Three Answers of the Sword, Azure Lotus Sword Song First Style, A Chance Encounter in Heaven Dou

That night.

Countless stars adorned the night sky like scattered silver.

The Milky Way stretched across the heavens like a jade ribbon.

Li Zhixian sat on the courtyard steps, from afternoon until nightfall.

The Azure Lotus Sword lay across his knees, its blade reflecting the starlight as though it were immersed in the Milky Way.

"Haa..."

Li Zhixian raised his head to gaze at the sky, his eyes filled with the river of stars.

"Sword..."

"What is a sword?"

"The first answer: the sword as a weapon!"

"A sword is a weapon of slaughter. It is cold iron with two edges, born to kill!"

Li Zhixian gripped the hilt in reverse.

A flash of sword light suddenly streaked through the courtyard.

The icy sword light reflected the even colder look in his eyes.

A mosquito in midair was cut cleanly in two.

"The second answer: the sword of the heart!"

"The sword is me, and I am the sword. A sword is not an iron weapon, but an extension of one's will. Where its edge points is where the heart desires!"

Li Zhixian laid the Azure Lotus Sword across his knees once more.

With every breath he took, the Azure Lotus Sword glimmered rhythmically.

He breathed with the Azure Lotus Sword, and the sword became his flesh and blood.

"The third answer: the sword of heaven!"

"The sword cleaves heavenly light; man steals heavenly secrets. There are three realms of the sword: the lower sword cuts others, the middle sword cuts oneself, and the upper sword slays the night. A master swordsman uses the sword as a brush and heaven and earth as silk. With one sword strike, the stars hang upside down; with one sheathing of the sword, all sounds fall silent!"

"Then what is this sword move of mine..."

Li Zhixian rose with his sword in hand.

He slowly closed his eyes. Icy starlight surged through his veins, and fine frost condensed along the sword's spine.

The hand gripping the sword trembled!

Not from fear!

But from a tremor of something about to break through the earth!

His arms spread like a drawn bow, his sword moving like a rainbow. Li Zhixian raised his sword, and in an instant, shattered the darkness within thirty feet around him.

Sword marks carried the starlight. Wherever they passed, the air shrieked, while stardust like fine snow drifted down in fluttering wisps.

"This sword move..."

"Is a strand of Heaven's will that I stole."

Li Zhixian withdrew his stance and softly murmured as he stroked his sword:

"The first sword of the Azure Lotus Sword Song that I created shall be called 'Shaking Light.' It takes lives, and it steals heavenly light."

"Unfortunately, it is only half a move so far."

Looking at the blades of grass within thirty feet, all coated in a glittering layer of star frost, Li Zhixian let out a breath.

"Yaoguang Brew has yet to enter my stomach."

"After all, I still cannot savor the taste of starlight."

"So this move of mine, 'Shaking Light,' still has room for improvement."

"When I drink Yaoguang Brew, it will be the time for my Wine Spirit to evolve and for me to complete the First Style of this sword move."

The night passed without incident.

In his dreams, Li Zhixian dreamed that he had drunk Yaoguang Brew.

He drank wildly beneath the stars. With a single sweeping strike of his sword, even the stars swayed.

After waking up.

Li Zhixian went out to find a way to drink Yaoguang Brew.

He lingered back and forth outside the imperial palace gates eight times. Even the patrolling guards were looking at him strangely.

"Ah..."

"I should take a long-term view. Fine wine depends on fate too; this is not something that can be rushed."

Li Zhixian was a carefree man.

He promptly bought a set of fishing gear, along with flint and kindling, and prepared to find somewhere to fish.

It was not that he did not want to eat at a restaurant.

The main reason was that he had rented a courtyard and spent far too extravagantly on the journey to Star Dou City.

His purse was empty now.

"Just thinking about fishing is making my hands itch."

At once.

Li Zhixian headed to the river within Heaven Dou City.

But after arriving, he discovered that it was completely unsuitable for fishing.

Decorated pleasure boats competed in splendor upon the river, scaring all the fish away.

Carrying his fishing gear.

Li Zhixian searched about and left Heaven Dou City.

After passing through a lush peach grove in full bloom.

A cool, moisture-laden breeze blew toward him, and a crystal-clear lake came into view.

The lake covered roughly three or four acres. Delicate lotuses grew along its shores, and fish occasionally leaped from the water to catch lotus petals in their mouths.

Li Zhixian's eyes lit up.

He looked around and saw only a white-clad figure seated by the shore, fishing.

So he walked over quickly.

He found a good fishing spot.

And sat down on his folding stool.

Chumming the water, baiting the hook, and casting the line—all in one smooth motion.

He propped the fishing rod against the ground.

Then Li Zhixian began fiddling with his stove.

Three to five yards away, the refined young man in white curiously glanced in his direction.

After setting up the stove, Li Zhixian smiled at the young man in white.

"How's the catch?"

"Why not lend me two fish first? I'll pay you back once I catch some."

Xue Qinghe shook his head.

"I haven't caught anything yet."

Li Zhixian raised a brow.

"Oh, a skunked fisherman."

Xue Qinghe's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

A skunked fisherman?

What did that mean?

It did not sound like a compliment.

In the reed beds dozens of yards from the lake.

Seeing the suddenly arrived white-robed youth, Stingray Douluo, dressed as a Crown Prince's guard, wanted to step forward and drive him away.

Snake Lance Douluo reached out and stopped him.

"Enough, don't go."

Stingray Douluo frowned.

"But Young Master said he didn't want to be disturbed."

Snake Lance Douluo looked at the white-robed youth fishing and setting up a pot as though he were settling down for a peaceful life, then curled his lip.

"Do you see Young Master saying anything?"

"Hm?!"

A tug traveled through the fishing rod in his hand.

Li Zhixian's eyes lit up, and he sharply lifted the rod.

Splash—!

A palm-sized silver-tailed fish was pulled from the water. He reeled in the line, unhooked the fish.

Off with its head, out with its guts, washed it clean, and into the pot it went.

The entire process flowed as smoothly as water.

Xue Qinghe stared in a daze.

Li Zhixian cast his line again and smiled.

"Fresh is best."

"Skunked fisherman, if you want some, I'll share once I catch a few more."

Caring for skunked fishermen was everyone's responsibility.

Xue Qinghe turned away.

"No need. I can catch fish myself."

Every week, he came to Lotus Lake to fish.

He was not here for the fish. He merely wanted to clear his mind and cast aside those vexing matters.

But the white-robed youth who had suddenly intruded upon Lotus Lake today.

Had stirred up his competitive spirit.

"Heh..."

Xue Qinghe sneered inwardly.

If I don't show him what I can do, does he really think I can't catch fish?!

A few minutes later...

"Fish on!"

Li Zhixian lifted his rod again.

Xue Qinghe pursed his lips and looked at the still water before him.

A few more minutes later...

"Another one!"

Li Zhixian's eyes curved with laughter.

Xue Qinghe's expression remained calm, but his hand tightly gripped the utterly motionless fishing rod.

A few more minutes later...

"Hehe!"

Li Zhixian smiled brighter than the lotuses.

Xue Qinghe put away his fishing rod, rose, and started to leave.

"Hey, why are you competing with me?"

Li Zhixian called after him from behind.

"They're only a few fish, not worth much anyway. Meeting makes us friends."

"Come on, eat some fish with me."

Xue Qinghe did not turn around.

"Not eating."

Half an hour later.

Xue Qinghe slowly chewed the fish in his mouth and nodded.

"Quite fragrant."

Li Zhixian took a sip of wine, then a bite of fish. With the cool breeze blowing around him, he narrowed his eyes in enjoyment.

"Now this is comfortable."

Glancing at the white-robed youth, whose loose bangs fluttered in the breeze and made him seem carefree and unrestrained.

Xue Qinghe asked:

"You're from outside the city?"

Li Zhixian raised a sword-like brow.

"How did you know?"

Xue Qinghe lowered his head and continued eating the fish without saying anything.

How did I know?

If you were from Heaven Dou City, how could you not recognize me, the Heaven Dou Crown Prince...