Chapter 290: The Reclusive Sword Hermit

Chapter 290: The Reclusive Sword Hermit

The aroma of food naturally did not catch the attention of Su Mo and the others, but Zhen Xiaoxiao, who was sniffing the air, immediately started running.

However, after running a few steps, she remembered that she had the "First Leader" and "Second Leader" with her.

She immediately stopped and turned to look at Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun.

"Don't disturb the Reclusive Sword Hermit," Su Mo warned.

Zhen Xiaoxiao nodded and once again ran toward the Reclusive Sword Hermitage.

This time, however, she put down her one-legged bronze statue and dragged it behind her as she ran...

Fortunately, she remembered that there was someone tied to it.

She made sure that Ding Wugong, who was tied to it, was on top, while the one-legged bronze statue was dragged along the ground.

Even so, Ding Wugong was nearly shaken so hard he felt like vomiting.

What was worse, as he bounced up and down, his head kept hitting the one-legged bronze statue, and within moments, his head was buzzing.

To make matters worse, the Parting Elixir inside him was also taking effect, keeping him from passing out.

And he couldn't even die.

Since the Parting Elixir was originally intended to be an elixir for immortality, it had some miraculous effects.

As long as it wasn't a fatal injury like having his heart or liver removed, minor injuries wouldn't kill him. Instead, he would quickly recover and continue to endure the same pain...

This scene was a bit pitiful to see.

However, when Su Mo thought about how this pain was originally intended for Yang Xiaoyun, he felt no sympathy.

The group followed behind, and within moments, they arrived in front of the thatched hut.

Zhen Xiaoxiao, following the scent, ran frantically and saw a burly fellow, holding a large bowl of food, walking out of one of the huts.

When their eyes met, Zhen Xiaoxiao was taken aback.

She immediately tried to stop, but her weight made it difficult to halt with just her legs, so she quickly turned the one-legged bronze statue to block her path.

The ground was immediately dug a furrow, and Ding Wugong, with his mouth open, felt dirt flying into his mouth.

He wanted to close his mouth, but his head was still aching from being dragged on the ground.

Tears streamed down his face once again, feeling like his hair was being scraped off.

Finally, Zhen Xiaoxiao just managed to stop herself just before colliding with the man.

The man, holding a large bowl of food, had his muscular frame slightly stiffened, with one hand holding chopsticks paused mid-air as he was about to take a bite.

He quietly looked at Zhen Xiaoxiao for a moment, clearly confused.

Zhen Xiaoxiao sniffed and looked at the bowl's contents.

Thinly sliced pieces of beef were spread on top, covering half the large bowl. The beef's juices had soaked into the greens beside it, which looked fresh and sweet, though not as tempting as the three halved eggs beside them.

The aroma wafting from the entire bowl of rice was extremely enticing, yet it was definitely not something that could be produced by just the meat and vegetables in front of her.

Zhen Xiaoxiao carefully deduced that the rice must have been soaked in meat juice, otherwise it wouldn't smell so fragrant.

She gulped, her eyes glued to the bowl of rice.

The hulking man looked at Zhen Xiaoxiao, then at the bowl of rice in his hand.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he finally pushed the bowl forward:

"Want some?"

"Really?"

Zhen Xiaoxiao's eyes popped wide open in surprise.

The man then glanced at Ding Wugong, who was tied to the one-legged bronze statue, and nodded firmly:

"Here, have it!"

"But... the Chief said we shouldn't just eat whatever others give us. If I eat too much, others won't have enough."

Zhen Xiaoxiao was torn.

The Chief!?

The man immediately said:

"It's alright, eat as much as you like. If you want more, I'll whip up some extra."

"Really!?"

Zhen Xiaoxiao was taken aback once more: "You're really kind, though not as great as the Chief and the Second Chief, but among the people I've met, you're definitely one of the very, very good ones."

With that, she casually yanked the one-legged bronze statue behind her, echoing with a loud clang. Ding Wugong's eyes flickered open for a moment before closing again, completely defeated.

Zhen Xiaoxiao took the bowl from the man and was just about to dig in when something suddenly occurred to her.

She spun around and hollered to Su Mo and the others:

"Chief, Second Chief, hurry over, there's food here..."

"!!!!"

Hearing this, the hulking man shot a glance towards Su Mo and the others, and in a flash, he bolted into the thatched hut and slammed the door shut.

"What?"

Zhen Xiaoxiao looked back in confusion:

"Why'd he shut the door? He said he'd feed us..."

Su Mo, for his part, was at a loss for words.

With his keen hearing, he had naturally caught the conversation between the two.

It seemed mundane, but it always sparked wild imaginings...

Could it be that this Recluse of the Hidden Sword had mistaken them for bandits?

As he was pondering this, there was a loud bang as the door opened. The burly man, wielding two iron hammers, his face twisted in a fierce scowl, bellowed furiously at Su Mo and the others:

"Hey, where did these hungry thieves come from?

"What nerve, coming here to mooch off me!?

"Have you not heard of the notorious reputation of the Hidden Sword Madman?

"Get out now, and you might just live to see another day!"

At this point, he slammed the hammers together three times before him:

"Let’s see if my hammers will let you walk away alive!!"

The man was a towering figure, broad and muscular. With the two large hammers in his hands, swinging them effortlessly, the air whistling around them, it was indeed quite intimidating.

If his calves hadn’t been trembling, with a touch of bravado masking his fear, Su Mo might have believed him.

But after seeing through the man's outward strength and inner weakness, he couldn’t help but find it somewhat laughable.

Ji Shuhua never said the Hidden Sword Hermit was like this?

So he had no choice but to cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and say:

"Please, sir, do not take offense. I am Su Mo, head of the Ziyang Escort Agency, commissioned by Master Ji to deliver a shipment."

"Huh?"

The Hidden Sword Hermit was stunned upon hearing this:

"Ziyang Escort Agency... what kind of rogue’s den is that? Outlaw hideouts don’t go by names like 'Escort Agency,' no wonder you can't get food.

"You know Ji Shuhua?

"What kind of shady characters has he been associating with now?

"I suppose he told you that if you're starving, you can come here for a meal?

"Fine, fine...

He pointed at the house with his hammer:

"There's a stove in the house, and food in the stove. Help yourselves, eat up, and get out. Hesitate, and I’ll crush your skull with this hammer. Don’t say you weren’t warned!"

"Sir, you really have misunderstood."

Su Mo couldn't help but glare at Zhen Xiaoxiao, then said:

"We are indeed representatives of the Ziyang Escort Agency, here only to escort a shipment, definitely not to... steal food. Here is the shipment; please inspect it."

As he spoke, he placed the box containing the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron on the ground.

To demonstrate his sincerity, he took two steps back.

The Hidden Sword Hermit looked at the box, then carefully examined Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun and the others.

He noticed that although Su Mo and his companions looked travel-worn, they didn't seem like they were starving.

He hesitated for a moment, but after some contemplation, he couldn't help but say:

"You're not trying to lure me over, are you? To kill me and hog all the food here?"

"Listen here... huh?"

At this point, he suddenly frowned and looked at the box behind Su Mo:

"Wait, why does this look familiar?"

Su Mo smacked his forehead, suddenly remembering, and casually placed the sword case behind him on the ground:

"I almost forgot. The hermit once forged a Dragon Roar Sword, but its aura was too powerful, so it was placed inside the sword case, jokingly referred to as the Dragon Roar in the Case.

"This sword was entrusted by the hermit to Master Ji to deliver to Lord Liu Suifeng of Jade Willow Villa. However, when Master Ji reached Sunset City, some trouble came up, and he couldn't deliver it personally.

"So, he asked me to deliver it instead..."

"And then you kept it for yourself?"

The hermit was dumbfounded.

"It's a long story, really. Lord Liu actually gave me this sword."

Su Mo said: "If you want to know the details, I can explain it to you."

"Hmm..."

The hermit hesitated slightly: "You're not pulling my leg, are you? Let me tell you, I'm way better at martial arts than Ji Shuhua... These hammers have taken down countless foes. Once, in just one night, I..."

Before he could finish, his hands suddenly felt empty.

Looking down, his hands were empty, and the hammers were gone without a trace.

He turned around in circles, searching for the hammers to no avail, then couldn't help but scratch his head. Looking up, he saw the two hammers lying at Su Mo's feet.

"This..."

The hermit pondered slightly: "Can I have them back?"

"Of course."

Su Mo smiled, casually picked up the two hammers, and handed them back to the hermit.

After receiving the hammers, the hermit and Su Mo faced each other, feeling a bit awkward:

"This... I wasn't ready."

"Exactly."

Su Mo nodded: "You're a formidable martial artist. If you had been ready, it would not have been so easy for me to take these hammers from you. Now, can you take a look at this Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron?"

"Of course, of course."

The hermit nodded repeatedly. The fact that they could take his hammers so easily without him noticing meant they could just as easily take his life, along with all the food here.

Yet, they had been polite the whole time, showing they truly had no ill intentions.

Just as he nodded, he suddenly felt as if he had heard something...

Startled, he suddenly looked at Su Mo:

"What are you talking about? What iron?"

"Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron."

Su Mo replied, "Master Ji asked us to deliver this to you."

The Hidden Sword Hermit's brow furrowed, and within a few steps, he was in front of the box containing the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron.

He nonchalantly opened the box, and the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron finally revealed its true form once again.

"It truly is the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron..."

The Hidden Sword Hermit was momentarily stunned: "How did he come by this? By the way, where is Ji Shuhua? Why didn't he deliver it himself? I even had two jars of fine wine ready for him. Hmm, never mind, no need to say more. I bet he got tangled up with his so-called friends again. This guy... he never looks after his own business, always running around for others. What's he even after?

"Some people truly consider him a friend, but others... well..."

"Master Ji..."

Su Mo fell silent for a moment, then sighed:

"Word got out about the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, and Master Ji protected this item all the way, but unfortunately, he was outnumbered.

"He held out until he reached the Ziyang Escort Agency, but in the end, he couldn't hold on... he died."

The Hidden Sword Hermit was about to reach out for the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, but upon hearing this, his fingers paused slightly.

He turned to look at Su Mo: "Gone? Dead?"

"Dead."

Su Mo nodded.

The Hidden Sword Hermit fell silent, then turned his gaze back to the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron. The eager look in his eyes suddenly turned to one of mild revulsion.

After a long while, he exhaled:

"Since the news got out, it couldn't have been easy for you to make it here, huh?"

"We managed."

Su Mo smiled lightly: "We had some friends who helped us out, so we made it here safely."

"...It's not worth it at all."

The Hidden Sword Hermit muttered, then slapped his own face, closed the box, and hugged it to his chest:

"Alright, I'll take it. Thanks.

"Well, it's getting late. I won't keep you. You can head out."

Zhen Xiaoxiao, bowl in hand and ready to eat, suddenly widened her eyes—was the food she was about to eat really gone?

Hu Sandao and Xu Lu exchanged puzzled glances.

Su Mo smiled and replied:

"We've come a long way. Since it's late, why not let us stay the night? Don't be so heartless."

"Well... that's true."

The Recluse Sword Master nodded upon hearing this:

"Fine, I’ll let you stay the night, cook you a meal, and you’ll leave first thing tomorrow. I don’t like having strangers around here…”

After saying this, he carried the box and entered the thatched cottage, casually closing the door behind him.

Soon, smoke rose from the chimney—dinner was on its way.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun exchanged glances, their eyes betraying a hint of unease.

Yet neither said a word.

Zhen Xiaoxiao, clutching a large bowl, asked around if anyone wanted to eat.

No one challenged her, so she settled in the corner with her bowl and dug in.

Hu Sandao and Xu Lu stood together, gesturing and chatting about the scenery.

Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun huddled close, murmuring small talk.

Su Mo casually pulled up the system interface.

"Mission: Deliver the rare iron to the Recluse Sword Cottage and hand it over to the Recluse Sword Master. (Completed)"

"Reward: Processing..."

The Recluse Sword Master whipped up the meal quickly, and to everyone’s surprise, it was surprisingly refined—a table full of dishes that made mouths water.

This was a stark contrast to his rugged, burly appearance.

He urged everyone to dig in, then paused, thought for a moment, and stepped away from the table. When he came back, he was lugging two wine jars caked in mud.

He brushed off the mud seals, grabbed a few bowls, and poured wine for everyone.

"These two jars were meant for Ji Shuhua, but in the end, he missed out."

The Recluse Sword Master gazed at the murky wine, his eyes clouded with memories.

But he grinned and said, "I’ll drink first, as a toast!"

With that, he raised the bowl and downed it in one gulp.

But the toast wasn’t for those at the table.

Setting it down, he poured himself another bowl and raised it once more:

"Thank you all for your efforts in delivering this..."

"Come to think of it, I never asked—where did he get this?"

Su Mo set down his wine bowl:

"When Master Ji arrived at my Ziyang Escort Agency, he was on his deathbed and didn’t say where he got this. He only mentioned meeting an old friend in the mountains, someone who loved traveling and exploring. This person found it in a hidden place and gave it to Master Ji, asking him to deliver it to you."

"Later, I learned from others that Master Ji obtained the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron from Leng Tianyun, the 'Wanderer of the Four Seas, Half the Sky of Leisure Clouds.'"

"..."

The Sword Hermit nodded: "So that's how it is, but it was too careless. How could such a matter become known to everyone?"

"Indeed."

Su Mo nodded: "It really wasn't careful enough... Hmm, since you know about the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, may I ask, is it true that the Heaven Slayer, one of the Ten Famous Swords, was forged from this material?"

"Indeed."

The Sword Hermit nodded, then looked at Su Mo with some surprise:

"You really know about the Ten Famous Swords?"

"I am ignorant, and so far, I only know two of them.

"One is the Heaven Slayer, and the other is Lovesickness."

"Lovesickness..."

The Sword Hermit shook his head with a smile: "Lovesickness is a poison; the belt loosens without regret, and one becomes haggard for her sake... By the time one comes to their senses, it’s too late—the poison has penetrated deeply, and there's no turning back.

"The Heaven Slayer means death; this sword carries too much killing intent. Even the heavens wish to kill—who can stop it? Therefore, whenever the Heaven Slayer appears, someone will inevitably die... Of course, the one who wields the Heaven Slayer is also fated to die.

"Neither is a good thing. If it weren’t for the two somewhat decent ones among the Ten Famous Swords, we might as well call them the Ten Cursed Swords."

"Famous swords... Hah, are they really that famous?

"Ask around the world—those who know about the Ten Famous Swords are probably just a few incompetent blacksmiths."

By the time he said this, Su Mo noticed that the hermit was already drunk.

There was no sign of it on his face—perhaps because of his dark complexion.

But his eyes were completely glazed over.

He glanced at the wine bowl in the Sword Hermit’s hand. If he remembered correctly, the hermit had only drunk two bowls.

And after getting drunk, the Sword Hermit became more talkative.

But his words were a bit nonsensical—sometimes singing loudly, sometimes babbling incoherently. In the end, he even started a drunken rampage.

Waving the wine jar around in the air, he accidentally tripped and then curled up in the corner of the hut.

Tears blurred his vision as he muttered, "This wine... it’s so strong."

Su Mo paused, then went over to help him up and guided him to bed to rest.

Returning to the dining table, he sat down, picked up the wine bowl, took a sip, and nodded gently:

"It really is strong."