Huang Yaoshi!

The azure-robed man leaped onto the courtyard wall, his sharp gaze sweeping across the layout of the yard first.

Seeing that the courtyard had a main house and side rooms, he focused his eyesight, peering through the open doors and windows of the main house and the eastern side room. Noting signs of habitation in both, he breathed a slight sigh of relief, knowing at least that Rong'er hadn't been sharing a room with that "Lu Chen."

Then he looked toward the large tree in the yard, where Rong'er sat at a stone table across from an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old black-clad youth, eating and drinking merrily.

Another glance at the dishes on the stone table—though they were leftovers, he could still tell each one was one of Rong'er's signature specialties.

The thought that his precious Rong'er had cooked for another man besides himself sent a flash of cold killing intent through the azure-robed man's already piercing eyes.

But before he could decide how to act without angering Rong'er, he heard Huang Rong say with a grin:

"Quick, sing me a bold and heroic song. Maybe as I listen, I'll come up with a better nickname."

The youth named "Lu Chen" acknowledged with a "sure," picked up a wooden sword, and walked to an open space in the yard. As he danced with the blade, he sang with fervor:

"Light fur, long sword, fierce steed, wild song—loyal heart, righteous guts, shake the mountains and rivers..."

The song was indeed bold and grand, and its tune was vastly different from the decadent melodies popular in Jiangnan these days, refreshing the spirit and opening the ears. But...

What ci-pai was this lyric based on?

Why had he never heard it before?

Just as the azure-robed man was puzzled, Lu Chen continued singing while wielding his sword:

"What a one—wind and clouds come and go~ a wanderer of the jianghu, daring to sit as equals with emperors and kings..."

Hearing this line, the azure-robed man's eyes lit up. He felt that though the lyric didn't fit any ci-pai, the spirit within it struck a chord deep in his heart. He suppressed his impatience and kept listening.

He also noticed that the youth's sword dance seemed to carry an unusual aura. The moves were clearly nothing more than the ordinary Maiden of Yue Swordplay, yet the momentum was remarkably extraordinary.

As Lu Chen's song continued, Huang Rong watched him with a smile in her eyes, picked up a wooden sword, and tapped the table to keep time:

"Tender feelings, iron bones, a promise worth a thousand gold—before and after life, smoke and waves rise... What a one—wealth and honor like clouds, what can you do to me? Where the sword light flashes, it's like weeping, like singing..."

Wind and clouds come and go, a wanderer of the jianghu, daring to sit as equals with emperors and kings.

Wealth and honor like clouds, what can you do to me? Where the sword light flashes, it's like weeping, like singing.

The azure-robed man savored these two lines of the lyric. Though rough compared to the poetry of the age, the spirit within grew more generous and grand the more he pondered it, capturing the free and unrestrained essence of someone like himself in the jianghu—treating fame and fortune as dirt, and royal power and riches as nothing.

Lu Chen's sword dance grew fiercer, even faintly taking on the aura of clashing arms and galloping across a battlefield.

The azure-robed man knew that the Maiden of Yue Swordplay, widely spread across the Wu-Yue Land, had originally been passed down among the armored soldiers of the Spring and Autumn Yue Kingdom, and it should have had that battlefield atmosphere.

But over the long years, the sword technique had been lost in many parts, and later generations had continuously filled in and deduced new forms, gradually evolving it into an ordinary jianghu sword art, with no connection to the battlefield.

Yet this youth Lu Chen's sword dance faintly carried some ancient battlefield style...

Had he figured it out on his own?

As he mused, he heard Lu Chen's song grow even more impassioned with the momentum of the sword dance:

"One cavity of blood, never exhausted, the true colors of a hero; two feet, trampling over the great desert and long river; three sighs, sigh, sigh, only for home and homeland; four directions of people, reciting, a song of righteous spirit..."

Listening to this stirring song, watching the sword dance that seemed to clash on a battlefield with fierce killing intent, and seeing Huang Rong's sparkling eyes, her lips curved in a smile, staring unblinkingly at the youth.

The azure-robed man's gaze remained sharp, but the killing intent had faded considerably.

Songs express one's aspirations.

This youth with the unlucky name had no small measure of ambition and breadth of mind in his words.

But...

Anyone could say pretty words. Cao Cao wrote "For a thousand miles, no roosters crow; white bones lie exposed in the wild; of a hundred people, one survives; thinking of it breaks one's heart," but did he hesitate when he ordered massacres of cities?

Was this youth spouting grand words to deceive people, or did he truly possess a noble spirit and extraordinary bearing?

He would watch for now.

If he turned out to be nothing but a braggart...

The sword dance ended, the song ceased, and Huang Rong clapped her hands in continuous applause. Lu Chen smiled at her, about to speak, when his peripheral vision caught the courtyard wall, and he froze.

Seeing his expression shift, Huang Rong followed his gaze and turned her head. Spotting the azure-robed man standing silently on the wall, she too froze on the spot, then let out a joyful cry:

"Father!"

She got up and ran swiftly toward the azure-robed man.

The azure-robed man drifted down from the wall, gently embracing Huang Rong as she threw herself into his arms.

Lu Chen stood in the yard, watching Huang Rong chatter away with a grin in the azure-robed man's embrace, feeling a bit nervous inside:

There was no doubt—that tall, thin figure in azure robes, with a seemingly wooden and stiff face, was Huang Rong's father, the renowned Peach Blossom Island master, one of the Five Greats, the Eastern Heretic Huang Yaoshi!

Huang Yaoshi was notoriously eccentric, especially skilled in the art of breaking legs. Seeing me with Rong'er, would he fly into a rage and hit me?

Though I wasn't afraid of him hitting me—since I'd already learned the sword art and unlocked "Sword One," I could return anytime—but the promise I made to Rong'er...

And why had Huang Yaoshi come looking so early?

Just then, Huang Rong asked the same question:

"Father, how did you find me? And your face..."

"Father is wearing a mask."

A smile glimmered in Huang Yaoshi's eyes as he gazed at his daughter with fond indulgence. He peeled off the paper-thin mask from his face, revealing a refined, handsome, and slender visage. His expression appeared quite affectionate, but Lu Chen knew that this tenderness was reserved solely for Huang Rong.

"As for how I found you... You little rascal, ever since you sneaked away a month ago, from Peach Blossom Island all the way to Shaoxing Prefecture, you never once changed boats. Once you reached Shaoxing Prefecture City, you frequently went to the market to shop, even brawled with people in the streets, and today you led a group to beat up every martial arts school in the city... Leaving behind so many traces, if your father still couldn't find you, wouldn't that be a disgrace to the name of the Five Greats?"

Hearing Huang Yaoshi's words, Lu Chen suddenly understood.

Ever since Huang Rong met him at sea, she hadn't disguised herself as a little beggar with a blackened face running wild. Instead, she had kept her true appearance, her route was relatively simple, and she had lingered in Shaoxing Prefecture City for nearly a month. With Huang Yaoshi's skill, tracking her down was only natural.

Huang Rong had stormed off in a fit of anger after a big quarrel with her father that day. A month had passed, and her temper had long since cooled. Seeing her father now, she was naturally overjoyed. She nestled into his arms, acting spoiled for a while, then waved at Lu Chen:

"Lu Chen, come quickly and meet my father. My father is amazing—his martial arts are number one in the world!"

Well, although Huang Yaoshi had never claimed to be the best in the world, in Huang Rong's heart, her father was undoubtedly the strongest.

"Your father is not yet number one in the world. There are three others who share my renown..."

As Huang Yaoshi reminded his daughter, Lu Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the slight nervousness within him, and walked over with steady steps. He clasped his hands and bowed to Huang Yaoshi:

"This junior, Lu Chen, pays respects to Senior Huang."

Huang Yaoshi's smile faded, and the warmth vanished in an instant. He cast a cool, detached glance at Lu Chen and said flatly:

"So you are the 'Heavenly Outer Sword God' Lu Chen?"

"..."

The corner of Lu Chen's mouth twitched. Just as he was about to explain, Huang Rong spoke up first:

"That's a nickname I came up with! Lu Chen is very humble—he felt he wasn't worthy and firmly refused it. But Rong'er thinks that one day, he'll live up to that title!"

So eager to speak up for him already?

A faint twitch tugged at the corner of Huang Yaoshi's eye. He wanted to glare at his daughter, but having just provoked her into running away in anger, he dared not upset Rong'er again. Instead, he shot a covert glare at Lu Chen and said coolly:

"And what ability does he have to dare claim such a title?"

Huang Rong giggled:

"Lu Chen is a born swordsman. He's only been practicing swordsmanship for a month, yet he already cultivated Internal Energy from the outside in using the Maiden of Yue Swordplay he learned at the martial arts school, and he's even infused this ordinary sword technique with spirit!"

She paused, then added with a smile curling at her lips, her chin slightly raised, her bright eyes sparkling, and a smug tone:

"Most importantly, he's a rough gem I discovered myself. I taught him his basic sword forms hand by hand. I learned the Maiden of Yue Swordplay first, then passed it on to him. I am his sword art mentor!"