Parting Ways

In the middle of the great river, one figure in moon-white and another in orange-yellow stood atop floating planks, sword light and palm shadows roaring as they clashed.

All of a sudden, the sword light flared brilliantly. Countless waves surged up with it, transforming into a sword-shaped blade of water some fifty feet long that lunged viciously at the monk.

Bzzzz...

The monk could no longer withstand it. A bloody line split open across the yellow robe over his chest, and he was sent flying backward.

Still in midair, he flicked several pieces of broken wood from his sleeve, sending them down onto the water...

His body sank, and he skimmed across the water as though flying, already retreating to the opposite bank.

"Qin Woman Knight is indeed formidable—a heroine among women who yielded nothing to men. This humble monk has learned his lesson."

Though wounded, his breath remained strong and his voice deep. As he retreated, his sleeves swept repeatedly, stirring up towering waves that blocked off the way behind him.

Then he plunged headfirst into the forest.

Even Qin Huaiying could not catch up to him.

She pursued him for several steps before stopping and shooting back.

"Mother, Mother, over here."

Ouyang Lan's eyes shone with excitement.

She hurriedly raised and waved her right hand.

Then she rushed forward.

The woman in moon-white smiled radiantly. Her figure flashed, and she swept her daughter into an embrace.

"Stop fooling around. There are still enemies here."

She turned to look toward the mountain forest beside them. Hearing the rumbling sounds within, a trace of wariness appeared in her eyes.

Before long, a plump middle-aged man with a disgruntled expression emerged. He fiercely scraped the broadsword in his hand against the grass several times.

He was still cursing, "That old thief was too slippery—I couldn't keep him here... Did that bald donkey escape from Senior Sister's side too?"

"Forget it. Protecting our mountain is what matters."

Qin Huaiying shook her head slightly. Her gaze followed the thousand-man force of the Yinshan Guard as it turned and withdrew, and worry clouded her expression.

The concern showed only for an instant. Qin Huaiying set down her daughter, turned to Lu Wu-bing, and smiled. "So this is my little disciple.

"Xiaolan, look at you. The moment you came back, you clung to me, yet you did not even introduce your little junior brother to your mother.

"Yun Chong told me that Wu-bing's talent with the sword is astonishing, and that his combat strength is actually no weaker than his."

"Disciple greets Mistress."

Lu Wu-bing hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

Qin Huaiying looked somewhat different from what he had imagined.

Whenever Senior Sister Xiaolan had spoken of this mistress of his, she had described her as gentle and delightful, attentive and thoughtful... And she was supposedly an excellent cook as well, forever fussing over everyone's well-being and chattering away like one's own mother.

But now that he had met his mistress...

It was nothing like that at all.

She looked only around ten years older than Senior Sister Xiaolan. People would probably believe it if told she was not yet thirty.

High cultivation was practically cheating.

It made one age slowly.

More importantly, when his mistress attacked, murderous intent soared into the heavens. She turned water into ice and swept in and out with a howl.

She was brimming with heroic spirit, majestic and awe-inspiring...

She had practically suppressed the momentum of both armies by herself.

Sure enough, names could be called wrong, but nicknames were never given wrong.

His mistress's nickname was the "Seven Kill Sword."

"A few days ago, news came from Hengshan. I heard that you fought a bloody battle against those bandits from Chaoyang Stronghold, and I was terribly worried here.

"I thought that, on your journey south, you might encounter many dangers..."

Qin Huaiying laughed heartily. "Your Senior Sister Xiaolan is a scatterbrain. Along the way, you must have had to look after her in every possible way as her junior brother. You have truly had it hard."

"Not at all. The powerful enemies we encountered on this journey were mostly dealt with thanks to Senior Sister Xiaolan's protection. If not for her superb swordsmanship, I fear I would never have lived to meet Mistress."

"Exactly! Mother, you underestimate me too much. I actually played a major role as well. At the very least, I contributed thirty percent—no, twenty percent..."

"Ha ha!"

Qin Huaiying could not help laughing.

She knew her daughter's little habit of loving face.

Since she had voluntarily claimed that she had only contributed twenty or thirty percent along the way, she had probably not even contributed ten percent.

She had coasted to victory the entire way.

That meant this child who had only just entered the sect possessed swordsmanship of such overwhelming strength. It truly exceeded expectations.

What Yun Chong had said might even have been somewhat conservative.

"Come over. This is your Martial Uncle Shen, known as the [Subduing Dragon Sword]. He usually stays in Mingyang City and has built up quite an estate... Earlier, Old Devil Xuanyin launched a sneak attack, but he intercepted and drove him back. Unfortunately, he failed to kill the fiend."

"That old devil ranks thirty-fifth on the Black List, and his life-preserving tricks emerge one after another. When pushed into a corner, he used all sorts of despicable methods, so I could not take him down in such haste."

The [Subduing Dragon Sword], Shen Liancheng, smiled as he patted his chest.

"If we meet again, that old bastard will definitely not escape." His tone shifted as his blazing gaze settled on Lu Wu-bing. "Little Martial Nephew, life on the mountain is harsh. Why not come to Mingyang City and enter my branch instead?

"Your parents are currently living next door to the Shen residence... Brother Lu and I got along famously, so much so that we nearly became sworn brothers. You absolutely cannot go wrong following me."

"Go on, get lost. You start snatching disciples the moment you arrive. You already have so many disciples, yet you're eating from the bowl while eyeing the pot. When Senior Brother returns, you'll have bitter fruit to eat."

At the sight of this, Qin Huaiying nearly turned red with fury.

Was it easy for them to recruit a good disciple? Every last one of them had come to snatch him away.

When she saw Li Feiying ride over with a forced smile, her brows shot up and she said coldly, "Does Junior Brother Li also have designs on my disciple?"

"Do not drag me into this. Who would dare snatch a disciple personally accepted by Senior Brother Ouyang?

"Besides, although Martial Nephew Lu possesses extraordinary talent with the sword, his body is delicate and frail, making him unsuitable for training in the army.

"I merely wished to tell Martial Nephew that the Gu family of the Eastern Sea Sword Sect has considerable ties with the Zhao family, the Mingyang Prefect. You must be on guard."

"Thank you, Martial Uncle Li. Thank you, Martial Uncle Shen."

Lu Wu-bing understood now.

When his parents had joined Li Feiying's forces and traveled south, they might have encountered fighting along the way, but nothing serious had happened.

Afterward, when they arrived in Mingyang City, they received the protection of Martial Uncle Shen Liancheng, the [Subduing Dragon Sword], and were only then able to settle down safely.

Li Feiying's words were also a gesture of goodwill.

He meant that although the Eastern Sea Sword Sect would not dare act openly in Mingyang City...

With their connection to the prefect, no one could say for certain what tricks the Gu family might secretly employ.

Given enough time, things might change.

"And this little girl is?"

Only then did Qin Huaiying notice Ji Wenxiu, who stood quietly with her head lowered, Little Cat in her arms.

"Mother, we'll talk when we get home."

Ouyang Lan hurriedly gave her a meaningful look.

She took her mother by the hand, greeted the two martial uncles, and headed in the direction of the Celestial Star Sect.

Lu Wu-bing and Ji Wenxiu naturally followed along.

Once the group had vanished from sight, Shen Liancheng, who had remained standing where he was, chuckled. "What is it? You saw the little princess, yet this official-climber did not go pay his respects? That does not suit your character."

Li Feiying, his face cold as iron, dragged the Twelve-Foot Red Spear behind him and shook his head expressionlessly. "Second Senior Brother, how could a money-grubber like you understand my aspirations?

"Now that Northern Zhou is about to march south, all hearts must unite as one. Only a wise ruler can preserve the Great Li Dynasty. One careless move, and the entire game is lost."

"A wise ruler? Heh heh, a rebel more like!"

Shen Liancheng laughed in disbelief.

His voice turned cold as well.

"Junior Brother Li, heed one word of advice from your senior brother. No matter what choice you make, the Celestial Star Sect's three-hundred-year foundation must never be endangered.

"When you make your choice, I only hope you will think of the generations of patriarchs, and think of our venerable master as well."

"You need not concern yourself with that. I know what I am doing."

"Hmph..."

The two found each other equally unpleasant and could not even be bothered to maintain a veneer of cordiality.

One gathered his troops, while the other disappeared into the forest. They went their separate ways.

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