Three Answers of the Sword, First Form of the Azure Lotus Sword Song, A Chance Encounter with Heaven Dou's Crown Prince Xue Qinghe

That night.

Stars studded the night sky like scattered silver.

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

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

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

"Whew..."

Li Zhexian looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with the river of stars.

"Sword..."

"What is a sword?"

"The first answer: the sword of the weapon!"

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

Li Zhexian gripped the hilt in reverse.

A flash of sword light suddenly streaked through the courtyard.

The cold gleam of the blade 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 the sword points is where the heart desires!"

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

With his breathing, the Azure Lotus Sword also flickered with a rhythmic glimmer.

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, while man steals heaven's secrets. A sword has three realms: the lower sword slashes people, the middle sword slashes self, and the upper sword slashes night. A master swordsman uses the sword as a brush and heaven and earth as silk. With one slash, the river of stars hangs upside down; with one withdrawal, all sounds fall silent!"

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

Li Zhexian rose, sword in hand.

He slowly closed his eyes. Icy starlight surged through his veins, and fine frost formed along the spine of his sword.

The hand gripping the sword trembled!

Not from fear!

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

His arm stretched like a drawn bow, his sword moved like a rainbow. Li Zhexian raised his blade, and in an instant, shredded the darkness within thirty feet around him.

The Sword Mark bore starlight, and the air shrieked wherever it passed. Fine Stardust, like falling snow, drifted down in a flurry.

"This sword move..."

"Is a wisp of heaven's will I stole."

Li Zhexian withdrew his stance and stroked the sword as he murmured:

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

"Unfortunately, it is only half a move for now."

Looking at the blades of grass within thirty feet, all coated in a crystalline layer of star frost, Li Zhexian exhaled and said:

"Yaoguang Brew has yet to enter my stomach."

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

"So this move of mine, Yaoguang, still has room for improvement."

"When I drink Yaoguang Brew, it will be the moment my Wine Martial Soul evolves and I complete the first sword form."

The night passed without incident.

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

He drank wildly beneath the starlight, sweeping out with his sword as even the stars swayed.

After waking up,

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

He lingered before the Imperial Palace gates eight times, until even the patrolling guards began looking at him strangely.

"Sigh..."

"I should take this slowly. Fine wine also depends on fate; there is no rushing such things."

Li Zhexian was a free-spirited man.

He immediately bought a set of fishing gear, along with flint and kindling, then prepared to find a place to fish.

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

The main problem was that he had rented a courtyard, and had also spent far too lavishly on the journey to Star Dou City.

Now, even his money pouch had gone flat.

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

At once,

Li Zhexian headed for the river within Heaven Dou City.

But after arriving, he discovered

it was utterly unsuitable for fishing.

Painted pleasure boats competed for attention upon the river, scaring all the fish away.

Li Zhexian carried his fishing gear.

He searched about until he left Heaven Dou City.

Then he passed through a Peach Forest blooming in abundance.

As a cool, moisture-laden breeze washed over him, a clear lake came into view.

The lake covered roughly three or four mu. Lush, delicate lotuses grew along its banks, and fish occasionally leaped out to catch lotus petals in their mouths.

Li Zhexian's eyes lit up.

He swept his gaze around and saw only a figure in white sitting by the shore, fishing.

So he hurried over.

He found a good fishing spot.

Then plopped down on a small stool.

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

He propped the fishing rod in the ground.

Li Zhexian then began fiddling with his stove.

Three or five meters away, the handsome young man in white glanced curiously in his direction.

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

"How's the catch?"

"How about lending me two fish first? I'll return them once I catch some."

Xue Qinghe shook his head.

"I haven't caught any yet."

Li Zhexian raised a brow.

"Oh, you're a fishless fisherman."

Xue Qinghe's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Fishless fisherman?

What did that mean?

It did not sound like a compliment.

In the reed beds dozens of meters from the lake,

Porcupinefish Douluo, dressed as a Crown Prince's guard, saw the White-robed Youth who had suddenly intruded and wanted to go forward to drive him away.

Snake Lance Douluo raised a hand to stop him.

"Enough. Don't go."

Porcupinefish Douluo frowned.

"But the Young Master said he did not want to be disturbed."

Snake Lance Douluo looked at the White-robed Youth, who was fishing while setting up a pot as though he intended to settle down and live there, then curled his lip.

"Did the Young Master say anything?"

"Hmm?!"

A tug came through the fishing rod in his hand.

Li Zhexian's eyes lit up as he sharply raised the rod.

Splash—!

A palm-sized Silver-tail Fish was hauled out of the water. He reeled in the line and removed the fish.

He cut off its head, removed its guts, washed it clean, and tossed it into the pot.

The entire process flowed as smoothly as water.

Xue Qinghe, beside him, was left staring in a daze.

Li Zhexian cast another line and smiled.

"The best part is how fresh it is."

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

Caring for fishless fishermen was everyone's responsibility.

Xue Qinghe turned his head away.

"No need. I can catch fish myself."

Every week, he came to Lotus Lake to fish.

She was not here for the fish, but simply to empty her mind and cast aside those troubling matters.

Yet the White-robed Youth who had barged into Lotus Lake today

had stirred his competitive spirit.

"Heh..."

Xue Qinghe sneered inwardly.

If I don't show off a little, does he think I really can't catch fish?!

Several minutes later...

"Fish on!"

Li Zhexian raised his rod again.

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

Several more minutes later...

"Another one!"

Li Zhexian's eyes curved with laughter.

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

Several more minutes later...

"Heh heh!"

Li Zhexian's smile shone brighter than the lotuses.

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

"Hey, why are you competing with me?"

Li Zhexian called after him from behind.

"They're only a few fish. They aren't worth much, and meeting makes us friends."

"Come over and eat 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 Zhexian took a sip of wine, bit into a piece of fish, and squinted contentedly in the cool breeze.

"This is the life."

Glancing at the White-robed Youth, whose loose bangs were lifted by the Clear Breeze and whose bearing seemed so carefree, Xue Qinghe asked:

"Are you from outside the city?"

Li Zhexian raised a sword-like brow.

"How did you know?"

Xue Qinghe lowered his head and ate fish without speaking.

How did I know?

If you were from Heaven Dou City,

how could you fail to recognize me, the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou...