Blade, Spear, Sword, Halberd

Blade, Spear, Sword, Halberd

Not long after Su Yue left, someone else arrived.

"Younger Cousin, how are you?"

A refined, gentle voice came from outside the door, carrying a trace of unease and guilt.

"Come in."

A young man in white pushed open the door and entered. He had sword-like brows and starry eyes, clear and upright features, and a tall, straight frame. A warm smile rested on his face, along with a hint of apology and caution.

He should have been exceptionally handsome, but several whip marks now crossed his face. The corner of his mouth was bruised and swollen, one eye was blackened, and the wrist occasionally exposed from his sleeve bore more lash marks.

He was Fang Che's eldest cousin, Fang Qingyun, the one who had knocked his younger cousin out with a single palm strike.

It seemed he had been beaten quite badly.

The moment Fang Che saw this "chief culprit behind the death of the original owner," he made an assessment in his heart.

Damn it... he was actually an honest man! Even if someone with that face turned bad, he couldn't go bad all the way. A classic loyal and honest face, with one word written into his bones: simple.

He was the complete opposite of the Su Yue who had just left.

Fang Che had already reached a conclusion: someone like this had more than enough ability to preserve the Lineage as its heir, but not enough to expand it.

No wonder he had noticed nothing and walked straight into the trap.

His eldest cousin rubbed his hands foolishly and asked Fang Che, "You're all right now, aren't you?"

Fang Che rolled his eyes. "Thanks to you, I'm not dead yet."

He had not deliberately tried to imitate the original owner's way of speaking. The words had simply slipped out.

Only after speaking did he remember that he ought to mimic the original owner's terrible temper and not change too abruptly, lest he invite unnecessary trouble.

But after thinking it over, he suddenly felt that this one sentence, capable of choking someone to death, sounded even more like the original owner than the original owner himself.

He could not help but pause inwardly.

Hearing those words, Fang Qingyun became even more embarrassed. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, "Fang Che, we're family! I didn't do it on purpose."

His voice was sincere, soft, yet heavy. "Younger Cousin, our blood is linked, our lives and deaths intertwined. We share honor and disgrace, fortune and misfortune alike!"

"Younger Cousin, I hope you can forgive this unintentional mistake of mine."

Fang Che kept a cold face, smiling with his skin but not his flesh. "Yes, that's why you grabbed me and beat me half to death! We're family, after all. Blood is thicker than water, I get it. Blood has to be beaten out first, then dissolved into water. Perfect!"

There was no way to communicate with him! Fang Qingyun's face twisted.

Why was it impossible to talk sense into this guy?

"This time, I came back to help temper you for your breakthrough because Aunt requested it. It was also the shared decision of Grandfather, Father, Second Uncle, Fifth Uncle, and the other elders."

Fang Qingyun said softly, "We would never harm you."

His eldest cousin was desperately trying to prove his innocence.

Fang Che fell silent.

Of course, he knew Fang Qingyun had not done it, but the original owner seemed to be in a rebellious phase. He resented the entire world and looked down even more on this eldest cousin, who was supposedly near the bottom of his Martial Academy year.

In the original owner's heart, there had been nothing but contempt: a poor student actually... hmph.

It was said there were seven thousand five hundred students in the same year at the Martial Academy. His eldest cousin ranked seven thousand four hundred seventy-sixth in overall martial competition. Apparently, even maintaining that rank had been difficult...

Heh, genius!

The Lineage's most gifted talent? Heh...

—That had always been the original owner's true opinion.

Therefore, Fang Che, who had now taken over this magpie's nest, absolutely could not show him a friendly face.

So he said, "Heh... heh."

Fang Qingyun looked at him expectantly, hoping to hear something reasonable from him. Yet he heard nothing.

He could only continue himself. "I know you have thoughts in your heart right now. I'll be returning to the Martial Academy in two days. I only came here to tell you one thing."

Fang Che's expression was stern, blank as a coffin lid. He said flatly, "Spit it out!"

"..."

Fang Qingyun choked at once. With a helpless sigh, he said, "No matter what you think, and no matter what you want to do, even if you truly want to do something, wait until you grow up and establish a family and career before doing it. All right? When that time comes, I'll help you with all my strength!"

Just stabilize this kid. He was still young and did not understand. Once he found a wife, had a family, and understood the ways of the world, he would naturally understand.

—This was precisely the only hope every society, ancient and modern, held for disobedient children: they would be fine once they grew up!

And as for the Fang Family, they also believed that this child would one day truly turn over a new leaf. He was merely rebellious. What child was not rebellious?

Once this period passed, everything would be fine.

Once he became sensible in the future, there would still be time for everything!

Naturally, Fang Che understood.

So he said, "Mm, I believe that when the time comes, you'll definitely beat me with all your strength!"

His eldest cousin became depressed on the spot.

If any of his own younger brothers had dared speak to him like that, Fang Qingyun believed he would have long since punched and kicked them, letting them taste the authority of their big brother and giving them a complete adolescence.

But he could not do that to this sensitive, solitary younger cousin.

He was Aunt's only child.

"Are you done?" Fang Che began driving him out.

Big Brother, I'll tame you later.

I had just been reborn and had far too many things to do. Hurry back to school and keep being twenty-fifth from the bottom.

"Fang Che!"

Fang Qingyun called out weakly.

"All right..."

Fang Qingyun set down a box and said, "Inside, the white bottle contains Martial Apprentice-level Blood Qi Pills, and the black bottle contains Warrior-level Blood Qi Pills. They can help with your cultivation... Remember, after breaking through to Warrior, you must cultivate steadily for seven days before—"

"I know, I know!"

Fang Che sneered. "Such petty favors, tsk tsk tsk... These pills aren't poisoned, are they?"

Fang Qingyun took a deep breath and clenched the fist that had nearly smashed into his younger cousin's face.

No, I had to endure.

His face turned livid from holding it in.

At last, unable to bear it any longer, he flicked his sleeve and turned away. When he reached the door, he still could not hold back. He said heavily and earnestly, "Younger Cousin! Work hard, and be sensible!"

"Big Brother!"

Fang Qingyun turned back in delighted surprise.

This was the first time Fang Che had called him Big Brother in years. Fang Qingyun looked at him eagerly. "Yes?"

"Big Brother, if the Martial Academy rankings were counted from the back forward, your ranking would actually be quite high."

Fang Qingyun's face turned black as the bottom of a pot, and he clenched his fists. Crack, crack...

But when he thought of Old Dad's whip, he immediately loosened them again.

He shot Fang Che a resentful look.

He decided he would beat him up after he became sensible!

Then he strode away.

Fang Che sat in his chair afterward, pondering whether there had been any flaws in the way he had responded.

Then he sank into deep self-doubt.

What the hell was wrong with this mouth of mine?

He raised his head and looked at the plaque that had just been hung on the wall: "Treasure Words Like Gold."

The corners of his lips twitched violently.

I think I understood why I had held such an obsession in my past life.

But this time, he had merely maintained the original owner's persona. He absolutely could not act like this in the future.

Fang Qingyun returned to the Fang Family compound and went straight to his father's study.

"How is A Che?"

Fang Zhenghang asked his son.

"Looks like he's recovering well. He had plenty of breath when he cursed me."

"Ah..."

Fang Zhenghang revealed a speechless expression. "Still the same?"

"His tongue seems even sharper."

Fang Zhenghang sighed from the bottom of his heart, making the long beard beneath his chin tremble. "Return to the Martial Academy tomorrow. When your aunt returns, I'll explain things to her."

"Yes."

Fang Qingyun was clearly still furious, yet he could not help saying, "Father, if one of my younger brothers spoke like that and behaved so improperly, I would have long since—"

"You would have done what?"

Fang Zhenghang glanced sideways at his son and said gravely, "As the Fang Family's heir, is your heart really this narrow? You cannot even tolerate a child in his teens? So what if he contradicted you a few times? He is still young! And because of his own background, he already has some inferiority in his heart. If you, as his elder cousin, will not yield to him, then what chance does he have to turn back?!"

"Yes! Father is right."

"Besides, there is also your aunt's dignity to consider. Even if not for Fang Che, you should think of your aunt."

"Yes, your son understands."

A trace of heaviness appeared on Fang Zhenghang's square, refined face. "Qingyun, that is your younger cousin! The child grew up in our home. Could our Fang Family truly fail to teach one child properly? Besides, for your aunt's sake, what harm is there in enduring a little?"

Fang Qingyun smiled. "Your son understands. That is why, before leaving, I left him two bottles of the Qi and Blood Pills awarded to me by the Martial Academy."

Even Fang Zhenghang felt a pang of pain at that.

"This... these are Martial Academy Qi and Blood Pills, the most authentic kind... You, you... You saved up so little over so long a time, and you gave him two bottles at once?!"

Qi and Blood Pills could naturally be found on the market, but the most authentic ones were naturally those from Martial Academies and sects. Though the sects' pills had higher efficacy, they were tailored to their own sect's cultivation methods. If cultivators of one sect's methods consumed another sect's Qi and Blood Pills, the effects could only be considered ordinary.

Only the Martial Academy's pills could be consumed by martial artists across the land! They were the most authentic, with the fewest side effects and the least pill impurities!

Moreover, they were used only as internal Martial Academy rewards and were never supplied outside. That alone showed how precious they were.

Fang Qingyun smiled warmly. "You said he is my younger cousin. Even if it is merely to make Aunt happy for a moment, those two bottles of pills are worth it."

Fang Zhenghang smiled in gratification. He stood and patted his son's shoulder, about to say something, only to realize that his son had broad shoulders, a thick back, and a tall, straight body. He was already taller than Fang Zhenghang himself.

Even raising his hand had become somewhat difficult.

"...You're already taller than me."

Fang Zhenghang swallowed the words that had been about to leave his mouth and replaced them with a sigh.

"How have things been at the Martial Academy lately?"

Embarrassment appeared on Fang Qingyun's face. "Your son is ashamed. In this year's grand competition, I was still within the bottom hundred. Compared to last time, I advanced only two places. Out of seven thousand five hundred people, I ranked seven thousand four hundred seventy-sixth..."

Fang Zhenghang smiled. "Before today, I would have criticized you a little. But what you said today greatly satisfied me. Go without worry. Cultivate with an ordinary heart. Whatever rank you are meant to have, that is the rank you have. Do not put pressure on yourself. The way you speak today is enough to show your character. Since you can say such things, you are more than capable of leading our Fang Family. Martial cultivation is secondary."

He smiled. "Father is very satisfied!"

Fang Qingyun's entire face reddened, and he looked somewhat awkward. "Then, then... I'll go back and pack."

"Mm, go."

Just as his son was about to leave, Fang Zhenghang called out again. "A kind heart is a good thing, but that is for your own people. As for enemies..."

Fang Qingyun cut him off. "Naturally, pull up the weeds and dig out the roots—show no mercy!"

"Exactly so!"

Father and son smiled at each other.

"Speaking of enemies, your son still does not understand what happened back then..."

"Cough!"

Fang Zhenghang said, "Go back and cultivate properly!"

He cut off the matter directly.

"Yes."

"Our Fang Family is about to face demotion. Everyone is fighting desperately. I hope you can hold us up."

Watching his son leave, Fang Zhenghang slumped into his chair.

His face was ashen.

It was as though all his vigor had vanished.

"What happened back then... although there is no evidence, it is very clear who was laying out the scheme in the shadows. But... without evidence, and with that person now soaring into the clouds with immense power, leaving it buried is one thing. Exposing it would bring calamity that toppled the heavens..."

"Ah..."

Fang Zhenghang let out a deep sigh. "The entire Lineage, more than five hundred years of inheritance, over four hundred lives... how could we tolerate the two words 'impulse'?!"

Fang Che shut out all distractions and began cultivating.

Back then, it seemed that he had been killed, his body and soul extinguished.

Then a flash of white light had appeared, wrapping his shattered soul and carrying it into this body.

Now, that white light was in his mind, transformed into a token that spun round and round.

Within the token was an Inheritance Jade Pendant.

Beyond that, he could see nothing clearly.

Fang Che had no intention whatsoever of studying where this thing had come from.

A fortuitous encounter was a fortuitous encounter.

One day, he would know.

It had taken a full three days earlier to digest the inheritance within this Jade Pendant and make it his own. Fang Che felt as though he had won the grand prize.

One cultivation method, four Weaponry Rankings.

Blade, Spear, Sword, Halberd.

"These four weapons were chosen so well!" Fang Che praised sincerely.

Because they were also the top four weapons in the Cloud Top Weapon Compendium across the entire continent!

Their names had endured for five thousand years.

Even before Fang Che entered the martial path in his past life, these four weapons had already shaken the world.

Emotion Severing Blade.

Dream Shattering Spear.

Snow Condensing Sword.

Madman Halberd.

Fang Che could not help but yearn for them.

For those were true legends, tales of the Cloud Top!

Cloud Top Weapon Compendium: the Emotion Severing Blade, ranked first.

A blade within the mortal world's dream, a dream beyond the blade; severing love and cutting intent brought no freedom. Whose bitter tears rode the wind? Upon the cloud peak, Xue Fuxiao played without heart. —Emotion Severing Blade, Xue Fuxiao.

He had been the person Fang Che respected most, yearned for most, and admired beyond all others in his previous life. The Guardians' number one expert!

Cloud Top Weapon Compendium: the White Bone Dream Shattering Spear, ranked second! A lone boat on a sea of blood, a white bone spear; bleak winds and bitter rain broke the setting sun. Piercing Through the Mortal World's Myriad Dreams, it shattered into a fragrant petal upon the spearpoint. —Dream Shattering Spear, Duan Xiyang.

He had been the person Fang Che hated most in his previous life, and the one he feared encountering most. For if he encountered that man, there would be death without injury; in an instant, the Mortal World Dream would shatter, and life would prove ever-changing.

Under the fearsome renown of the White Bone Dream Shattering Spear, when Duan Xiyang's Blood Spirit Boat appeared, no one even dared use a spear.

For once Duan Xiyang saw it, death was certain!

And in his previous life, he himself had died beneath this spear.

"One day, I'll make you, Duan Xiyang, pay for this thrust!"