Martial Cultivator

Yu Xiyi’s second sword manifested a vast phenomenon; enough to demonstrate the solid foundation of his Sword Dao cultivation. Among his peers, no one could match him in Sword Dao. Unfortunately, the one he was facing was the Sword Sect’s Sect Master.

Under that second sword, the Sword Sect’s Sect Master merely glanced at it, and the surging sword intent began to unravel, breaking apart like shattered glass, quickly dissipating.

Yu Xiyi’s face turned red, realizing that neither of his two swords had made the Sword Sect’s Sect Master take him even the slightest bit seriously.

Now, only one last sword remained.

Yu Xiyi remained silent for a moment before leaping into the air. Wild Grass was still in his hand, but as he shot up, the tip of Wild Grass traced a brilliant green line that stretched upward, as if attempting to split the heavens with a single slash!

The Sword Sect was originally nestled among the sea of clouds, but when this sword was unleashed, the surrounding clouds were torn apart, all retreating before the power of this sword.

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master looked at the sword with some appreciation. This sword of Yu Xiyi’s was already the strongest strike one could make among ordinary Nepenthes. It was likely that few sword immortals in the world would not face this sword in full earnest.

No longer standing with his hands behind his back, the Sword Sect’s Sect Master extended his hand and drew a sword from his side, casually tossing it out.

The brilliant green line before him shattered in an instant upon collision with that sword, dispersing into countless specks of green light that fell like stars, painting the sky.

Yu Xiyi gripped Wild Grass tightly and stabbed it forward, Wild Grass’ sword tip erupting with ferocious sword qi, tearing apart everything in its path.

In a flash, Wild Grass arrived in front of the Sword Sect’s Sect Master.

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master calmly watched this Hundred Year Sword approach, all the way until it reached his chest. Only then, did he lift a finger and flick the blade.

With just that casual flick, Wild Grass trembled uncontrollably. Yu Xiyi could barely hold onto it, the force tearing apart the webbing between his thumb and index finger in an instant.

Blood streamed down his entire palm.

Yet, he refused to let go.

Gritting his teeth, Yu Xiyi continued pushing the sword forward another inch. The tip of Wild Grass was almost reaching the chest of the Sword Sect’s Sect Master.

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master looked at him and asked, “For the sake of so-called right and wrong, to lose all your cultivation, to lose your life, and never witness the highest peaks of Sword Dao, is it worth it?”

Blood trickled from the corner of Yu Xiyi’s mouth, but he still smiled and replied, “Sect Master, Sword Dao is not the only truth. And a sword is not without right and wrong.” 𝑅𝐀ꞐȰᛒÈș

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master said nothing and just waved his sleeve.

A stream of sword qi poured forth from his sleeve, crashing into Yu Xiyi, whose heart was resolute in facing death. Yu Xiyi’s expression turned ugly, but he did not withdraw his sword, choosing instead to slash forward.

There was likely no other sword cultivator in the world who dared to face the Sword Sect’s Sect Master’s sword head-on like this.

But Yu Xiyi still did it.

Wild Grass brushed against the sword qi but failed to repel or sever it. It only managed to stall it briefly before the sword qi struck him in the chest.

Yu Xiyi was pierced through the heart by a single strike and fell.

His life or death was uncertain.

The Sword Sect’s Sect Master watched Yu Xiyi’s falling figure with a calm expression and shook his head.

His figure dissipated from where he stood as he hurried to the Divine Capital.

……

……

The battle in the Divine Capital began at the Imperial City.

The great commotion could already be seen across the entire Divine Capital. At the Dean’s residence in the academy, a game of chess had just concluded. Zhou Gouqi stepped out of the small courtyard. He was originally carrying a lantern, only to realize it was already daytime.

At the courtyard gate, he encountered his little junior sister, Xie Nandu, whom he had met once before.

Xie Nandu looked at the senior brother she had first met in Tianqing County and bowed in greeting, “Greetings, Senior Brother Zhou.”

Zhou Gouqi smiled and said, “Little Junior Sister, back then when we first met, I never imagined that Little Junior Sister could become Teacher’s final disciple.”

Xie Nandu nodded and replied, “Some things always come as a surprise.”

After saying this, Xie Nandu looked into the small courtyard, wanting to speak but swallowing the words back.

Zhou Gouqi knew what his little junior sister was thinking and said, “Regarding Wei Xu, I’ll naturally give Teacher an explanation.”

Xie Nandu nodded, saying nothing further. Previously, the Dean had already instructed her not to involve herself in this matter, as it was something between her two senior brothers.

“Where are you headed now? To the Imperial City?”

Zhou Gouqi spoke with a smile, “If so, we can travel together.”

Xie Nandu nodded and said, “I do have some things I’d like to ask you, Senior Brother.”

Thus, the two walked together toward the Imperial City.

Walking along the lake, Zhou Gouqi could not help but lament, “Wei Xu actually isn’t a bad person. I imagine Little Junior Sister can see that too. It’s just that he’s too weak - far inferior to Little Junior Sister in that regard.”

Xie Nandu replied, “The things the Wei Family has done over the years, Senior Brother Wei likely didn’t know.”

Zhou Gouqi glanced at Xie Nandu and smiled as he said, “I can no longer become the dean, and the same goes for Wei Xu. In the future, the position of dean will be yours, Junior Sister.”

“I’d rather this had never happened,” Xie Nandu said calmly. “Senior Brother Wei has looked out for me in many ways.”

“So you came here to persuade me to show mercy?”

Zhou Gouqi looked at Xie Nandu with a somewhat unusual expression.

Xie Nandu shook her head. “Having never experienced Senior Brother’s pain, I naturally wouldn’t dare advise you on your choices. I only thought that if Senior Brother Wei were to die, I’d help to bury his corpse.”

Zhou Gouqi shook his head. “I told him we’d play a game of chess. If he won, I’d do as he wished and kill him.”

”What’s the result?”

Xie Nandu was quite curious.

Zhou Gouqi replied, “His chess skills haven’t improved over the years. He didn’t beat me.”

Xie Nandu seemed a bit dazed.

One game of chess. Wei Xu was resolved to die, and Zhou Gouqi could have gone along with it, but he chose not to.

”After all, we are from the same sect. Teacher refrained from leaving because of him, and as his senior brother, I truly couldn’t bring myself to kill him either. Besides, he genuinely didn’t know about that matter. While it all started because of him, it’s not enough to warrant his death. Yet living like this is its own kind of suffering.”

Zhou Gouqi felt vicissitudes of emotion. He could not untangle the knot in Wei Xu’s heart, and even in taking this approach, he was not sure if it was the right thing to do.

Xie Nandu remained silent.

The two soon arrived at a fork in the road. One path led to the Imperial City. Zhou Gouqi handed his lantern to Xie Nandu and smiled. “Junior Sister, the rest of the road is yours to walk.”

Xie Nandu frowned and asked, “Where are you going, Senior Brother?”

Zhou Gouqi replied, “I cannot take part in the battle at the Imperial City. But today’s events won’t end there. I’m heading to the city gates. Those who shouldn’t enter the city, I’ll see to it that they don’t.”

Xie Nandu asked, “Is Senior Brother doing this out of gratitude?”

Zhou Gouqi thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “If I were speaking to anyone else, I’d say that as a scholar, I ought to put the world first. But since it’s you, Little Junior Sister, I can’t lie. I had ties to the Princess, and though she has already passed, His Majesty is still her father. I also don’t wish to see him die like this.”

Xie Nandu smiled and said, “Senior Brother is honest.”

Zhou Gouqi said no more, simply turning and heading toward the city gates.

Today, he might very likely die in the Divine Capital, die on top of the city walls, but he did not care too much.

If death comes, so be it.

As a scholar, he believed he should live by Tutor Zhang’s four precepts.

Even without those four precepts, for Miss Chen’s sake, I can’t stand by and watch His Majesty die either.

As he walked, Zhou Gouqi’s thoughts wandered, and before he realized it, he passed by a stall selling kites.

No matter how momentous today’s events might be, for ordinary people, it was no different from another ordinary day.

Zhou Gouqi paused and bought a kite, and then his figure vanished, reappearing on top of the city walls.

He chose a pillar, wrapped the kite string around it, and let the kite rise with the wind.

Sitting cross-legged, Zhou Gouqi smiled as he looked outside of the city.

Today, with him, Zhou Gouqi, defending the city, anyone seeking to kill His Majesty would have to get past him first.