Hundred Pace Flying Sword

Crackle, crackle,

Wood chips burst apart and flew.

Gong Caiyu opened her eyes. The firelight warmed her soaked body somewhat.

A youth in green robes sat cross-legged beside the fire, a longsword slanted at his waist. A wooden stick pierced through a fish in his hand as he roasted it over the flames, turning it from time to time. Grease dripped onto the ground, and the golden fish meat sizzled as its fragrance spread in every direction.

Grrr...

Gong Caiyu blushed. Just as she was about to say something, the grilled fish was offered before her.

"There's no salt or seasoning, so this is all I can do. It should still be edible."

Jiang Ding spoke quietly.

This woman seemed to be deliberately displaying the shy side of herself as a woman, yet it also seemed to be her natural disposition. After all, she was not very old—just a young girl.

Still, that was not something he needed to concern himself with. As long as she did not make any hostile move, that was enough.

Gong Caiyu hesitated. "Please wait a moment, young master."

She rose and walked toward the river, putting at least a thousand meters between them.

She undressed and washed herself.

Jiang Ding turned the drone's view away.

When he saw her again, she had become a girl with skin white as snow, dressed in a flowing white gown like an immortal. Her black, lustrous hair fell to her waist. Though her dress was damaged in places, it was snowy white without the slightest trace of grime.

Using inner force to clean herself? She still had that much left?

Jiang Ding thought to himself.

Though she seemed even weaker now, he should be able to kill her in an instant.

"Thank you, young master."

Gong Caiyu carefully took hold of the wooden handle Jiang Ding had not touched. Then she used her inner force to cut off every part Jiang Ding had touched, even scraping away a thin layer of fish meat before placing it beside the fire to roast a little longer.

Jiang Ding: "?"

Was her inner force really that abundant?

Not even his little sister had ever found him this disgusting!

Gong Caiyu lightly bit into the fish. It truly was golden, crisp, and fragrant, leaving its scent between her lips and teeth. Perhaps because she was too hungry, it somehow tasted even better than the signature dishes at the Fragrant Hall in East Spirit Prefecture City.

Children of the martial world did not stand on so much ceremony. Though she ate in small bites, before long the entire fish had been reduced to bones.

Her stomach, empty for days, finally felt full.

"Here."

Jiang Ding handed over a bamboo tube of water, its outer skin charred black. After she scraped away the parts he had touched, drank it, then carefully went to the river to wash the corners of her mouth and her hands and tidy herself slightly, she finally said:

"When I was young, I took a hermit as my master. For many years, I have had no contact with the outside world. Would Miss Gong be willing to tell me a little about it, so that I do not unknowingly offend someone in the future and lose my life in the martial world?"

Gong Caiyu's little face turned pale.

"Rest assured, young master." A resolute expression appeared on her face. "Even if I am powerless and captured, I will immediately take my own life. I absolutely will not allow the Golden Saber Sect to implicate you!"

"The Golden Saber Sect?"

"The martial world of Yue Kingdom has the name of the Three Sects, Six Factions, and Eight Heroes." Gong Caiyu explained, "For centuries, Green Ox Palace, Wolf God Cult, and Bore Temple of the Three Sects have each possessed their own supreme arts, standing high atop the martial world. Every generation has Innate grandmasters suppressing their foundations. Beneath them are the Six Great Sects, which likewise have Innate experts emerging generation after generation without interruption. The Golden Saber Sect is one of them."

Gong Caiyu spoke each word with deliberate weight, hatred ringing in her voice. "The Golden Saber Sect's master, Golden Saber Ancestor Wei Tunan, has been an Innate for decades and is renowned throughout the martial world."

"The final Eight Heroes are outstanding figures from among independent martial artists and small sects. In terms of strength, they are not actually inferior to the heads of the Six Great Sects; they simply cannot ensure that someone inherits their legacy in every generation."

"What about the court? How strong is it?" Jiang Ding pondered for a moment before asking.

"I do not know. Heavenly Secrets Tower takes the initiative to conceal information about the experts of the current dynasty, but it should not be weak." Gong Caiyu said, "Several centuries ago, Yue Kingdom's Founding Emperor and his Twelve Generals of Heavenly Clouds swept through the martial world, conquered and destroyed the previous imperial clan, and his twelve beloved generals became the Twelve Great Clans that suppress the various regions."

"For example, this stretch of East Spirit Prefecture where we are is guarded by the Marquis of Zhen Dong, the Tang Family."

"Judging from the historical records of successive dynasties in the sect's library, these bloodline clans that do not accept outsiders should have had most of their strength eroded away by centuries of wealth and luxury. Still, one never knows when a genius might suddenly leap out."

"I see. I previously heard that Miss Gong was Ninety-eighth on the Dragon-Phoenix Ranking, with the title Flying Snow Fairy?"

Jiang Ding gently stroked his sword hilt.

Innate martial artists actually corresponded to cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm. In theory, Innate Martial Artists could also exchange a few moves with Qi Refining cultivators of the same realm. As long as they were not pulled too far away, they could still accomplish something.

"It is merely a ranking of young martial artists under twenty-five compiled by Heavenly Secrets Tower." Gong Caiyu smiled bitterly. "Such empty fame—though one may be first on the Dragon-Phoenix Ranking, one still cannot defeat an established Innate expert."

Jiang Ding fell silent. Judging by her age, she was only seventeen or eighteen, yet she had already endured her father being killed, her mother abducted, and everyone in her sect slaughtered.

In the Immortal Sect, she would still have been an underage child about to enter university.

"Young master need not worry." Gong Caiyu put away the misery on her face and smiled calmly. "Wei Tunan is old. Sooner or later, I will destroy his sect and slaughter his clan."

"Now, I dare not trouble you any longer, young master. I shall take my leave."

She rose. As her white skirt went from trailing the ground to unfurling, a thread-bound ancient book flew backward from her hand.

"I cannot repay your grace in saving my life. This ancestral Divine Firmament Hundred Pace Flying Sword has not been mastered by anyone since our patriarch a thousand years ago, but it may still offer you something to study."

Her wistful voice drifted from afar.

"A thousand years ago, when our patriarch still lived, our sect was once the greatest sect in Yue Kingdom."

Jiang Ding gently drew his sword and used its flat to catch the ancient book flying toward him.

There was not much force behind it, nor did anything unusual fly out. She should have meant well.

However...

It was probably useless.

All knowledge in the Immortal Sect was shared. There had only ever been cases where one's aptitude and talent were insufficient, never a situation where some divine art or supreme technique lay forever beyond reach.

He casually dug out a wooden box, used his longsword to flick the ancient book inside without touching it, and sealed it away.

The drone watched the surrounding wilderness. After Gong Caiyu departed, all was quiet, and none of the black-clothed men returned. Jiang Ding continued his great undertaking of digging for specimens.

After school, Jiang Ding picked up his delivery and carried home a small cage containing two hamsters and a small bag of hamster food.

Jiang Yuan was watching cartoons as usual. Unexpectedly, their mother Lin Wanqiu was also busy in the kitchen.

"Ah! Big brother! Did you buy that for me?"

Jiang Yuan caught sight of it by accident and excitedly bounced over.

From all her years of life experience, Jiang Ding had never shown any interest in animals such as little goldfish or little turtles, apart from swordsmanship tutoring classes.

"No."

Jiang Ding coldly refused.

"Impossible! It's mine!" Jiang Yuan refused to believe him and shouted, "If you won't give it to me, then when Uncle and Auntie get here, I'll tell Uncle you bullied me!"

"That depends on whether Uncle believes you."

Jiang Ding immediately understood why Lin Wanqiu had gotten off work early and was busy in the kitchen.

Their uncle Lin Yong was a teacher at Banyan City Seventh Elementary School. His income could not compare to Lin Wanqiu's, but his work was relatively more relaxed. Their cousin Lin Yuanwang was even more of a prominent figure in the Lineage.

Last year, he had been admitted to Spirit Veil University's Cultivation Department!

"It would be great if Brother Yuanwang came too." Jiang Yuan said unhappily. "Then I'll have Brother Yuanwang beat you up."

"Hmph."

Jiang Ding felt a little sour as he walked toward his room.

When they were little, Lin Yuanwang had relied on his height and strength to bully him quite a bit. The key was that the guy had excellent martial talent; when he graduated from senior year of high school, he was already Innate. Jiang Ding truly could not beat him.

After setting down his schoolbag, Jiang Ding dragged a crude wooden box out from beneath his bed. A faint fragrance of raw wood spread through the room.

When he opened it, the ancient book Gong Caiyu had given him lay inside. Its material was unusual; it was said to be a thousand years old, yet it showed no trace of decay and could still be read normally.

"Squeak, squeak!"

After scattering some hamster food, Jiang Ding tossed the two hamsters inside.

The two hamsters fled about in panic, only to be blocked by small walls made of stacked books. After waiting for a while, they finally began eating the food.

"It's fine. At least it isn't an acute toxin."

Jiang Ding felt slightly relieved. He had even seen one hamster lick the book cover a few times without anything happening.

He went to the kitchen for a pair of chopsticks and turned the pages one by one, dropping two pellets of hamster food inside each page. After spending more than half an hour, Jiang Ding finally confirmed completely that there was nothing wrong with the book.

"That girl meant well."

Jiang Ding sighed in relief, opened the package containing the transparent gloves he had ordered yesterday, and put them on.

He had thought of this yesterday. In another world, contact with foreign objects was inevitable, and nothing could be better than a pair of thin, breathable transparent gloves that were difficult to notice with the naked eye.

The ancient book felt thick and solid, apparently made from some kind of animal hide, carrying a faint scent of books.

"Divine Firmament Hundred Pace Flying Sword... Can martial artists also wield flying swords?"

Jiang Ding stroked the six unfamiliar block characters on the cover, excitement stirring slightly within him before he pressed it down.

"I need to learn the writing of that world first. But I cannot casually study techniques that have not been verified by the Immortal Sect Library. It is too dangerous."

Thinking of something, Jiang Ding turned on the computer in his room, logged into the Immortal Sect Library, and searched for Hundred Pace Flying Sword martial artists.

Rows upon rows of information with low confidentiality levels, available for online access, appeared.

Song Family Hundred Pace Flying Sword, Blood Refinement Hundred Pace Flying Sword, Azure Void Small Realm Spirit Nurturing Hundred Pace Flying Sword, Fire Refinement Hundred Pace Flying Sword...

Just as Jiang Ding had expected, the Immortal Sect Library encompassed all things. Even knowledge of mortals wielding flying swords sounded miraculous and extremely obscure, yet there was still a vast amount of collected material.

This was no rumor or miscellaneous trivia. Since it had been included in the Immortal Sect Library, it meant that these techniques could theoretically be cultivated and could reach their intended goals.

He clicked on Song Family Hundred Pace Flying Sword.

With a ding, a dialog box popped up.

"The knowledge you are attempting to access is dangerous. Minors are prohibited from accessing it. If you wish to access it again, please obtain authorization from your guardian."

Jiang Ding was unwilling to give up. He closed the dialog box and clicked on Azure Void Small Realm Spirit Nurturing Hundred Pace Flying Sword. With another ding, the dialog box popped up, and the information inside was exactly the same.

He tried again and discovered that every Hundred Pace Flying Sword had such restrictions. Among the hundreds or thousands of techniques, not a single one was an exception.

"Training in a martial artist's Hundred Pace Flying Sword is dangerous."

Jiang Ding understood.

Aside from the danger, its power was only so-so. It looked miraculous, but a Heavy Machine Gun could casually blast it to pieces from a thousand paces away. For Immortal Sect members, it simply was not worth the loss.

But...

He wanted it so badly.

With a sigh, Jiang Ding put the ancient book back into the drawer, carried the hamster cage and hamster food out of the room, and handed them to Jiang Yuan.

"It's yours, but you have to be responsible for keeping them alive."

"Ah, my dear big brother!"

Jiang Yuan jumped up on the spot and eagerly agreed.

Jiang Ding ignored her and turned to help in the kitchen.

"Ding Ding, help me shred the potatoes and chop the radish into chunks. Give me some chopped scallions too." When Lin Wanqiu saw Jiang Ding enter, she instructed him.

"Okay."

Clang...

He drew his sword. Cold light shone across the kitchen. Then he took a rag, wet it, and carefully cleaned the blade.

In truth, Jiang Ding did not want to do this. He was sure his sword was very clean. Any blood or sweat that occasionally got on it would be shaken off anyway, so there was no need to make such an unnecessary fuss.

Unfortunately, Lin Wanqiu and Jiang Yuan did not see it that way.

Exhibiting Sword Style!

Arm Sword Style!

Point Sword Style!

Sword light flashed. Carrots and white radishes flew into the air, then chunks of white radish fell down. Shredded potatoes piled up layer upon layer, while flecks of chopped scallion drifted down and formed a little mound the size of a fist.

"You..."

Lin Wanqiu stopped and looked helplessly at her kitchen filled with flickering sword light.