The Dead Sword

Li Fan hesitated, Li Fan to speak but then stopping himself. Finally, after thinking it over, Li Fan decided to just ignore it.

He had seen the Sword Ancestor's statue before, and to be honest, it was nothing special. Moreover, given Xuan Tian's personality and temperament, it was more likely that the Saintess simply disliked him and was targeting him in various ways.

The kind of situation where she smiles at me and asks what name we should give our child—that actually happens quite rarely. Maybe it's just a coincidence that you have a piece of chive stuck in your front tooth?

Forget about Xuan Tian's complicated love life; they're all old folks now, what's there to gossip about? Let's get started! After a month of inactivity, Li Fan felt like his bones were going to rust.

So Li Fan walked into the restaurant, and the waiter glanced at him.

"... How many guests are there?"

Li Fan peered through the ghost mask and looked down at his cult-like attire. "Damn it," he thought, "I've walked in dressed like this, and all you're asking is how many people are in my party?"

"... one."

"This way, sir/madam. Oh, there's already a seat for the honored guest!"

Li Fan hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should flip the table and start a fight, but the other diners around him seemed completely oblivious to him, as if they were used to seeing a masked superhero out for a late-night snack. They continued eating, drinking, chatting, and boasting as usual, without giving him a second glance. People from big cities really are worldly-wise...

So Li Fan decided to eat his fill before starting the fight. Actually, he was really hungry. He had been repairing his body for a month, busy devouring meat on Qiongqi's side, and hadn't eaten much spirit rice in his main body. Moreover, that Five Saints Tea earlier was probably just an appetizer, and the few cups he drank with Bei Gong Wuji were probably medicinal wine, which mobilized the blood and qi in his spleen and stomach. Although it accelerated circulation and nourished his body, his stomach felt empty and quite uncomfortable.

Oh dear, what a loss! If I had known that Eunuch Zhang would pull such a stunt, I should have had a good meal at the Duke's mansion before leaving.

Li Fan wasn't so stingy as to insist on ordering a pot of tea while watching Huo Yun stir-fry rice after entering the hotel. He followed the waiter into the lobby and took a seat.

You know what, this restaurant is quite interesting. The waiter brought out two menus. One of them was like a poem, similar to the ones Li Fan had seen in the restaurants in Ink Bamboo Mountain. The names of the dishes were so obscure that you couldn't even tell what they were about at a glance. It was clearly something for literati to show off.

There was another one, quite plain and unadorned, clearly intended for busy people, catering specifically to unsophisticated, independent cultivators. Knowing his place, Li Fan took the second one to examine it.

"Golden Core Realm demon beast braised meat? Is it venison? Or mutton? Whatever, give me twenty catties. A few fresh vegetables, and a big bowl of noodles. No need for alcohol... Never mind, bring me a jar of Thunder Wine."

"Alright! Please have a seat, sir! And some tea!"

The meal only cost twenty strings of cash. Yes, it was considered a meal fit for Golden Core cultivator, yet it only cost twenty strings! When Li Fan took out the Golden Dragon to pay the bill, the waiter really only charged him two gold coins!

This isn't an intelligence liaison point! It's clearly a public canteen for freeing up rogue cultivators! These days, twenty strings of cash can't even buy a single steamed bun in Ink Bamboo Mountain!

Li Fan could finally understand what it meant for the Central Guard to be raising assassins.

Think about the standards of other factions in the Immortal Palace. The appetizers and desserts of noble families are hundreds of dishes, while the Phoenix only gets an eyeball. The border guards are also paid for doing nothing, exploited, and ripped off at every level. They are all sent to fight the Divine Cult, and they still can't gather half of the registered soldiers. They have to recruit soldiers from unaffiliated cultivators to cover up the problem.

Now let's look at the Grand Tutor's side. We won't even mention how generous the rewards and cash are from the Grand Tutor Manor. Just the fact that they can thoughtfully open a restaurant in a place like Sanyuan where every inch of land is precious, paying out of their own pockets to feed and entertain you, and that there are even secret base company dormitories where assassins can hide and stay overnight—comparing these two sides, isn't it just a case of gaining the trust of those who understand you and will die for you?

With abilities that far ahead, it's no wonder the Grand Tutor was able to win people's hearts...

Xuan Tian said, "Heh, the Sima family wasn't originally a powerful clan with generations of immortals. They only gained power temporarily. Their connections in the court are too shallow. They have no disciples or former officials to support them, nor do they have family retainers who command troops for generations. That's why they have to recruit confidants from humble backgrounds in the city who are truly talented and capable. Once they take over the world, they'll probably be the same old thing after a few generations."

Of course, if you think the Grand Tutor's lineage is alright and don't want to take action, you can just leave without any problem."

Li Fan shook his head.

He could still distinguish between close and distant relationships. This time, he acted for the silkworms of Ink Bamboo Mountain and to repay Beigong Bei Gong Wuji, settling the karmic debt. But that was the end of it. After all, he was currently all alone and it was far from the time to compete for the position of Sword Sect Leader.

Therefore, Li Fan planned to make a move only once, to establish a connection with Bei Gong Wuji Immortal Palace, so as to avoid being tricked by the Grand Tutor sooner or later.

However, even if the Immortal Palace is indeed usurped by the Grand Tutor in the future, it can only be said that fortunes change, and the royal family brought it upon themselves, which has nothing to do with Li Fan.

Of course, considering that these loyal followers serving the Grand Tutor might also be descendants of the Sword Sect, Li Fan was prepared to show some mercy.

Look at him, he doesn't even need the Moon Soul or the Tai Sha Sword Embryo; he just buys a decorative item from the market that's not even a magic weapon. Isn't that enough to make things easy for him?

To put it bluntly, this was just Li Fan, as the head of the Sword Sect, showing concern for the cultivation of the outer disciples, giving these self-proclaimed Sword Sect members a little reprimand, conducting a surprise test to gauge their true abilities and background. How could he possibly hold back?

Xuan Tian said, "Hehe, it's good that you think that way. I just went down into the secret passage and found only twelve Golden Core cultivators, about twelve years older than you. They are indeed being trained using the ancient methods of the Sword Sect, and they're stuck at the threshold. It seems this battle is also an opportunity for them... Anyway, don't hold back too much later. Sword Immortals can't escape the calamity of death."

Hearing Xuan Tian say this, Li Fan understood. These were probably trained as killing machines from a young age, disregarding life and death. They might even have some self-destruction techniques. Just to be on the safe side, he should put on the carbon armor first.

Suddenly, a figure flashed by, and a female singer holding a pipa and wearing a thin silk veil walked up to Li Fan, curtsied and smiled at him.

What's going on? Business is so good, why are we having to share a table? Or did you get some chives stuck in your teeth? Dressed so scantily, oh, are you going to sing a song and ask for a tip?

Li Fan didn't speak for a moment, but the woman spoke first in a low voice.

"Four real swords, twelve death swords."

Tsk, so it's Zhang the eunuch's connections. He even had a little bit of hope... But a real sword, a dead sword...

"Besides those at the Golden Core stage, there are also four Nascent Soul Stage living here?"

Li Fan frowned. It couldn't be that they had fooled Xuan Tian; the person was indeed not there.

Just then, the waiter started serving the dishes. Seeing the woman standing there, he said, "That maid, please don't disturb the guests' meal."

"No need, just add another bowl and chopsticks." Li Fan invited the singer to sit down. "Since we're not all here right now, let's wait for them to come back and start. You don't need to sing anymore. Eat your fill and leave the city tonight. Don't ever come back to Sanyuan again."

The woman stared at Li Fan for a while, then sat down opposite him without touching her chopsticks.

Ignoring her, Li Fan removed the lower half of his mask and began to eat. As he ate, he asked, "You've been guarding this place for quite a while, haven't you? Have you seen these people commit any other misdeeds?"

The woman frowned. "Committing evil deeds?"

"Besides assassinating kings and nobles, what else do they do? Do some of them use their swords to oppress and exploit the common people?"

The woman thought for a moment, then said, "No."

"No?" Li Fan was a little confused for a moment, then thought for a moment and asked, "Then have they used their skills to uphold justice, punish evil and uphold righteousness?"

The woman chuckled softly. "No, not at all."

"No, not at all..."

"They're just a bunch of assassins who do things for money. What chivalry or justice do they have? They've infiltrated the Three Realms in batches and have been lying in wait ever since, all for the sake of that one-time use of the Death Sword. They don't have time to care about anything else."

He is usually well-supported by the Grand Tutor with generous rewards, but once he draws his sword, it will surely be for something great... The time has come."

The woman shut her mouth, and Li Fan saw it too.

A group of twelve swordsmen, cloaked and wearing bamboo hats, filed out of the tavern without uttering a word. Their attire was nothing more than that of ordinary martial artists, much more understated than Li Fan's. As they passed through the tavern, their feet barely touched the ground, as if a black wind had swept by, blending into the crowd without a sound, and disappearing into the night.

The woman looked at Li Fan, who was still eating, and asked, "Aren't you going to do it?"

"You really aren't going to eat? It's a waste of food. Besides, I've already paid for it."

So Li Fan wolfed down the braised meat, poured the vegetables into the noodles, and slurped down the noodles in the bowl. Then he opened the Lei Shang wine cup, tilted his head back, and gulped down half a jar. Unfortunately, the wine was too strong and pungent, and he couldn't finish it in one gulp. So Li Fan wiped his mouth, picked up his iron sword, grabbed the wine jar, and drunkenly followed them out the door.

Li Fan felt he had really given them a chance. If these twelve people could escape from his Divine Sense range quickly, he could find a place to sleep with a wine jar, and this ordeal would be over.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

As soon as he stepped out, he followed for only a few miles when he saw countless Sword Light flashing in the starry night. A flying treasure ship with its sails cut off was gliding diagonally across the sky and plummeting to the earth. On the deck, figures were jumping for joy, and the sounds of swords clashing and fighting were incessant. People kept falling from the deck, being cut into pieces, kicked high into the air, and smashed into a bloody pulp on the ground.

Li Fan stared at him for a while, somewhat surprised.

One reason is that the twelve sword sect assassins were not assassinating any nobles or high-ranking officials, but were hiding their identities and ambushing a merchant ship. Another reason is that in the heart of the Three Realms, with so many Immortal Palace nearby and tens of thousands of heavenly soldiers stationed there, no one has come to take action.

So Li Fan moved around again, scanning the area with his Divine Sense for a while, before he finally understood.

There were more than one attack tonight.

Li Fan could see from afar, roughly in the direction of Taiwei Yuan, that an Immortal Palace was engulfed in flames, hurtling towards the central Taiwei Yuan! This was practically a major terrorist attack on the Immortal Palace's government offices! Naturally, large numbers of imperial guards, palace guards, and imperial guards rushed to the vicinity of Taiwei Yuan to stand guard. No one cared that a merchant ship was being looted by rogue cultivators during the chaos.

Li Fan took out the Si Nan and glanced at it. The Si Nan seemed to hesitate for a moment, its handle swaying back and forth between the Taiwei Yuan and the treasure ship, before finally pointing to the treasure ship.

Okay, so that's the treasure ship.

Li Fan gulped down another mouthful of wine, then leaped onto the mast of the treasure ship. He roared at the swordsmen who were swiftly beheading the ship's guards and servants.

"I am a member of the Ten Absolutes God Sect! Having heard that the Beichen Sword Sect is here, I have come to learn from your superior skills! Blood Talisman Sword, Blood-Shattering Mountain Collapse! Please enlighten me!"

Li Fan, holding an iron sword, jumped off the mast. Blood-red Dao Breath permeated the crimson spine of the sword in his hand. Although it was not as powerful as the Blood God Child before, and as heavy as a mountain, it still gathered into a huge blood-red sword as big as a door panel!

This is the <Dao Breath Blood Refining> taught by Xuan Tian. The principle is simple: it involves mixing Dao Breath with blood. The Cultivation Method may differ, but Xuan Tian, as an old Xuan sect, is most skilled in Qi Refinement Stage and pushing techniques. Therefore, the <Dao Breath Blood Refining> is essentially the same as the basic Cultivation Method of the Blood Record Heavenly Book of the Divine Sect.

In this way, Li Fan could naturally use blood to refine his Dao Breath, practice the Blood Talisman Sword, and unleash the Blood Talisman Sword Technique!

This mountain-shattering blood sword came crashing down! Its power was immense! In just one move, it shattered a swordsman into pieces, and even half of the deck was blown to pieces!

The surrounding swordsmen were shocked and then rushed forward to attack.

"Useless! Your reaction time is too slow! You would all be dead by the time you got to the battlefield! This sword energy is too weak! I suppressed it to the same level, and you still couldn't break it! A bunch of useless trash! And what's with this sword formation? It's poorly set up! Full of mistakes and flaws! And they even coated the swords with poison? Useless, useless, useless! You've disappointed me so much! Is this all the Beichen Sword Sect is capable of?!"

Li Fan roared wildly, leaping and darting back and forth on the treasure ship like a blood-red shadow.

These swordsmen were not as incompetent as he had claimed. Li Fan had indeed suppressed his cultivation to the Golden Core realm, so the swordsmen could keep up with his speed. Furthermore, there was no difference in the quality of their weapons, so the dozen or so figures chasing after Li Fan with swords could always keep Li Fan within a dense net of swords. Although there was no sword energy on the swords, they gleamed with a cold, eerie light, flashing with poisonous glints, revealing their killing intent and creating a perilous situation!

The problem is that the gap between the two in their understanding of swordsmanship is simply too great.

After undergoing sword training with Shi Zai and Chanyu, the ancient sword techniques and formations of the Beichen Sword Sect were riddled with flaws in the face of Li Fan, whom he knew intimately. Moreover, he had to admit that the Blood Talisman Sword seemed to be naturally designed to break through the Beichen Sword Technique.

Even though he was merely imitating the swordsmanship of the Blood Talisman Sword, and even though the <Dao Breath Blood Refining> was only a shell of its form, these swordsmen were still truly intimidated.

When faced with Li Fan's seemingly powerful but ultimately ineffective sword aura, not a single one of them dared to confront the sword head-on and risk their lives. They all dodged the blade, but their agility and swordsmanship were not up to par, and they were no match for Li Fan's methodical sword entanglements that followed.

Li Fan didn't even use any fancy moves; with just the Blood Shattering Mountain Collapse technique, he killed seven more people in the blink of an eye. It seems these people didn't have the quick comprehension to remember Li Fan's ultimate move, find its weakness, and launch a counterattack...

"Boring! You're all too weak! I'll give you one last chance! Run!"

Li Fan looked at the last four remaining people, holding his sword upright between his brows. The crimson sword surged with blood energy like waves, as if even the spine of the sword was being twisted.

"Blood Talisman Sword. Blood Sea Sword Howl!"

The four men were decisive; without saying a word, they risked their lives and thrust their swords forward.

Li Fan sighed, "A bunch of idiots."

So he swung his sword and unleashed a torrent of sword energy, shattering the charging human figures and splashing out with rain and blood, turning the sky crimson.

Xuan Tian said, "Although these people are trained using the Sword Sect's methods, they haven't refined their Sword Qi. What's the use of just studying sword techniques and formations? It seems they're being trained as pawns to be discarded."

Li Fan shook his head, "Your Sword Qi is so poorly practiced that even the Xuanmen (masters of martial arts) have only scratched the surface and gone mad. They haven't received the true teachings and only care about hitting the target once. It would be a miracle if they could even come up with any fancy techniques."

At this moment, the treasure ship crashed to the ground, landing in a residential area. The impact shattered the keel, and the treasure chests in the cabin were overturned, scattering the contents all over the ground.

This is a large pile, rolled up, silvery-yellow, shimmering with light...

Xuan Tian, "Oh, Wanyu Immortal Silk."

Holy crap? Wanyu...

Just as Li Fan was about to bend down to pick up the raw silk roll, a line of red text suddenly popped up on his retina!

'Warning! Hostile system intrusion detected!'

Li Fan abruptly closed his eyes, tilted his head to the side without turning around, and threw the Crimson Sword directly behind him. He heard a buzzing sound in his ears, and a scorching wind swept across his cheek. His God-Master Ghost Mask was instantly ignited by the high-temperature air, evaporating half of it in an instant, leaving only the human face covered with charcoal underneath.

Li Fan opened his eyes. Behind him, the shockwave of the explosion bloomed like a golden lotus. The words "Warning! Hostile system intrusion detected!" were flashing in the center of his retina. In front of him, a humanoid metal armor was emerging from its semi-transparent state, revealing metal plates and intricate wiring. It was clearly the result of a sword strike that shattered the shoulder joint, causing the ray rifle in his hand to miss its mark. The entire two-meter-tall powered skeleton was thrown off balance and was slowly falling backward in a comical posture.

No, it wasn't slow; in that instant, the flow of time in Li Fan's senses suddenly accelerated dramatically.

Li Fan didn't understand what was going on either, but now was not the time to worry about that.

Li Fan leaped to the humanoid armor. Having seen something similar before, he struck out with his palm, piercing the gap in the helmet's throat. He pulled out the helmet and severed head with his hand, revealing the horrified and incredulous face of the masked woman who had been sitting opposite him not long ago.

Damn, looks like I can't stay in Migaki anymore.