Chapter 226: Master Swordsman

Chapter 226: Master Swordsman

Su Mo was momentarily dazed.

The man standing with a sword in his arms evoked memories of someone who once carried a seven-foot-long blade wherever he went.

However, this man clearly wasn’t the Jade Kirin.

The man was dressed like a scholar, but he wore a bamboo hat with a black cloth draped around the brim, obscuring his features.

Though he held a sword in his arms, it was not seven feet long.

Though not seven feet long, the sword featured the Seven Star.

His sword sheath was adorned with seven gems of varying hues, arranged in the pattern of the Seven Star constellation.

Su Mo’s gaze caught his attention, and he slightly turned his head to glance at Su Mo.

Su Mo gave him a slight bow, and after a moment of silence, the man returned the gesture with a slight bow of his own.

He then withdrew his gaze and turned towards Wan Zangxin in the center of the field.

By this time, Wan Zangxin had recounted what he knew.

“My fellow brothers, you all should have some understanding of my eldest senior brother.

“My eldest senior brother was born with a sense of justice, and he ventured into Evernight Valley to root out the evil that plagued us.

“Unfortunately, Ye Jun’s martial prowess was unfathomable, and despite exhausting all means and efforts, my senior brother ultimately fell to him.

“After the battle, we all believed my eldest senior brother had perished at Ye Jun’s hands. But it turned out he hadn’t died—he had been taken captive.

“If not for his sudden return to our sect several years ago, causing difficulties for our master,

“We would have continued to believe he was dead until now.

“However, although he is alive, his personality has drastically changed, and he has even joined Ye Jun’s forces.

“Although our master exerted all his strength to wound and repel him, he knew that this traitor would eventually return.

“This time, as a disciple of Tianquan Elder, I invited Yuliu Jianxin from Jade Willow Villa to the Tianqu Sword Contest, both to test our skills and to refine the Tianqu Xixin Sword.

“After that, I planned to go to Evernight Valley myself, and though I may not be able to kill Ye Jun, I would at least purge this traitor from our ranks.

“But unexpectedly… he suddenly appeared in Tianqu City, leading to these tragedies.

“I, Wan Zangxin, cannot shirk my responsibility. I only ask for a few more days.

“I swear to you, I will bring closure to this matter, and no life lost here will be in vain!”

By the end of his speech, the truth had been laid bare.

Yet, the unspoken details left much to ponder.

It turns out that Tianquan Elder's eldest disciple didn't die after all...

What had he gone through over the years?

It was no surprise that being captured by the Night Monarch would have led to nothing but suffering.

His drastic change in personality could very well be a result of that.

But why did he choose to serve the Night Monarch?

And why did he suddenly start killing people in Tianqu City now?

People were speculating wildly, but no one doubted what Wan Zangxin had said.

After all, lies are easily exposed.

Wan Zangxin had just announced that after the Tianqu Sword Contest, he would go to Evernight Valley to purge the traitor from the sect.

To make such a declaration in front of everyone, if he didn't follow through, all his efforts would be for nothing.

Besides, Tianquan Elder was still alive. A simple conversation with him would easily uncover the truth.

Furthermore, if Wan Zangxin failed to give a satisfactory explanation, this matter would remain unresolved.

As a result, no one questioned the truth of his words.

Afterward, how Wan Zangxin made assurances to the people from Huayang Sect was irrelevant for now... In any case, he had temporarily calmed them down.

Luo Changsheng also breathed a sigh of relief and ordered the crowd to be dispersed so they wouldn't linger around.

As the crowd dispersed, Su Mo suddenly said to Wei Ziyi, "Miss Wei, don't you still have a letter to deliver to the Second Palace Master?"

"Oh no!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Ziyi immediately remembered there was indeed such a matter.

She quickly said, "Then I'll go ahead first. Do you guys want to come along?"

"No, we won't."

Su Mo smiled, "I still need to head to the Purple Sun Sect's base to pay my respects to the various senior disciples and masters."

"Alright, let's split up and handle our tasks."

Wei Ziyi waved her hand and hurried off.

Once he confirmed she was far enough away, Su Mo turned to Fu Hanyuan and Hu Sandao,

"You two head back to the inn and wait for me."

"Yes."

Fu Hanyuan and Hu Sandao agreed and left.

Su Mo, meanwhile, searched through the crowd for a moment and quickly found his target. With a smile, he gave chase.

A short while later, in a deserted alley.

The swordsman, wearing a bamboo hat, stood still, holding his long sword close to his chest.

Lifting his gaze, Su Mo saw someone sitting on the wall, looking down at him.

"Is that you?"

The swordsman instantly recognized Su Mo. "You were waiting for me?"

"Yeah," Su Mo nodded. "What brings you here?"

The man remained cold, like a proud and distant swordsman.

Su Mo glanced at the long sword in the man's hand and said with a smile,

"Nice sword."

"Indeed, a fine sword!"

The swordsman nodded and brought the sword in his hand closer, holding it in front of him.

"This sword is named Seven Star and was forged from a meteoric stone.

"Long ago, the master smith Huo Lan Shan tempered it for forty-nine days before it was completed.

"However, after it was completed, no sheath in existence could hold its power.

"So Huo Lan Shan crafted a sheath and scoured the world to find seven colored divine stones, which he embedded into the sheath to suppress the sword's radiance."

Only then could the sheath contain the sword's overwhelming power.

Su Mo was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but smile:

"What a fine sword! May I take a closer look?"

"Hmm?"

The man glanced up at Su Mo and shook his head. "You'd need to ask someone first."

"Who?"

"The sword in my hand!"

As he spoke, the Seven Star sword was already half-drawn. He swiftly drew the sword and lunged at Su Mo.

Su Mo watched the man's attack and raised an eyebrow.

He flipped off the wall, narrowly avoiding the strike.

No sooner had Su Mo landed than the swordsman leaped off the wall, hot on his heels.

To Su Mo, though, the man's swordsmanship was deceptively simple.

It wasn't that there were no weaknesses; rather, every move seemed flawed.

A thought crossed his mind, and he shifted his feet into a near-perfect dodge, exclaiming:

"Impressive swordsmanship!"

At this, the swordsman's body twitched slightly. He let out a sharp cry:

"Good eye, watch the sword!!!"

As soon as the words fell, his toe lightly tapped the ground, and immediately there was a thunderous boom.

The ground trembled, and where his foot landed, an inch-deep footprint appeared.

It was clear that this man's martial prowess was extraordinary!

However, this swordplay…

He swung his sword like a child waving a stick, wild and untrained.

It was chaotic and lacked any structure.

Su Mo's expression became somewhat strange. He had come here specifically because he dismissed Wan Zangxin's claims, hoping to see if this man knew anything.

But now, just observing the swordplay, it reminded him of someone else.

As thoughts raced through his mind, he continued to dodge and said,

"Your swordplay is wild and unpredictable!"

"Hahahaha,"

The man's movements paused slightly upon hearing this, his voice filled with pleasant surprise:

"You have a discerning eye. I've been practicing swordplay since I was a child, and over the years, I've mastered its true essence.

"In the art of swordplay, I dare to claim the second spot in the world today, and no one would dare to claim the first!

"The Tianqu Sword Contest is just a small matter.

"What qualifications do they have to display their inferior swordplay here?"

As he spoke, he continued his attacks, executing two more 'brilliant moves.'

Su Mo barely dodged the strike and quickly raised his hand to stop him:

"Enough, I too am a lover of swords, and seeing your fine sword, I genuinely wished to borrow it for a look.

"It is absolutely not my intention to cause you any trouble!"

"Hmm?"

The man nodded but then shook his head:

"No, no, you're already here—what's the point of saying that now?

"As the saying goes, 'the old pine welcomes guests,' and this sword invites you to stay… you can't leave!

"However, since you can see through the subtleties of my swordplay, you're not just anyone.

"Come, draw your sword, let me see what abilities you possess.

"The box behind you surely holds a fine sword, doesn't it?"

Su Mo hesitated, unsure of what to say next.

Su Mo furrowed his brow slightly and said, "Why must it be this way? I only wish to borrow your sword for a look and have no intention of making things difficult for you."

"Ha ha ha ha!!"

The man across from him burst into laughter. "How can a true swordsman begrudge a fight? We sword bearers face challenges head-on! How can you leave without a fight after waiting here today?

"Go ahead then, if you can surpass my three-foot blade, what harm is there in gifting it to you?"

"This..."

Su Mo's brows were deeply locked, and he finally sighed, "Very well, if that's the case..."

He unfastened the sword box from behind and placed it on the ground. With a sweep of his sleeve, the box opened suddenly, and a sharp aura surged forth.

The hooded figure immediately changed his expression. "What a sharp edge!"

"Sorry about that," Su Mo smiled. His fingers flipped, and a long, clear chime echoed as the sword was unsheathed.

He reached out and grasped the long sword, casually raising it towards the man in the hood, and smiled slightly.

"This sword isn't from any famous smith."

"It was forged by an obscure blacksmith, but its edge is exceedingly sharp and definitely not an ordinary item.

"Be careful!"

Just as Su Mo stepped forward with his sword, the man in the hood stopped him.

Su Mo lightly raised his brow. "What's on your mind?"

"Your sword is impressive... I have yet to ask, what is your honorable name?"

The hood's man tone was slightly solemn as he spoke.

Su Mo smiled. "I never change my name whether walking or sitting. I am Yang Xiaotian!"

"Yang Xiaotian..."

Hearing this name, the man seemed to relax slightly and then smiled. "If we compete in swords, should there be a wager? I already said that if I am defeated by your sword, I will give you this Seven Star Sword.

"But if you lose, what then?"

Su Mo raised an eyebrow, looking troubled, and hesitated for a moment.

Seeing this, the man shook his head repeatedly. If he had a fan, he would probably have snapped it open and fanned himself vigorously, saying,

"A true swordsman needs both skill and spirit.

"As the saying goes, a heavenly sword, once it leaves the clouds, shines its edge on the world for ages!

"Without that edge, you can't call yourself a swordsman."

"Ha ha ha."

Su Mo burst into laughter. "You make a valid point. It seems I was in the wrong. In that case, let's wager with our swords. If I win, the Seven Star Sword will be mine. If you win, the sword in this scabbard will be yours."

"Excellent!!"

Hearing this, the other person felt that his cunning plan had succeeded.

Just now, when he made his move, Su Mo only had the ability to dodge, without any chance to counterattack.

He estimated that Su Mo's martial prowess wasn't particularly high.

However, his swordsmanship must be quite unique; otherwise, how could he have seen through the subtleties of my technique?

Everyone in the world is ordinary and mediocre.

When I demonstrate my exquisite swordsmanship, they always say it's too much to bear.

Clearly, only a true master can see through the illusion.

However, he was confident his swordsmanship would easily defeat this guy.

Just thinking about this sword duel, winning, and claiming a fine blade filled him with immense joy, a truly delightful prospect!

He immediately raised his sword and laughed heartily:

"The Tianqu Sword Contest is just a game for kids. Let's have a small discussion, without stirring up any storms, yet far superior in skill!

"No more words, take this!!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, with a single step, the chaotic, childlike swordplay was already in front of Su Mo.

Su Mo's eyes lifted slightly, and his long sword followed suit.

The buzzing sound cut through the air and had already collided with the flurry of sword strikes.

The person wearing a wide-brimmed hat suddenly changed his expression, feeling that in the blink of an eye, the long sword had been pressed against his throat.

His so-called 'unmatched' swordplay was just a joke to Su Mo.

"You!"

He exclaimed, no longer daring to show off his 'swordplay.'

With his other hand, he gathered a bloody red glow, flicked his finger, and struck the Dragon Roar Sword with precision.

The sword wavered, but Su Mo only smiled.

This sword of his was neither the *Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword* technique nor the *Thirteen Deadly Swords*.

However, having comprehended the *Thirteen Deadly Swords*, even the most ordinary sword moves in his hands carried unpredictable power.

Now that it had been deflected by that finger, it was exactly as expected.

The *Purple Sun Divine Palm* that had gathered in his left hand was already delivered to the front. The moment the wide-brimmed hat person deflected the sword, he felt a searing wave of heat. He turned and saw, his heart pounding with shock.

*Purple Sun Divine Palm!!?*

He instantly knew this wasn't Yang Xiaotian!

It was already too late by the time he realized it.

He had no choice but to steel himself and, in this critical moment, circulate his martial arts. His blood surged suddenly, using the techniques from the Youquan Cult's scriptures.

Su Mo recognized the palm technique all too well.

"So it's the Youquan Bloody Hand, it's been a long time!"

Su Mo laughed heartily and thrust out a single palm, which collided heavily with his opponent's.

Crash!!

A muffled sound echoed, and the hooded figure felt an internal force like a bottomless abyss penetrate his body.

His Youquan Bloody Hand had no chance to resist and was dispersed by that internal force, which then invaded his meridians, spreading through his body.

The pure Yang energy burned like a raging inferno, almost causing his blood to boil.

"Ah!!!"

He only had time to let out a scream before he was sent flying back.

Seeing that he was about to crash into the wall, Su Mo flicked his fingers consecutively.

In the blink of an eye, his chest was hit repeatedly, and he felt various acupoints like Zhongting, Shenfeng, Guanmen, and Jueque being struck by finger forces, leaving him without a shred of internal energy in his meridians.

He crashed into the wall with a loud bang!

Blood gushed from his mouth as he looked up at Su Mo in shock.

"You're not Yang Xiaotian at all, you're Su Mo from the Purple Sun Sect's escort agency!?

"You... you, a renowned expert, actually disguised yourself under an alias, don't you know any shame?"

"I do have an alias, but where's the disguise? Besides, aren't you also not some great swordmaster?

"Since the Youquan Cult's Three Flags Envoy had the guts to sneak into Tianqu City, didn't you prepare for the possibility of being captured?"

"Nonsense, how am I not a great swordmaster? I..."

Seeing that the man was still trying to speak, Su Mo simply took a step forward and tapped his mute acupoint again.

The world fell silent.

Su Mo flicked his hand, and the Dragon Song Sword arced through the air, landing perfectly into its sheath with a metallic clang.

He then reached out, and the box flew to him. He grabbed it and slung it on his back.

He sheathed the Seven Star Sword and hung it on the waist of the Three Flags Envoy before helping him to his feet.

"Let's go, I was expecting to catch a small fish, but ended up landing a big one. This isn't the place to talk. Let's head to the Purple Sun Sect's headquarters."

"Forget it!"

The expression of the person from the Three Flags changed drastically. Given his identity, entering the Purple Sun Sect's compound would mean certain death.

However, at this moment, he was at the mercy of others; how could he possibly resist?

Su Mo helped him to his feet, supporting his shoulder, and in the blink of an eye, they left the small alley.

After quickly orienting themselves, they headed straight towards the Purple Sun Sect's compound.

……

……

After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense since the two had left, two uninvited guests arrived at the alley.

One of them looked around, frowning:

"There seems to be traces of a fight... but no sign of them."

The person speaking was burly, with his arms exposed, revealing strong muscles.

Behind him was an unremarkable middle-aged man.

His eyes were calm, his expression even more so. In a tranquil tone, he spoke:

"The sect leader ordered us to guard the Demon Forest to resist the eastern factions of East City.

"But he just had to participate in the Tianqu Sword Contest...

"He always considered himself an exceptional swordsman. Knowing about this event, how could he resist going?

"He secretly slipped into Tianqu City to join the event.

"Now, all I can hope is that he doesn't run into any trouble."

"Hmm."

The burly man nodded, smacking his lips. "Tianqu City is full of the scent of ordinary people. Without the familiar bloodstained air of the Demon Forest, I feel out of place."

"Bear with it for a little longer."

The unremarkable man slightly furrowed his brow.

The burly man glanced at him and said with a laugh:

"Haha, what are you worried about?

"His swordsmanship is mediocre at best. Even a mediocre disciple from the Distant Mountain Sword Sect could defeat him a dozen times over in terms of swordplay.

"But... the martial arts passed down by the sect leader are no joke.

"If he really encounters a top expert, unless there's no way to avoid it, he can always run away.

"I advise you not to worry too much. The eastern factions of East City are mostly mediocre. A place like Evernight Valley is already enough to keep them occupied.

"They wouldn't have the leisure to advance on the Demon Forest at this time, would they?"

Unexpectedly, the more the burly man spoke, the more worried the unremarkable man became.

After a long sigh, he said, "My concerns have never been about the eastern factions of East City... Forget it, finding him is the priority right now."