The Blade Spirit Chooses Its Master

Liu Qingnu looked at Lin Yi, a kind yet slightly arrogant smile appearing on his face.

"Brother, would you be willing to part with this blade? I won't have you come away empty-handed, though. I'm willing to offer five taels of silver as tea money."

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow.

The man was dressed plainly, but he was generous with his money.

Five taels of silver was no small sum.

But when he remembered the other man was a Martial Artist, it made sense.

"I like this blade too. Why not respect the order in which we arrived? How about I give you five taels of silver as tea money, and you leave? That would be a kindness to me," Lin Yi said.

A Great Omen-level opportunity lay before him.

There was no way Lin Yi would give it up.

Even if this man had tremendous Aura of Fortune, that was no reason for Lin Yi to back down.

Liu Qingnu frowned. True Qi seeped from his body, releasing the distinctive presence of a Martial Artist.

Lin Yi chuckled and released his own True Qi and vital energy.

Liu Qingnu was stunned, evidently still reeling from the shock of discovering that Lin Yi was also a Martial Artist.

Then, an overwhelming presence surged toward him like a landslide.

The Martial Artists' auras clashed between them, and for a moment, neither had the upper hand.

Liu Qingnu and Master Wu both froze slightly, astonishment rising in their hearts.

Liu Qingnu had never expected that, while out casually shopping, he would meet a peer who seemed to be quite strong. A flicker of interest appeared in his eyes.

Master Wu didn't know Lin Yi's background, but he did know Liu Qingnu's.

Liu Qingnu's ancestors had once saved a Demonic Beast. A hundred years later, it transformed into a Great Demon and came to repay the favor.

That debt of gratitude naturally fell to Liu Qingnu.

Liu Qingnu already had Grade A Bone Structure. Afterward, the Great Demon used its Natal True Blood to help Liu Qingnu purge impurities and cleanse his body, refining his vital energy and physique. It also lodged one of its own Natal Demonic Arts in his bones.

So, among the younger generation in Jiaqing County these days—

aside from the disciple recently accepted by Rainbow Martial Hall, who possessed a Destiny—

Liu Qingnu was undoubtedly the most gifted.

As for Lin Yi—

Before, the Corpse Qi had concealed his presence, so Master Wu had only vaguely sensed that Lin Yi was a Martial Artist. He hadn't been able to tell how strong he was.

But now, Lin Yi's presence matched Liu Qingnu's. That was something Master Wu hadn't expected.

Generally speaking, a Martial Artist's presence hinted at the quality of their True Qi.

Lin Yi's True Qi seemed almost equal in quality to Liu Qingnu's.

Master Wu couldn't help thinking he might have misjudged Lin Yi.

"Brother, you're a Martial Artist too!" The arrogance faded from Liu Qingnu's face, replaced by a few traces of the fighting spirit one felt toward a powerful peer.

Lin Yi nodded.

"Hahaha! Then settling who gets this blade will be easy," Liu Qingnu said with a laugh. "We're both Martial Artists, so let's decide who gets this sword the way Martial Artists do!"

"Since ancient times, heavenly treasures have gone to the strong. Why don't we decide the sword's fate with a bout?"

"No." Lin Yi shook his head.

Liu Qingnu couldn't help freezing. His brow furrowed, and disappointment welled up inside him.

Liu Qingnu believed that every Martial Artist was born with a competitive spirit.

If someone lacked that spirit, it proved they didn't have what it took, that they lacked the courage of a Martial Artist.

The man before him clearly had powerful True Qi, yet he didn't shrink from Liu Qingnu's challenge. Still, no matter how talented he was, he ultimately lacked the courage to charge forward without hesitation.

It was a waste of his talent and Martial Way cultivation.

Lin Yi's reasoning was simple.

He didn't fight pointless battles.

A bout that didn't involve life and death served no purpose beyond revealing his hand and drawing other people's attention and covetousness.

When it was time to lie low, he lay low.

When it was time to kill, he would grind his opponent's bones to dust.

Lin Yi said:

"This alley is too narrow for us to use our fists and feet properly. Outside the alley, it's noisy and chaotic. Neither place is suitable for a fight."

"But I have an idea."

Lin Yi bent down and picked up the long blade. At the same time, he urged his True Qi into the blade, then swung it sharply.

Scritch, scritch!

The black rust flaked away from the blade, revealing its bright surface. Strange, dark patterns emerged across it.

A sharp whistle cut through the air, and in an instant, a killing aura filled the narrow alley.

"Fine blade!"

Lin Yi's eyes flashed.

Liu Qingnu's eyes also lit up at the sight of the fine blade, and he was immediately captivated.

"Brother, what's your name?" Lin Yi looked at Liu Qingnu.

"My surname is Liu," Liu Qingnu replied instinctively.

"Good!" Lin Yi raised the blade into the sunlight. "Brother Liu, is this blade sharp?"

By now, Liu Qingnu's eyes were completely captivated by the blade. "Sharp! The sharpest I've ever seen!"

Lin Yi said, "Since a fine blade has a spirit, and we've both taken a liking to it, why not let the spirit residing within choose its master?"

Master Wu: "..."

Again?

Master Wu had a feeling that the whole thing was starting to seem familiar.

But he was also curious to see how Lin Yi would get the Blade Spirit to choose its master.

"The Blade Spirit chooses its master?" Liu Qingnu's eyes brightened. He had never heard of such a thing.

If a treasured blade truly had a spirit, then naturally it would choose someone it found compatible.

Liu Qingnu considered himself a fortunate man who had enjoyed good luck all his life.

First, he had been born with Grade A Bone Structure; then, the Great Demon had used its blood to purge impurities from his body.

If the treasured blade had a spirit, it might well choose him!

"If the Blade Spirit really can choose its master, I'll respect its choice. How do you propose we do it?" Liu Qingnu asked.

"It's simple. Just do what I do." Lin Yi smiled.

The next second, Lin Yi stretched out the arm holding the blade, turned his wrist, and tossed the entire blade spinning into the air.

The long blade shot over ten zhang upward. After pausing briefly, it spun around and came straight down, slashing toward the arm that had yet to withdraw.

Lin Yi closed his eyes and stood perfectly still.

Liu Qingnu's pupils contracted sharply, and he took half a step back.

He understood.

This wasn't testing the Blade Spirit at all. It was a gamble—whether the falling blade would sever that arm.

A madman!

A complete lunatic!

Now he understood what Lin Yi meant by testing the Blade Spirit.

He was going to see whether the falling blade would sever his arm.

If his arm wasn't severed,

then the so-called Blade Spirit had accepted him.

And the blade would be his.

But if his arm was severed,

then the Blade Spirit hadn't accepted him.

Then it would be Liu Qingnu's turn.

But would he really dare?

To wager his arm for a blade.

He didn't dare!

He had a bright future ahead of him. How could he let it be destroyed over one blade?

But if he didn't even dare to give the so-called Blade Spirit a chance to accept him, then did he have any right to compete with the other man for the blade?

The answer was no.

This was a masterful trap!

A blatant, masterful trap!

No matter what, this blade would no longer belong to him.

Liu Qingnu gave a bitter smile.

He had lost.

And he accepted the loss.

Watching Lin Yi stand motionless with his eyes closed, Liu Qingnu felt a wave of dejection rise within him, along with shame for having mistaken him for a coward.

This guy...

He really was a madman. A ruthless bastard.