Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

”Indeed...”

Making small talk, they soon arrived before the main hall of Red Maple Manor.

However, the plaque for the main hall had been taken down and was propped against a doorpost to the side.

Upon it were three large characters, brushed with iron strokes and silver hooks, that read: Zhiqiu Hall.

To know autumn from a single falling leaf—it certainly fit the atmosphere of Red Maple Manor.

The doors to the hall were thrown wide open. Disciples from the four sects, aside from the few leaders, were mostly seated scattered around the front of Zhiqiu Hall.

Stepping into the hall, they saw Ye Jingshuang seated in the host’s chair, a look of utter exasperation on her face as she watched Huang Xuan and Ling Buyi arguing in the middle of the room.

There wasn’t much to say about Huang Xuan and Ling Buyi’s argument.

It was less sophisticated than two three-year-olds fighting.

The two were only concerned with getting the last word in, paying no mind to what they were actually saying.

It was only when they heard footsteps that they turned their heads in unison.

Huang Xuan’s eyes immediately lit up, and as if he’d found his backer, he said to Ling Buyi:

”Go on, say it again!

”My Brother Jiang is here! Believe it or not, I’ll have him beat you up!”

”For the wielder of the great Celestial Battle Sword, you’re really something else!”

Ling Buyi’s mouth twitched. Despite his words, he subconsciously took a step back.

He had only seen Jiang Ran make a move twice.

The first time, he had effortlessly taken a sword strike from both him and Huang Xuan, emerging completely unscathed.

The second time was just now, in front of Red Maple Manor.

Single-handedly, with just one finger, he had broken the Chaotic Heart Funeral Dirge.

In other words, with that one finger, he had effectively slapped all the disciples of their four great sword sects to the ground.

’With martial skill like that, I’m truly no match for him.’

Not to mention, he now owed the man a debt of gratitude.

After all, if Jiang Ran had the power to pin all the disciples of the four sects to the ground, he naturally had the power to kill them all.

But not only had he spared their lives, he had also freed them from the entanglement of the Chaotic Heart Funeral Dirge.

That was a kindness!

A great debt that must be repaid!

It wasn’t just Ling Buyi. Upon seeing Jiang Ran enter, Junior Martial Uncle Gu of the Cyan Pine Sword Sect and a middle-aged woman leading the Danyang Sword Sect both rose to their feet and greeted him:

”Greetings, Young Hero Jiang.”

Evidently, they had learned of Jiang Ran’s circumstances during the interim.

Jiang Ran cupped his fists.

”Everyone, you’re too kind. Please, sit.”

”Brother Jiang.”

Ye Jingshuang came before Jiang Ran and led him to the seat of honor.

Jiang Ran was taken aback.

”Isn’t this inappropriate?”

”There’s nothing inappropriate about it.”

Ye Jingshuang said,

”Brother Jiang, just sit.”

The others nodded in agreement.

”Young Hero Jiang, please take your seat.”

Seeing this, Jiang Ran no longer refused and sat down without further ceremony.

Ye Jingshuang took a seat in the chair to his right.

Li Tianxin, however, found a spot near the wall. She stood there, saber in her arms, watching the scene with a tight frown, her eyes betraying a hint of urgency and indignation.

Zhang Zhihua shot a peculiar look at Li Tianxin, then glanced back at Jiang Ran.

Suddenly, her mouth fell slightly open, as if she had just discovered something incredible.

But after the shock, her eyes filled with a dim sorrow.

Finally, she gazed at Jiang Ran for a long moment and bit her lower lip, lost in thought.

Luo Qingyi, meanwhile, naturally took up a position just behind and to the side of Jiang Ran.

Red Maple Manor currently had no tea to serve its guests, so Jiang Ran placed the ancient zither on the table and said,

”Everyone, please take a look. Do any of you recognize this?”

The crowd glanced over, most of them looking completely bewildered.

Only the middle-aged woman from the Danyang Sword Sect stood up, her brow furrowed.

”This seems to be... the Mujin Zither.”

”The Mujin Zither?”

Jiang Ran glanced at the woman.

When they had been introduced earlier, she had stated her affiliation as an elder of the Danyang Sword Sect.

Her surname was Su, and her name was Su Wanyi.

She nodded slightly and said in a soft voice,

”The Mujin Zither was the instrument used by Shi Pingzhang back in the day.

”Among my sect’s elders, there was one who adored music. He participated in the campaign to kill Shi Pingzhang years ago.

”His one regret was that the Mujin Zither had fallen from Shi Pingzhang’s hands into the chasm below Broken Heart Rock.

”Every time he recalled it, he would sigh with regret. He even drew a picture of the Mujin Zither afterward... I was fortunate enough to have seen it a few times, and it is identical to this ancient zither.”

Jiang Ran nodded upon hearing this.

This all but confirmed Shi Pingzhang’s identity.

Just then, Ling Buyi burst out laughing.

”Excellent!”

”What’s so excellent?”

Huang Xuan shot him a glare. ”You’re a grown man, yet you’re still acting crazy. No wonder you’re not as good as you were eight years ago.”

”That’s bullshit!”

”Then smell it!”

”You...”

Ling Buyi looked like he was about to fall back into their usual routine, ready to unleash his prior tirade, but he forced himself to hold back and said,

”Shi Pingzhang has lost his Mujin Zither. His Chaotic Heart Funeral Dirge can no longer be used.

”You could say his martial prowess is greatly diminished!

”Isn’t that a good thing?”

”Well...”

Huang Xuan thought for a moment and realized it was indeed a very good thing.

But he was so used to arguing with Ling Buyi that he was unwilling to give up the opportunity so easily. He let out a cold snort and was just trying to think of something to say to get the upper hand when Junior Martial Uncle Gu spoke up:

”We cannot let our guard down.

”The zither’s strings may be broken, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his martial skill has weakened at all.

”And besides...”

He paused for a moment and turned to Jiang Ran.

”Young Hero Jiang, where did you get this zither? Did you encounter Shi Pingzhang?”

Jiang Ran shook his head slightly and briefly explained the situation.

Junior Martial Uncle Gu’s brows knitted together.

”If that’s the case, I’m afraid this is not good.

”The zither strings may be broken, but with a man of his skill, repairing them wouldn’t be difficult.

”So why would he abandon this zither?

”Unless...”

”Unless he has something even better to replace it?”

Jiang Ran gently tapped his fingers on the back of the chair, and after a moment of thought, he nodded slowly.

”Nothing is certain. We truly cannot afford to be careless.