Yan Chixia's Guidance

"...And that's how it happened. To protect me, my father, Xiao Shuimen, the one hundred and ninth village chief of Muye Dao Village, died at the hands of the rampaging Demon Armor, unleashed by a traitor. Before his death, he paid a tremendous price to seal the Demon Armor inside my body, using my flesh and blood to suppress this peerless weapon of slaughter."

"...My mother died when the Demon Armor was drawn out of her. My father wanted to sacrifice himself to forge me into a hero's son, so I could live on. Who would have thought that the one hundred and eighth village chief, Yuan Zhanri, would be so unworthy of being called a man? For the sake of power and profit, he branded me as the son of a demon."

"The families of the villagers who died in the Demon Armor's rampage treated me like a monster from childhood. Beatings, scolding, discrimination, insults—they were my daily bread. Many times, I couldn't even get enough to eat."

"If not for my teacher, Yin Lu, who protected me since I was young and taught me the methods of circulating Zhenyuan, I might have died in the streets long ago. But good times never last. Five years ago, my teacher went out to gather herbs and was killed by an Evil Spirit."

"From that day on, I made up my mind to swear to slay every Evil Spirit under heaven!"

"After leaving Muye Dao Village alone, I stumbled along the way until, by a stroke of luck, I obtained the legacy and Daoist Magic of a Kunlun Daoist Master."

"With the help of that legacy, I managed to control the Demon Armor and make it serve me. The Demonic Qi you saw earlier, Hero Yan, was released when I summoned the Demon Armor."

With a faint sigh, Xiao Han turned to face Yan Chixia. "Hero Yan, I've said my piece. If you still want to kill me, then let's settle it with our skills."

A strange sound came from Yan Chixia. Xiao Han looked closely and froze in surprise.

Judging by the sound of Yan Chixia sniffing, was he crying?

His originally fierce face, now streaked with tears, looked almost comical.

Xiao Han had expected Yan Chixia to angrily accuse him of spinning a story on the spot, but instead, this big-bearded man seemed genuinely moved by his cultivation-world version of Naruto—so much so that he wiped his tears with his sleeve?

"I never imagined you'd suffered so much at such a young age. Seeing your hatred for evil reminds me of my younger self."

"In my youth, I too dreamed of slaughtering every corrupt official under heaven. But in the end, this vast world, this chaotic era, breeds countless villains. Though my heart was set on killing them, I lacked the power to turn the tide."

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Yan Chixia looked up at the sky, a hint of melancholy in his gaze. "I was once the famed Judge of the Guandong Guangxi Twenty-Six Provinces, hating corrupt officials above all. But because treacherous ministers held power, I retired from the martial world and went into seclusion."

"As luck would have it, during that time after I resigned my post, I traveled far and wide and stumbled upon the legacy of an Ancient Sword Cultivator."

"How laughable that those famous sects refused to take me in because of my age. Yet now, relying on this found Daoist Magic and divine arts, I've cultivated a level of power that even the sect leaders can't match!"

Watching Yan Chixia, Xiao Han silently grumbled: I can't believe this version of Yan Chixia is so gullible. Did my made-up story really move him?

But then Xiao Han thought it over and understood.

In the movie, Yan Chixia was always a man with a cold face but a warm heart. Even when he played the villain and put on a black face, it was to scare Ning Caichen away and keep him from falling into ghostly or demonic disasters.

When Nie Xiaoqian was kidnapped by the Black Mountain Demon to be his bride, Yan Chixia initially planned to stand by, but was moved by the true love between Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian. He resolutely risked his life to take Ning Caichen into the Yin-Yang Realm, battling the unfathomably powerful Black Mountain Demon and his demon soldiers.

Yan Chixia was unrestrained by nature, with a hint of childlike innocence. Honestly, it wasn't hard to understand why he'd react this way.

So hearing his story stirred his emotions—that was only natural.

With that thought, Xiao Han smiled and cupped his hands. "Forgive my rambling, Hero Yan. This younger brother is named Xiao Han, with no sect or school."

"Xiao Han? That name sounds familiar."

Yan Chixia looked Xiao Han up and down, then lowered his head in thought, muttering, "Xiao Han... Xiao Han... black Tight Clothes... a crimson Precious Sword on your back... Could it be... are you that rising young junior known as the 'Black-Clothed Swordsman' Xiao Han?"

"Heh, just a nickname given by friends in the martial world. Nothing worth mentioning."

Xiao Han smiled and cupped his hands again.

"Indeed, nothing worth mentioning."

Yan Chixia looked at Xiao Han and let out a derisive snort. "A brat who hasn't even trained out a sword intent dares to call himself a Swordsman? It's obvious you've never practiced swords properly. Even if you have, it's half-baked at best—laughable to the extreme."

"Empty form without intent. Even if you train your sword techniques to death with your current understanding, you'll never be a true Swordsman!"

Hearing this, Xiao Han frowned. "Hero Yan, what do you mean by that?"

Clang!

Yan Chixia didn't answer. Instead, he sheathed his sword, turned, and walked away, waving his hand without looking back. "A few words can't explain it clearly."

Xiao Han quickly chased after him. "Hero Yan, wait for me!"

Ignoring the entire forest that Yan Chixia had blasted bare, Xiao Han carefully stepped over the pitted dirt road, scarred by what seemed to be Yan Chixia's sword qi or Palm Thunder.

Walking beside Yan Chixia, Xiao Han lowered his head and asked humbly, "Senior, you said my swordsmanship is half-baked. What did you mean by that?"

But Yan Chixia didn't answer. He kept walking with a blank expression.

If asked how Yan Chixia felt about Xiao Han now, the answer was that he had a fairly good impression of him.

Given Xiao Han's young age and his impressive Martial Path cultivation, it was clear he had endured a great deal of hardship.

Yet, observing Xiao Han's words and actions, there was no trace of youthful arrogance or hot-headedness. Instead, he gave off the mature, seasoned vibe of a thirty-year-old man weathered by life.

Honestly, after clearing up the misunderstanding, Yan Chixia felt quite guilty. Cursing a youth who had suffered so much because of the Demon Armor as a "demon" was like pouring salt on his wounds.

On top of that, he had wronged an innocent man. If it were Yan Chixia himself, being chased and cut down out of the blue, then cursed as a shameless beast or demon, he'd probably be furious enough to draw the Xuanyuan Sword and start a full-blown brawl.

Yet Xiao Han, after being chased by him for so long, hadn't let pride or anger spark a fight. Instead, he had tried his best to explain himself and avoid unnecessary conflict.

Thinking this over, Yan Chixia sighed.

Forget it. I was in the wrong first, and this kid suits my taste. What harm is there in giving him some guidance?

With that, Yan Chixia turned his head to glance at the youth beside him. "Kid, if you want to learn the sword, then follow me."

"O-okay."

Xiao Han was stunned for a moment, then quickly caught up.

Yan Chixia led Xiao Han out of the great forest, where their two horses were still standing there munching grass.

Xiao Han had used a bit of the Divided Spirit Technique he learned from the Compendium of Spells to control his Thousand-Mile Horse and keep it from running off. Yan Chixia's horse, on the other hand, had been trained over the years to behave itself and wait in place for its master to return.

Come to think of it, was his own horse male or female?

Watching the two horses frolicking on the grass, Xiao Han began to doubt life itself.

Nima, it had only been half an hour, right? They were already hitting it off? That was way too efficient!

"Alright! Draw your sword and practice your swordsmanship for me, so I can see what level your sword skills have reached."

Xiao Han glanced at the forest around him, which looked like it had been carpet-bombed, and a black line crept across his forehead. He pointed at the surroundings and asked with a face full of existential crisis: "Hero Yan, are you sure you want me to practice my swordsmanship here?"

Looking at the great forest he had torn to shreds and the muddy road pockmarked with countless craters, Yan Chixia's old face flushed red. "You have a point. This place is hardly fit to stay in. Besides, after fighting for so long, my stomach is a bit hungry. How about this—let's head to the town ahead and find an inn to fill our bellies.

After we eat, we'll discuss the matter of training your swordsmanship!"

"Then this young one will follow Hero Yan's wishes."

Xiao Han let out a whistle, and the two horses, still in the middle of their flirtation, were abruptly parted.

Seeing the mournful look in his horse's eyes, Xiao Han laughed and scolded: "Don't look at me like that. Once we reach our destination, I'll tie you two together—then you'll have all the time in the world to carry on your romance!"