordsmanship. Otherwise, they were thirsty after talking too much and their legs were numb, so it was not good.

The old Confucian scholar who was beating around the bush all the time glanced at Xian Chunan in confusion and at last went to the point. He closed the book in his hands and asked in doubt, “The sword under the cliff belonged to Liu Xiang and learnt from him, so it is always arrogant. You know that it wouldn’t let Li Fuyao take it away from the bottom of the cliff, but why did you tell him to get it?”

Xian Chunan answered peacefully, “Why can’t I? Nothing is impossible. It may like Fuyao and think that his character is similar to Sword Immortal Liu’s so it would come out with him.”

The old Confucian scholar sniffed at Xian Chunan’s words. “What are Liu Xiang’s character and talent? How can Li Fuyao compare with him? Those years, Liu Xiang’s sword Qi can spread several thousand miles, and nobody can surpass him till now. Even Chao Qingqiu doesn’t dare to say that his sword Qi is more powerful than Liu Xiang’s. Can Li Fuyao match him?”

Xian Chunan asked with a smile, “Old master, you praise Sword Immortal Chao so highly?”

The old Confucian scholar rolled his eyes. “Crap. Chao Qingqiu is the only genius who has entered the Ocean Stage among you swordsmen in the past six thousand years. I don’t believe that he is inferior to those Sword Immortals six thousand years ago. Perhaps none of those Sword Immortals is his opponent nowadays. I frightened the old man Xu Ji on the mountain and told him that two great demons join hands to attack Chao Qingqiu. In fact, so what even if three great demons show up? I don’t believe that Chao Qingqiu would die on the demonic land so easily.”

At the mention of the only Sword Immortal who could enter the Ocean Stage in the past six thousand years, both the old Confucian scholar and Xian Chunan had an unspeakable feeling. The old scholar admired the Sword Immortal who had practiced swordsmanship less than three hundred years but could depend on himself alone and make the swordsmen continue to exist in the world till now, while Xian Chunan admired the Sword Immortal for his persistence and willpower.

However, in the final analysis, the Sword Immortal Chao Qingqiu was famous in this human world and on the demonic land. When the sages almost didn’t show up in the world, only this Sword Immortal occasionally did something, and everything he did was significant. He would kill the great demons or provoke somewhere such as Chenxie Mountain, making the demonic cultivators and the cultivators from the three religious sects feel helpless.

The old Confucian scholar sighed. “If Chao Qingqiu can be safe and sound and come back from the demonic land, it means that he makes more progress in swordsmanship. Perhaps he can be the first immortal in these six thousand years.”

Xian Chunan smiled in silence and didn’t remind the old scholar that they were talking about the matter that Li Fuyao went to get a sword under the cliff.

The old Confucian scholar stopped abruptly after speaking a few words and then smiled at Xian Chunan. “I almost don’t understand that. Since you know that the bloke can’t get Liu Xiang’s sword, you must have another plan. Is there another sword under the cliff?”

Xian Chunan remained silent and just looked at the old scholar while smiling.

The old Confucian scholar waved his hand impatiently. “You guys like to pretend mysterious more than I do. Did you become sophisticated after practicing swordsmanship for long?”

Xian Chunan chuckled peacefully. “The Sword Immortal Liu Xiang’s sword is naturally arrogant. It is fine if it doesn’t have the sword spirit, but after staying under the cliff for thousands of years, how can it not have the spirit? Since it has the sword spirit, it is difficult even for Sword Immortal Chao to take it away. Probably he can only beg it and it would go with him unwillingly. In the end, he would remove its intelligence and cultivate it again. Fuyao is just at the Focus Stage. How can he take it away? And he can’t even make it go with him unwillingly. I just want him to have a walk under the cliff and feel the sword Qi with resentment. I am not sure about the people at the other stages, but it’s helpful to the ones at the Focus Stage. Even I am uncertain if Fuyao can have the chance to find a sword suitable for him.”

The old Confucian scholar praised, “You are so cruel. He is the only new comer on Sword Mountain these years and the disciple of your junior fellow apprentice, but you drove him down randomly.”

Xian Chunan remained unmoved and responded calmly, “In the past, I always told Fuyao that he can’t be anxious while practicing swordsmanship, but in fact, Sword Mountain can’t protect him for long. Before the disaster, I hope that he can enter the Sword Qi Stage and then leave the mountain to travel in the distance, so that he can be kept. I think neither of Chen Sheng and our master wants to see Fuyao die on this mountain.”

The old Confucian scholar looked serious and said helplessly, “Liang Yi made his soul leave his body and might not kill. He just wanted to inquire about Sword Mountain. Before the news about Chao Qingqiu’s death spreads, nobody dares to destroy the last place to inherit for the swordsmen, even if this mountain exists in name only.”

Xian Chunan looked indifferent and didn’t get angry after hearing the old scholar say the words “exists in name only”. He just stood up and sighed with emotion. “We don’t need too many but only two Sword Immortals, and then we can compete with the three religious sects, but we can’t even find two Sword Immortals. It’s so pathetic.”

Xian Chunan showed a complicated expression and looked down the mountain. “After the temple owner comes up the mountain, I will surely wave my sword to stab him first.”

His voice was not loud but forceful.

When Li Fuyao reached out his hand to grab the long sword full of rust, his brain seemed to hear a shocking thunderclap with a bang. Then a scene showed up before his eyes. On Sword Mountain, many swordsmen waited seriously with a sword and a solemn expression for each. At the same time, in the distance, it was dark, and they were all demonic cultivators unexpectedly.

Four Sword Immortals were standing in front of the Sword Immortal Hall, and the man dressed in a white robe and the woman in red Li Fuyao had seen were Lu Changyan and Xie Chen, who was Master Xie Lu’s ancestor.

A man dressed in a grey robe was exactly the same as the sword Li Fuyao had met in front of the bamboo cottage, and he must be Liu Xiang whose sword Qi was unmatched in the world.

And the last one was an old man with white hair and beard as well as a tall and big figure.

Each of the four Sword Immortals had a sword on the waist and calmly looked at the black crowd in the distance.

The female Sword Immortal Xie Chen stayed silent for a while and then frowned. “They bully us swordsmen. I will go to the demonic land to kill several great demons.”

Lu Changyan pressed his sword handle and laughed. “Liu, I will go with Xie Chen, so we will leave Sword Mountain to you and Yan Shi.”

Liu Xiang was expressionless. “I have divided myself into two, and I am still invincible in front of those who are below the Ocean Stage, but I won’t say that I will kill anybody at the Ocean Stage. Today if I die on Sword Mountain, it will be a worthy death. Don’t worry, both of you.”

Lu Changyan cupped his hands and left on his sword with Xie Chen.

The two who were left, Yan Shi and the Sword Immortal Liu Xiang stood side by side and looked at the dense demonic cultivators. Yan Shi suddenly said with a smile, “Liu Xiang, you are almost never defeated. Won’t you feel a grievance if you die on Sword Mountain today?”

Liu Xiang looked peaceful. “If I had known what would happen today, I wouldn’t have studied the chance of becoming an immortal. I would kill more big demons with a sword if I can, in case of this situation.”

Yan Shi sighed. “Your talent is unique and you almost reach the peak of swordsmanship. Since you are at this level, if you don’t want to become an immortal who can fly, would it be you?”

Liu Xiang pressed the sword Three Taels on his waist and said impassively, “It’s no big deal if I die, but the war today must be not my last war. I don’t hope that the other me finds the chance to become an immortal, but I hope that he can take a few more steps, become a Sword Immortal and then go to the demonic land.”

Yan Shi laughed loudly and didn’t make comments.

Liu Xiang went down the mountain alone quietly. So what even if he died? He must be the first to unsheathe his sword.

…

In the war on Sword Mountain, the sounds of fierce fighting appeared everywhere. Liu Xiang fought against a huge demon with a height of three thousand meters and cut off the demon’s arm. At last, the demonic cultivator punched him and he died. Then his sword Three Tales fell off the cliff.

Many swordsmen on the cliff died with their swords broken.

The big war was bloody, and it was just one place on Sword Mountain. Nobody knew how many other ancestors of swordsmen suffered from the disaster.

On the Sword Lawn, a man dressed in a white robe looked indifferent and cut off one and another demon’s head with a long sword quietly. Different from the other swordsmen in twos and threes, this man in white was alone from the beginning to end.

After killing more than ten demonic cultivators, he was finally noticed by a great demon at the Ascending Stage. This man in white was also at the Ascending Stage, but he cut off this demonic cultivator’s head at one blow.

And the sword in his hand also danced for joy.

However, the man in white looked pale, and it appeared that he couldn’t resist for long.

In the end, two demonic cultivators at the Ascending Stage joined hands and punched him, with a big hole left on his body.

The sword cried sadly and was reluctant.

The man in white also smiled miserably. He had practiced swordsmanship for more than one hundred years and was an outstanding swordsman at the Ascending Stage. If he had one hundred more years to promote his swordsmanship, how could he not stand at the peak of swordsmanship and become another Sword Immortal?

What a pity.

At last, the man in white threw his sword to the bottom of the cliff and took himself as a sword, penetrating a demonic cultivator’s heart as the last attack.

The demonic cultivators and swordsmen didn’t like to use magic tools. The former depended on their incomparable physique and the latter had the peerless sword Qi to kill.

So in the big war between the two parties, there was no magic tool flying all over the sky, but they fought till death, and it was fiercer.

Li Fuyao came back to earth and had tears all over his face. He grabbed that sword and pulled it out.

The long sword was full of rust, but now the rust on its blade started to fall off unexpectedly and it revealed what it had been.

There were two words on the blade of this long sword.

Green Strand.