A Sword Leaves Mount Hua, a Sword Comes from the West

Ji Boying descended Mount Hua alone, with a sword and a horse.

When he left, only his master and Mistress saw him off.

He kept a very low profile.

Though the spring chill still bit, Ji Boying wore only a light robe.

A bamboo hat covered his head, shading part of his face.

He wore a cloak over his shoulders, sewn by Mistress's own hands.

After coming down Mount Hua, Ji Boying neither looked around nor took the time to properly explore Huayin City. He simply fixed his eyes on the official road and followed the main route onward.

But though he wished to keep a low profile, that did not mean he actually could.

There were many who roamed the martial world. People wearing bamboo hats, riding horses, and carrying swords were hardly uncommon.

Yet Ji Boying was tall and always stood out in a crowd.

He was young to begin with, and after practicing martial arts atop Mount Hua, he had grown another spurt. Though not quite nine feet tall, he was not far off.

Such a towering figure would naturally draw attention among ordinary folk and common martial artists alike.

After descending Mount Hua and traveling two li, Ji Boying roughly understood this truth.

Seated lightly upon his fine horse, he could clearly feel countless gazes falling upon his tall frame.

Some were curious, some probing, and some undoubtedly concealed malice.

Ji Boying might not have been able to see into people's hearts, but his cultivation had achieved success. Naturally, he could sense the strange feeling of others secretly watching him.

I wonder whether any of those spying below the mountain are Zuo Lengchan's men.

With his eyes hidden beneath the shadow of his bamboo hat, Ji Boying quietly surveyed the passersby as well.

His left hand held the reins, while his right rested on the Precious Sword at his waist, his thumb gently rubbing its hilt.

Ji Boying could not deny that he was somewhat eager to test himself.

Since keeping a low profile was impossible, he no longer cared.

His strength was enough for him to roam the martial world openly and honestly.

He merely gazed deeply at the yellow earthen road ahead, then gave the reins a light flick.

His legs lightly tapped the horse's flanks.

"Hyah."

At his command, the fine horse beneath him shot forward.

His towering body and the swift steed cast a broad shadow across the spacious official road.

The horse's hooves rose and fell, moving at no slow pace and kicking up clouds of yellow dust.

Ji Boying charged unflinchingly toward the southeast. A sword left Mount Hua, a sword came from the west.

Hooves flew, and the sun and moon turned.

Ji Boying did not delay along the way.

The farther south he traveled, the warmer the weather became. Fresh buds sprouted from the trees, and the green mountains and clear waters made for fine scenery.

Ji Boying had already spent more than half a year admiring Mount Hua's splendid landscapes. Now that he had descended the mountain, he had only been seeing such scenery for a few days. Though the endlessly similar mountains and waters were interesting, they were not enough to hold back his steps.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

He traveled by day and stayed at inns by night.

Every morning, whether seated on horseback, standing atop a tree, or perched upon a roof, he could still practice the Purple Mist Technique.

While traveling, his breathing exercises never ceased, and his profound internal energy circulated without pause.

Though he journeyed through wind and dust, Ji Boying remained bright and vigorous, without the slightest trace of fatigue.

"Uncle Zuo is quite cautious."

Ji Boying chuckled softly from horseback.

He had detected people secretly watching him countless times along the road. He had intended to strike back and drag them out, but they took shifts and refused to rashly expose themselves.

Before he could even rise from his bed to make a move, they had already fled without a trace.

Although his Lightness Skill was now unmatched in the world, he had no intention of pursuing them.

He did not wish to act rashly and fall into the enemy's trap.

"Even after reaching this place, they still haven't shown themselves. It seems the Qingcheng Sect isn't the only one interested in the Bixie Sword Manual."

Ji Boying sighed softly. The Fuwei Escort Agency truly had been unfortunate.

Fortunately, there had been few major conflicts in the martial world these past years, and not many sects were willing to cast aside all dignity for wealth. That was why the Fuwei Escort Agency had enjoyed such smooth sailing.

Unfortunately, though their family business was vast, they lacked the strength to protect it. And the Bixie Sword Manual was one of the Divine Skill Manuals martial artists valued most.

A child carrying gold through a busy market—this disaster was bound to come sooner or later.

Ji Boying looked over the rolling hills around him. Beyond the ridges, smoke from cooking fires seemed to drift through the air.

He had already arrived outside Fuzhou, so there was no need to hurry any longer.

Ji Boying dismounted, led his horse, and walked forward at an unhurried pace.

After passing two bends and crossing a small grove, he spotted a tavern by the roadside ahead.

A wine banner hung from a tall pole, fluttering in the wind.

"Honored guest, what would you like to eat?"

An old man bent at the waist, speaking in a muffled southern accent as he came forward to take Ji Boying's reins.

"What do you have here?"

Ji Boying examined him from afar and saw that the old man's steps were unsteady. Clearly, he knew no martial arts.

When the old man was still two steps away, Ji Boying casually tossed him the reins.

He slowly walked into the tavern, glancing around at random.

"We have some game from the mountains, along with beef and peanuts. Would you like some wine, honored guest?"

"No wine. Stir-fry a couple of dishes at random, and prepare some beef and peanuts as well. I'll settle the bill afterward."

"Yes, yes."

The owner turned and went inside to prepare the food.

He did not make Ji Boying wait long before bringing the dishes over.

Ji Boying sampled a little and found the flavor fairly good. He then sat there as though appreciating the scenery.

He let the wind wash over him, waited quite a while, and only then continued eating.

Just as he lowered his head to eat, he heard noisy chatter outside. Several people were bickering as they came this way.

They tethered their horses to a tree outside without a care.

Then they strode in, casually found seats, and called for the owner to bring food and wine.

Hearing their western Sichuan accents and seeing how they were dressed, Ji Boying smiled.

Not too early, not too late. The real targets have arrived.

Ji Boying thought to himself.

Every one of them had white cloth wrapped around his head, a custom passed down among the people of Sichuan from the days when they wore mourning for Zhuge Wuhou.

Spring in the south was not cold, but it certainly could not be called hot either.

Their upper bodies were dressed neatly in blue robes.

Yet below the waist, their two bare legs were exposed, with only straw sandals on their feet.

Who else could they be but disciples of the Qingcheng Sect?

"You know, my father really is something. Why not just barge in, kill them cleanly, and interrogate them? Instead, he has to play this cat-and-mouse game and make us fellow disciples wait around here."

"Junior Brother Yu, since Master arranged it this way, he naturally has his reasons. Besides, isn't this like coming out for a bit of fun?"

"Senior Brother Hou, what's there to enjoy here? It's mountains and ravines everywhere, no different from back home. You can barely even find any young girls to look at."

Ji Boying listened as they chatted among themselves.

Two were surnamed Yu, while the others were surnamed Hou, Luo, and Hong.

Were they not the Four Heroes of Qingcheng, along with Yu Canghai's son?