Sword Coiling Like Dragons and Snakes

Hu Lieshan was overjoyed. "This junior could not ask for more!!"

"We were both born martial men. I only fear..." Zhao Dingjiang hesitated somewhat.

Lei Zhaoye smiled. "Brother Zhao, there is no need to worry!"

"The two of you may follow this old man to the rear mountain behind Nine Songs Sword Court's main hall, and we can talk there."

Lei Zhouyue's party of four remained in the open space beside the medicinal fields.

"My son, you did not think this through carefully enough! Learning swordsmanship and alchemy is unlike making social connections. First comes innate talent, second comes fate, and only third comes a master's guidance. The latter two need not be mentioned, but innate talent is something outsiders cannot help with. Take that nephew Liu you mentioned—his talent for the sword and aptitude for alchemy are likely once in a century!"

Lei Zhouyue pondered it carefully, while Lei Zhaoye felt some regret as he turned to look at Zhao and Hu.

"This matter need not be forced. If the two of us lack the affinity, then that must be Heaven's will." Zhao Dingjiang was quite carefree.

Lei Zhouyue nodded approvingly. "What sort of martial arts are you skilled in, little brother? Why not demonstrate them? Then this old man will know how best to instruct you."

Zhao Dingjiang drew the newly acquired Heavenly Wolf Spear from his back and performed a set of spear techniques. Countless silver gleams blossomed from the spear tip, while the shaft quivered like a flood dragon and a soaring dragon. In but a moment, he withdrew his stance!

"Good!" Lei Zhouyue nodded, and Lei Zhaoye was delighted. "When my father practices swordsmanship or observes martial arts, he has always been sparing with words. If he is willing to say 'good,' then there is truly something worthwhile in it."

"Please enlighten me, Senior!" Zhao Dingjiang cupped his fists.

"Let us casually trade a few moves!" Lei Zhouyue gathered a thread of alchemical power in both hands, gripped the sharp tip of the seven-foot sword in reverse, and aimed its hilt at Zhao Dingjiang. "Come! Attack me!"

Zhao Dingjiang flourished his spear in a pattern of flowers, but Lei Zhouyue chopped down at his head, his momentum heavy and imposing. Zhao Dingjiang was forced to leap aside and thrust again with the Heavenly Wolf Spear. Yet the old man stepped forward, raised his sword, and struck later only to arrive first, pointing at his throat!

"What spear technique is this? So fierce!" Zhao Dingjiang paled in alarm and retreated again. Fury burst from his body as his spear thrust in a barrage like wind and rain. Who would have thought that the old man would slash down with his sword once more, forcing Zhao Dingjiang to jump back again, before lifting the sword in another upward strike!

By then, Zhao Dingjiang had retreated four steps in a row, utterly unable to fight back!

"I say, old man, why do you keep going back and forth with just those two moves?" The words had barely left Hu Lieshan's mouth before he covered it, grinning sheepishly as he apologized. "Senior, this junior deserves a beating! Deserves a beating!"

"To act as one pleases is what makes a true man! From now on, call me old man whenever no one is around, and I will call you brat! Neither of us owes the other anything!" Lei Zhouyue laughed loudly. Another slash fell, and Zhao Dingjiang had nowhere left to retreat. The sword hilt pointed straight at his throat. Startled and delighted, he said, "Senior, your spear technique is divine! This junior submits!"

"Brother Zhao, this is not spear technique—it is the swordsmanship of our Nine Songs Sword Court! This sword differs from ordinary ones. Not only is it wielded with both hands, it is also a long-handled two-handed sword. Lift and strike, advance without retreat! At its highest realm, it dares call itself unmatched under heaven!" A trace of pride appeared on Lei Zhaoye's face.

Lei Zhouyue nodded continuously and hooked the spear up with his foot. "Little Brother Zhao, come again!"

"Father! Your sword addiction is acting up again. Brother Hu is still waiting for you to teach him!" Lei Zhaoye pulled Hu Lieshan over.

Hu Lieshan smiled bitterly. "Old Senior, I am only skilled with the saber. Your broad and sweeping swordsmanship can be transformed into spear technique, but it is of no use to me."

Lei Zhouyue nodded dejectedly. "I see! Then that old Cai's Peerless Swift Sword can be turned into the Purple Lightning Quick Blade. I simply do not know whether he would be willing to teach it..."

"He will! Why would he not? I'll take Brother Hu there!" Lei Zhaoye rejoiced. Pulling Hu Lieshan along with one hand, he instructed Zhao Dingjiang with the other, "Brother Zhao, just practice spearwork with my father. Leave Brother Hu's matter entirely to me!"

Zhao Dingjiang was beside himself with joy. In those brief four exchanges just now, it seemed as if the door to a new world had been thrown open, making his eyes shine. "What I learned in the village before, and the military spear techniques General Ying Hua taught me, are like children playing compared to this art—not worth mentioning at all!"

"Brat! Come!" Lei Zhouyue was exceedingly pleased and once more exchanged moves with Zhao Dingjiang.

Hu Lieshan looked at the old and young figures in the distance, envy and excitement stirring within him. "Brother Lei, is Sect Master Cai's swordsmanship centered on speed?"

"If my father were here, he could break it down for you completely. My swordsmanship is not yet accomplished, and I fear misleading others." Lei Zhaoye did not answer, instead pulling him swiftly toward Celestial Pivot Sword Hall. "It is right ahead!"

"Brother Lei, why is your sect called the Nine Songs Sword Court? The name sounds not only elegant, but brims with a chilling killing intent. It is so imposing!" Hu Lieshan was greatly intrigued.

"Ha! Because our sect was first founded by a man of Chu. That Senior greatly admired Minister Qu's resolve to die for his country, so he named it Nine Songs!" Pride rose in Lei Zhaoye's heart.

"I never expected your sect to possess such a stirring and heartrending tale!" Hu Lieshan sighed. "Then why was Sect Master Cai's Celestial Pivot Sword Hall named so?"

"Because the Four Swords Sect began with our sect, before splitting into three other sects. Celestial Pivot is the first star of the Northern Dipper, so it was named after that!" Cai Yuelin came running over, then added, "But I have always felt the name was forced and careless. It is not as imposing as Purple Lightning Sword Court! Haha!"

"That would be far too crude!" Lei Zhaoye laughed. "Where is Brother Liu?"

"He is playing Go with my father!"

The two hurried into the main hall of Celestial Pivot Sword Court. Within the sword court that had been resplendent and magnificent a thousand years ago, all had now faded into dull decay. The gold powder on the walls was mottled and flaking away in great patches; only the main hall retained a trace of its former grandeur!

"Your turn, worthy brother!" Cai Tingyue smiled at the board. Liu Yunshen placed a stone, leaving him deeply puzzled. "You placed this stone in my territory. Could it be that you can still devour my great dragon?"

After three more moves, on the seventy-eighth move, Cai Tingyue suddenly understood. Looking at the large group of stones on the left that were about to breathe their last, then at the great dragon on the right that would soon be killed, he marveled and raised a thumb. "Worthy brother, you are truly formidable!"

Liu Yunshen smiled bitterly. "Brother Cai, actually... actually, I guessed at that move blindly! Teacher did teach me Go, but the time was too short after all!"

"A blind guess could be this formidable? Let us play again!" Cai Tingyue began to gather the stones and reset the board, but Liu Yunshen smiled and stopped him. "Since your little brother guessed blindly, we may as well continue. Win or lose, we must finish the game."

"This... very well!" Cai Tingyue continued placing stones. The black stones gradually grew stronger. Though the great dragon on the right was killed, disaster turned into fortune, and he used his skill to mend the left side's single breath, temporarily preserving a sliver of life.

At the final juncture, Liu Yunshen was still outmatched, losing by a single point!

"Brother Liu, what a pity! Father, do not bully people!" Cai Yuelin patted Liu Yunshen's shoulder!

"Brother Liu truly lost regrettably!" Cai Tingyue also kept shaking his head. "But this Ghost Hand is truly extraordinary. I must think carefully on it!"

Liu Yunshen stared at the board, cold sweat gathering in his clenched palm. Was I not just like these white stones? Already moving second, beaten passively at every turn. Though I possessed supreme techniques, my cultivation was still far too weak! Even if those techniques could slightly stem the decline, I had no power to turn the tide.

"Worthy brother?" Seeing his pale face, Cai Tingyue thought he was disheartened by the game's outcome. Liu Yunshen shook his head with a smile. "Brother Cai misunderstands. This game merely moved me. When one's Go strength is weak, even if Ghost Hands emerge one after another, defeat remains difficult to avert. It is now just the hour of the Rooster, so your little brother plans to return and improve himself."

"Brother Liu is indeed a dragon and phoenix among men. Cultivating so courageously, how could you fail to attain the fruit of the Dao someday? Yuelin, you must learn more from your Brother Liu."

"Brother Cai! We shall meet again later."

Though Liu Yunshen and Cai Tingyue had spent only an hour together, they had already grown quite close.

As Cai Tingyue watched his brother leave, pride rose in his heart. "Brother Gong, Brother Ouyang, let us see how you two will compete with me for this little brother now. Haha."

"Martial Uncle Cai!" Lei Zhaoye bowed. Cai Tingyue looked at Hu Lieshan, stroking his beard with a smile. "Little Brother Hu, come, let us have some fun outside. Sitting here playing Go for too long leaves one's qi and blood stagnant! We should still practice martial arts!"

"Thank you, Senior!" Hu Lieshan was overjoyed.

Lei Zhaoye took the demonic saber Hundred Blades, once used by Cao Lie, from beside him and handed it to Hu Lieshan!

Cai Yuelin frowned. "Brother Lei, this saber's demonic qi is so heavy. Is it really suitable for Brother Hu?"

"Weapons are neither good nor evil; people are divided into righteous and wicked. Did you not hear what Brother Liu said?" Lei Zhaoye smiled.

"That may be true, but this saber's demonic nature is too heavy. You must still be careful when using it!" Cai Yuelin remained somewhat wary. Hu Lieshan gripped the treasured saber, ecstatic. "It truly is a fine saber! But I fear accidentally injuring..."

"No matter!" Cai Tingyue smiled. His body turned into a streak of blazing lightning, and his palm was already pressed against Hu Lieshan's chest!

"So fast!" Hu Lieshan cried out in delight. "This junior will first perform a set of saber techniques. Please instruct me, Senior!"

Cai Tingyue watched Hu Lieshan's footwork and saber techniques, secretly shaking his head. This child is fine material for martial arts, but it is a pity he was delayed by these troubled times. The saber arts learned in the army do not even compare to those of a third-rate sect!

After Hu Lieshan finished demonstrating, Cai Tingyue took Hundred Blades and smiled. "I will demonstrate a few moves..."

Before his words had faded, Hu Lieshan dropped to his knees with a thud, about to acknowledge him as master. Everyone could not help laughing. Cai Tingyue liked his honest, straightforward nature even more and laughed as he pulled him up. "Brother Hu, I said I would demonstrate a few moves. We are merely exchanging pointers."

Hu Lieshan felt slightly disappointed. Cai Yuelin and Lei Zhaoye whispered reminders, "Sect Master Cai has not personally demonstrated martial arts or instructed disciples for a long time. This opportunity is rare beyond measure—be sure to seize it!"

Hu Lieshan was overjoyed and fixed his gaze on Cai Tingyue's footwork. Countless violet-black arcs of lightning burst from Hundred Blades, three parts more vicious even than the swordsmanship of Celestial Pivot Sword Court! In merely four moves, Cai Tingyue finished the demonstration and tossed the saber to Hu Lieshan. "Little brother, demonstrate it once for me to see!"

"Please instruct me, Sect Master!"

Brimming with confidence, Hu Lieshan was just about to perform the saber technique when the Four Swords Sect suddenly shook with a thunderous tremor. Countless rays of alchemical light shot into the heavens! Seven-colored radiance burst from the heights of the Sword Tower, its sound shaking the world for a hundred li!

Lei Zhaoye and Cai Yuelin were both joyous and terrified. "More than seven hundred disciples of our Four Swords Sect broke through their realms at the same time!?"