A Sincere Escape, Deeply True in Feeling

Ye Mingshan's wine cup slipped from his hand and hit the floor. He rose with horror written all over his face.

"Li Xin? Li Xin?!"

He hurriedly called his companion's name several times, but the only response was the deathly silence and the bleak autumn wind blowing in through the window.

"..."

The playful smile had long since vanished from his face. He kept looking around, his eyes filled with nothing but fear and bewilderment.

What on earth had happened?!

Although Li Xin's strength had not yet reached the level of an Evil Spirit, and he had only recently revived his spiritual form, he had cultivated for many years and was still far from weak. He was definitely not someone an ordinary person could deal with...

But why had he turned to ash right under Ye Mingshan's nose, without leaving behind even the slightest trace of yin energy?!

Then, his expression suddenly changed.

Li Xin had just said—

That he was tracking that government woman?

"Could he have been counterattacked?!"

Ye Mingshan hurriedly looked out the window, but the fear in his eyes only deepened.

How far apart had the two sides been?!

No!

In this world, how could any Daoist possess such earth-shattering ability, capable of effortlessly killing a Nether Ghost from afar?!

As he recalled the various rumors he had happened to hear at the market that day, his face began turning bluish purple. He no longer had the time to disguise himself as an ordinary man.

"—Run!"

He immediately turned around. Without the slightest hesitation, he spun on his heel and fled!

Changling County was nothing less than a desperate dead end. He absolutely could not stay!

The Evil Spirit stationed there had not been slain by chance. There truly was an incredibly terrifying enlightened master living here! With his level of cultivation, if he dared to linger any longer, he would probably meet the same miserable end as Li Xin!

"Eh? Young master, young master—"

The heavily made-up madam hurriedly chased after him, crying out, "You haven't paid yet!"

But she was ultimately too slow on her feet. All she could do was watch as the handsome, fair-faced young man sprinted away like a madman. He had not even taken his outer robe or luggage, and both of his cloth shoes flew off as he ran.

"..."

The madam stared in stunned disbelief.

Even the few passersby on the street looked on with bewilderment.

That man had been so handsome, with red lips and pearly teeth. Who would have thought he was also a shameless freeloader who ate and drank without paying?

The next morning.

As Hua Shuya stepped into Lin Tianlu's residence, she suddenly halted, staring in surprise at the... strange sophora tree that had appeared in the courtyard.

How strange.

The sophora tree in the senior's residence had always seemed incredibly lush.

But this one did not have a single leaf. It was completely bare, with a smooth, jade-like trunk that looked as though it had been carved from jade.

"Could something have happened in the courtyard yesterday?"

She muttered doubtfully.

When she returned yesterday, it had already grown late, and she had not had time to inspect the abnormality here. After eating some pastries, she hurried home to bathe and rest.

"Oh? Miss Hua, you came at just the right time?"

A soft voice came from the corridor. When she turned her head, she saw the graceful Madam Mao walking through the covered walkway with several bowls of steaming porridge and side dishes, calling gently, "Come sit down."

"Madam Mao, let me handle this menial work."

Hua Shuya hurried forward and took the bowls from her.

Madam Mao smiled faintly. "Miss Hua is just as the master said—truly knowledgeable, courteous, and well-mannered."

"T-The senior praised me?"

Hua Shuya froze for a moment. Soon, however, her face flushed, and she lowered her head, quickening her steps into the side hall. "The senior was merely being too generous. This junior still has much to learn."

Perhaps feeling a little embarrassed, she hurriedly coughed softly. "May I ask where the senior is now? Why does it seem as though he isn't in the residence?"

"Mr. Lin went to Old Mr. Nie's home next door first thing this morning."

Madam Mao covered her lips and chuckled softly. "It seems they have quite a good relationship."

"It's only natural for knowledgeable people to gather together. I heard that Old Mr. Nie is learned in every field, and that the Nie Household is one of the few scholarly families in Changling County."

Hua Shuya neatly arranged the bowls and chopsticks on the table before turning her gaze toward the sophora tree in the courtyard.

"Madam Mao, may I ask what that tree in the courtyard is..."

"Could it be that Miss Hua doesn't know about yesterday's upheaval?"

"I was outside the county pursuing thieves the entire time."

The girl's face showed a trace of confusion. "The sky had only grown dark, as though a torrential storm was about to break, so I found a place to take shelter from the rain. Not long afterward, the rain stopped and the sky cleared... Wait, I vaguely heard rumbling thunder then. Could it be related to this tree?"

She hurriedly looked toward the sophora tree in the courtyard.

Madam Mao soon recounted everything she had seen and heard yesterday in great detail.

When she finished, she pointed at the sword hilt embedded in the tree and said, "That is the Sophora Sword named by the master."

"This—"

Hua Shuya was astonished. She found the whole matter utterly unheard-of.

But after stepping closer and examining it for a few moments, her gaze was soon drawn to something else.

There seemed to be extremely faint markings carved into the tree trunk.

She knitted her brows in concentration and gently brushed her fingers over the nearly imperceptible patterns.

They resembled a person, a shadow, and a sword...

In a daze, a wondrous Daoist charm seemed to rise within her heart. Her beautiful eyes lost focus, and a familiar figure quietly surfaced in her mind, standing with a wooden sword in hand and a gentle, faint smile on his face.

Buzz—

The sword rang and moved, swift as thunder and fire. Its edge passed without a trace of sharpness, yet it also resembled the greatest skill appearing utterly artless.

That light and nimble swordsmanship seemed to contain the momentum of breaking through enemy ranks, yet it also fused with supreme Sword Intent, ethereal and impossible to grasp.

After only a few breaths, the girl withdrew her finger, her expression solemn and grave.

This was... the sword technique the senior had left behind.

"Born from Breaking the Army, it had opened up an endless, broad road of swordsmanship."

Hua Shuya lightly pressed her lips together, her gaze complicated.

The Sophora Sword within the tree seemed to sense something. It trembled and rang softly, drawing the girl's gaze back once more. A bold, heroic spirit seemed to rise from the depths of her heart, making her want to draw the sword, test the techniques, and charge into that brand-new realm within arm's reach.

But...

The girl's right hand had just lifted when she soon gritted her teeth and lowered it again.

Madam Mao quietly approached and asked in surprise, "Miss Hua, you're not going to hold the sword and try it?"

Hua Shuya said softly, "This sword belongs to the senior. It would be improper for me to touch it casually."

"Miss Hua is skilled with a long sword. I thought you would surely be very interested in such a divine weapon."

"I already owe the senior far too much. How could I become even more presumptuous?"

A firm reserve appeared in the girl's beautiful eyes. After a brief moment of thought, she decisively cut away the final trace of hesitation in her heart.

"This sword and I have no fate."

"..."

Madam Mao stared at the girl beside her in shock.

Although she did not understand swordsmanship or martial arts, she knew how important such a divine weapon was to a martial artist. Moreover, this sword contained the intent of thunder and fire, along with an even more mysterious Daoist realm. It was probably a heavenly secret treasure, no less than an immortal or divine weapon. Perhaps no other sword in this world could be more precious than the Sophora Sword.

Yet Miss Hua had not shown the slightest trace of attachment or greed.

She was truly... so deeply loyal and righteous.

Madam Mao sighed inwardly.

With a thought, she gently took Hua Shuya's slender hand and said warmly, "Miss Hua, having you accompany Mr. Lin is truly a match bestowed by Heaven. You must cherish it well."

"M-Madam Mao?"

The solemnity immediately vanished from the girl's pretty face, leaving behind only delicate embarrassment. Her waterfall of black hair swayed wildly as she shook her head. "Madam Mao, please don't tease me. If the senior hears you, I... I won't know what to do."

Seeing the girl's bashful expression, Madam Mao could not help laughing.

She had never expected the normally stern and proper Miss Hua to be so gentle, charming, and clever.

Hua Shuya lowered her beautiful eyes and murmured, "Besides, aren't Madam Mao and the senior more harmonious together?"

"Eh?"

Madam Mao instantly froze.

Then, as though sensing something, the two silently exchanged glances. Both their faces flushed like peach blossoms, and they looked shy and flustered.

After remaining speechless for a long while, they awkwardly returned to the hall together, suddenly unsure how to continue the conversation.

Autumn leaves drifted down, and the warm sunlight was pleasantly mild.

Within the quiet and peaceful pavilion in the residence, wisps of tea fragrance rose from the cups.

Only one handsome scholar and one white-haired old man sat in the pavilion, playing a game of chess.

"Old Mr. Nie, please make your move."

Lin Tianlu sat upright beside the chess table. After taking a sip of warm tea, he urged him on with a smile.

Across from him, Nie Qingyuan held a white stone and remained silent in thought.

Now this is comfortable.

Feeling the excitement and tension of placing stones and playing chess, Lin Tianlu almost wept tears of emotion.

At last, someone could play chess with him.

Ever since crossing into this world, whenever he had found someone to play chess with, the other person had either spat blood or panted like an ox. Every one of them had looked as though an old illness had flared up.

He had never expected Old Mr. Nie from next door to finally be able to play and place stones normally and seriously. It had truly given him a pleasant surprise.

Moreover, his studies had yielded abundant results. He was finally playing Go now. How gratifying!

In the future, even if he brought out a chessboard and stones, he would no longer have to sneak around playing Gomoku.

Of course, Gomoku was still fairly fun. It was just somewhat lacking in prestige.

After waiting for a while, Lin Tianlu chuckled. "Old Mr. Nie, why haven't you made your move yet?"

"Ah! Let this old man think it over a little longer!"

Nie Qingyuan stroked his white beard and waved his hand grandly, remaining calm and composed. "Master Lin, you're being a little impatient. The way of Go lies entirely in calming the heart and spirit and keeping one's composure steady. Sometimes, two grandmasters can play a single game for three days and three nights before deciding victory or defeat. It has nothing to do with chess strength, but depends entirely on that fleeting flash of marvelous inspiration—waiting for someone to place that earth-shaking stone."

"Uh..."

Lin Tianlu was stunned.

Before crossing over, he truly had not known that playing Go was so mentally and physically exhausting. Almost everything he knew about Go came from a few animated shows he had watched as a child, along with various news reports and the like, so his understanding had naturally been shallow and broad.

"It seems I was taking things for granted."

Lin Tianlu nodded thoughtfully.

No wonder Go was called the ultimate sport of mental exertion. It truly was not to be underestimated.

He had only memorized a few game records, yet had already felt confident. To act so frivolously and arrogantly before such a respected and learned old man was indeed too presumptuous.

"It's not too late for Master Lin to understand that now."

Nie Qingyuan stroked his beard and smiled leisurely, soon turning his attention back to the chessboard.

But—

A faint sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead as he sighed inwardly.

Master Lin's chess... was truly unfathomable.

Hua Shuya (looks remarkably similar).jpg