Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

Hearing this, Li Tianxin sighed again.

”You don’t have to be so accommodating. There’s no future for us. You should give up on this idea sooner rather than later.”

”Never!”

Zhang Zhihua said,

”My master taught me from a young age that if I want something, I have to fight for it.”

”As the saying goes, sincerity can move mountains.”

”And I believe you’re not made of stone.”

”...”

Li Tianxin felt another headache coming on.

Just then, Jiang Ran waved him over. After a moment’s thought, Li Tianxin headed toward the group.

Jiang Ran introduced Li Tianxin, Luo Qingyi, and Zhang Zhihua to everyone.

And with that, they were all formally acquainted.

Ye Jingshuang was the first to speak.

”Senior Brother Huang, when did you all get here?”

”A short while ago, I sent a letter from Benma County to the Sect explaining what happened to the Ye family.”

”Judging by the timing, that letter probably hasn’t even reached the Liuyun Sword Sect yet.”

Huang Xuan’s brow furrowed.

”That doesn’t add up, Junior Sister. The Ye family disaster happened a while ago. Why did you only write a few days ago?”

”When something like this happens, you should notify the Sect immediately.”

”The Sect Leader, the elders, and all your martial brothers would have sought justice for you. How could you delay for so long?”

”This isn’t the place to talk.”

Ye Jingshuang sighed. ”Let’s find somewhere else to talk. There’s more to it than that...”

Huang Xuan nodded in agreement.

The group immediately left the mountain path and found a flat clearing not far away. A few Liuyun Sword Sect disciples moved some large rocks over so everyone could sit and talk.

Ye Jingshuang then recounted the entire affair from beginning to end. Finally, she concluded,

”I’ve already reported the full details to the Sect.”

”I just didn’t expect to see you and the others here, Senior Brother Huang.”

After hearing the whole story, Sword Qi began to simmer around Huang Xuan, his face contorted with rage.

”That Tong Wanli! The sheer audacity of that man!”

”If he weren’t already dead, I’d make him suffer the agony of a thousand swords piercing his heart!”

”Exactly! Death by a thousand cuts would be too good for him!”

”His death was well-deserved! Well-deserved!”

”And his son, Tong Yan, dared to covet Senior Sister Ye? They should have taken a good look at themselves in the mirror. It’s a classic case of a toad lusting after a swan’s flesh.”

The other disciples of the Liuyun Sword Sect were all seething with indignation.

But Ye Jingshuang spoke softly,

”It’s all in the past now. There’s no need for everyone to be so angry. Besides, I’m perfectly fine now, aren’t I?”

”That’s only because you were lucky enough to meet Young Hero Jiang.”

Huang Xuan turned to Jiang Ran, his eyes filled with gratitude.

”It’s all thanks to Young Hero Jiang. Otherwise, on the night the Ye family fell, I’m afraid you might not have escaped with your life.”

”He then laid a trap that forced Tong Wanli to reveal his true colors.”

”That’s what allowed you to get your satisfying revenge. This is a debt of gratitude that not only you, but our entire Liuyun Sword Sect must remember.”

”Brother Huang, you exaggerate.”

Jiang Ran quickly interjected, ”It was largely a matter of coincidence and good fortune. You really don’t have to go this far.”

”On that, you are mistaken, Brother Jiang.”

Huang Xuan said,

”You saved my junior sister time and time again. A debt like that must be repaid.”

”Furthermore, my junior sister has a master who loves her like her own daughter. When she learns you saved her life, she will be immensely grateful.”

”My junior sister’s master is an incredibly important figure in the Liuyun Sword Sect. Her benefactor is therefore a benefactor to our entire sect.”

”So, while you may choose to think little of it, Brother Jiang, we must engrave this kindness in our hearts and never forget it!”

Jiang Ran was at a loss for words.

Ye Jingshuang, however, just smiled.

”It is a great debt, and I will, of course, repay it.”

”For now, I dare not make grand promises. I only wish to stay by Brother Jiang’s side and serve him, as a small, temporary repayment.”

”Mm, as you should.”

Huang Xuan nodded. ”You can judge the particulars of that yourself. But if Brother Jiang ever runs into trouble and needs people... Junior Sister Ye, you need only send a letter. The thousand-plus disciples of the Liuyun Sword Sect are all worried their swords are getting lonely!”

The other disciples nodded eagerly, cracking their knuckles as if an enemy stood before Jiang Ran right now, requiring them to draw their blades and cut him down.

Jiang Ran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Ye Jingshuang, however, took the opportunity to change the subject.

”Is my master... is she doing well?”

”Don’t worry, she’s doing fine.”

Huang Xuan first nodded, but then he sighed.

”She just can’t stop worrying about you. Now that she knows what happened to the Ye family, who knows what she’ll do.”

”If Tong Wanli weren’t already dead, I’m afraid she would have gone to Cangzhou Prefecture to take his head herself.”

”Now that Tong Wanli is dead, all that fury has nowhere to go... Well, I suppose the Sect Leader is about to have a bad time.”

”Well...”

Ye Jingshuang thought for a moment before replying,

”The Sect Leader’s misfortune didn’t just start today... Ahem. I hope he’ll be alright.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Jiang Ran was surprised to hear this, wondering what sort of inside story he was missing.

After inquiring about her master, Ye Jingshuang got to the heart of the matter, asking why Huang Xuan and the others had suddenly appeared here.

Huang Xuan mulled it over for a moment before speaking.

”Junior Sister, have you ever heard of Shi Pingzhang, the Heart Demon?”

”Shi Pingzhang? The one who created the ’Heart Demon Slaying Writ’ and the ’Chaotic Heart Funeral Chant’?”

Ye Jingshuang’s expression changed instantly. ”Has he returned to the martial world?”

”Exactly.”

Huang Xuan confirmed with a nod.

Ye Jingshuang sucked in a sharp breath. ”But... wasn’t he cornered and killed at Broken Heart Rock on Qixia Peak by the combined forces of the five great sword sects and the Dao Yi Sect?”

”Don’t tell me he survived?”

”Who’s that?”

Jiang Ran had been holding back for a while, but he could no longer resist asking.

Ye Jingshuang glanced at Jiang Ran, hesitating for a moment, unsure if she should explain.