Trade

"Myriad Swords Return to the Source?"

Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow. As expected, this girl was interested in that sword art. She had likely come tonight to probe him precisely because of it.

But how could he possibly know Myriad Swords Return to the Source?

It was really just something from a storybook.

Seeing Jiang Yuan remain silent, Guan Ling grew anxious and added, "Senior, I know this request is somewhat presumptuous, but it is of utmost importance to this junior."

"I hope Senior will not begrudge me your instruction!"

Jiang Yuan looked at the girl, whose eyes brimmed with earnest pleading. He did not rush to refuse, merely saying calmly,

"Miss Guan, setting aside whether this old man knows Myriad Swords Return to the Source, you should have heard me say before that cultivating this sword art requires one to sever one's own meridians, break before rebuilding, before it can be accomplished."

"Could it be that you wish to cripple your own cultivation?"

"This..."

Guan Ling bit her lip, seeming somewhat hesitant before she said, "Old sir, this junior seeks instruction in this sword art not for myself, but for my elder brother."

"Your elder brother?"

"Exactly."

Guan Ling lowered her head and spoke slowly. "This junior has an elder brother. He was once a dazzling genius of the Azure Profound Sect, but a year ago, he was ambushed. His cultivation was completely destroyed, his meridians severed inch by inch. He is already a cripple..."

As she reached this sorrowful part of the story, Guan Ling's eyes reddened, and her voice began to choke with sobs.

All along, she had regarded her elder brother as her role model.

But ever since that change a year ago, her brother had fallen from the mountaintop into the depths of the valley. He had never recovered from the blow, and had even given up on himself.

Whenever she recalled the way her brother had abandoned himself to despair, her heart twisted like a knife.

A fallen genius?

As Jiang Yuan listened to the story, he inexplicably found it a little strange.

Yet outwardly, he remained utterly composed.

"Miss Guan, this old man deeply regrets what happened to your brother."

"However, though Myriad Swords Return to the Source is a peerless sword art this old man has researched all his life, I ultimately failed to master it. I only possess some mnemonics and cultivation principles."

Jiang Yuan suddenly spoke, his tone seeming somewhat troubled.

"Cultivation principles?"

Guan Ling froze, her eyes brightening considerably. "Senior, are you saying that Myriad Swords Return to the Source truly was created by you?"

"Does a sword art that breaks before rebuilding truly exist in this world?"

Wonderful!

Her brother could be saved!

Joy welled up in Guan Ling's heart, and she became visibly more excited.

Jiang Yuan glanced at Guan Ling and said lightly, "Your brother's cultivation has already been destroyed, so he is rather suited to cultivating this old man's Myriad Swords Return to the Source. Perhaps he may have a sliver of a chance to succeed."

"However..."

"Why should this old man pass this sword art on to you?"

The meaning behind those words was obvious.

This old man was neither related to them nor acquainted with them. Setting aside whether he even knew Myriad Swords Return to the Source, even if he did, why should he teach it to them for nothing?

Where in the world was there such a thing as a free lunch?

Hearing this, Guan Ling naturally understood Jiang Yuan's meaning. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Old sir, as long as you can save my brother, this junior will certainly offer the greatest sincerity in repayment!"

"No matter what requests Senior has, this junior can agree to them!"

"Any request at all?"

Jiang Yuan shed his enigmatic image from before and smiled as he looked Guan Ling up and down, his gaze seeming to regard her like prey.

That look immediately made Guan Ling nervous.

But in the end, she lightly bit her pearly teeth and nodded.

"Yes. Senior, please give your orders."

"Sword arts!"

Jiang Yuan put away his smile and said calmly, "So long as you can produce sword arts that interest this old man, this old man will naturally be willing to exchange Myriad Swords Return to the Source with you."

"But this old man has already reminded you: no one has ever mastered Myriad Swords Return to the Source, including this old man himself."

"Even so, are you still willing to make the exchange?"

"Ah?"

Hearing this request, Guan Ling was stunned. She had not expected Jiang Yuan to ask for something like this.

She had thought Jiang Yuan would ask her to take him as her master.

After all, such a peerless sword art would surely only be passed down to a direct disciple.

And at this moment, she was certain that Jiang Yuan had to be a swordsmanship grandmaster who had retired from the martial world. Things like Nine Swords of Dugu and Six Meridian Divine Sword must all be sword arts created by the old sir himself—otherwise, why had she never heard of them?

Yet such a venerable senior was actually willing to lower himself and ask her for sword arts?

He truly was an old sword fanatic who lived to old age and learned until old age!

No wonder he could create so many sword arts.

"Of course!"

Delight spread across Guan Ling's pretty face as she immediately said, "Senior, this junior is willing to exchange the Azure Profound Sect's top-tier sword arts with you. I definitely will not let Senior suffer a loss!"

"Oh? Top-tier sword arts?"

Jiang Yuan was somewhat surprised.

This little girl had quite the background. A mere Qi Condensation Realm girl possessed the Azure Profound Sect's top-tier sword arts and actually dared to casually pass them on to an outsider?

At that, Jiang Yuan could not help but laugh.

"Why is Old Sir laughing?"

Guan Ling asked in confusion.

"Nothing. This old man thought of something pleasant."

A smile appeared on Jiang Yuan's face. "You are a girl who values loyalty and affection. This old man likes you very much, so there is no harm in giving Myriad Swords Return to the Source to you."

"I only hope your brother will not betray the sincerity in your heart."

"Thank you, Senior!"

Overjoyed, Guan Ling respectfully bowed to Jiang Yuan.

This old senior really was a good person!

Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded, then added, "Mm, but remember this well: only your brother may cultivate Myriad Swords Return to the Source. No one else must attempt to fathom the mysteries within it, or they will surely suffer a backlash. Do you understand?"

What a joke. He only intended to copy down some mnemonics for Myriad Swords Return to the Source based on memories from his past life. Who could actually cultivate it?

If a true swordsmanship expert from the Azure Profound Sect saw through it,

would they not come looking to make trouble for him?

"This junior naturally understands!"

Guan Ling nodded obediently, then spoke again somewhat bashfully. "Senior, Guan Ling has one more presumptuous request. Could I ask you to guide my sword practice for a few days?"

Jiang Yuan glanced at her and grinned.

"Sure. Only at night."

After agreeing with Guan Ling on the exchange of sword arts,

Jiang Yuan returned to his room, lit an oil lamp, spread out paper and brush, and furrowed his brow slightly.

"Myriad Swords Return to the Source?"

"This girl looks exceedingly sincere. If this old man merely fobs her off, it would seem rather shameless."

"So be it. This old man shall create a Myriad Swords Return to the Source!"

He picked up his brush and began writing furiously.

Drawing upon memories from his past life, as well as his insights into the Sword Dao after gaining the Primordial Sword Body, Jiang Yuan suddenly felt that creating a Myriad Swords Return to the Source was not entirely impossible.

At the very least, it would not kill anyone.

Whatever. As long as it could bluff people, that was enough!

Over the next several days,

Jiang Yuan's life remained plain and unadorned.

During the day, he told stories in the teahouse. No matter what he spoke of, Guan Ling sat below like a student and listened with exceptional attention, leaving the Azure Profound Sect disciples greatly astonished.

"Junior Sister, do you like listening to this old man's stories that much?"

"Yeah. Even when the Grand Elder teaches sword arts, I've never seen Junior Sister listen so attentively. This is truly strange."

"Junior Sister, when we return to the sect, how about we tie up this old man and take him back so he can tell you stories every day?"

Someone quietly offered this rotten idea, only to be immediately glared into silence by Guan Ling.

"Nonsense! You are not allowed to be so disrespectful toward Old Sir!"

How could they know that through their interactions over this time, Guan Ling had been completely won over by Jiang Yuan? She regarded him as a venerable senior of the Sword Dao, even as half a master of her own.

Every night when she practiced swordplay, Jiang Yuan tormented her until she felt half-dead, yet she also benefited immensely.

But for some reason, after each session of sword practice, she always felt exhausted, as though she had been drained dry.

Every single sword move was corrected.

It left Guan Ling feeling strangely addicted.

This old sir could actually draw out her potential in the Sword Dao!

What delighted her even more was that Jiang Yuan was preparing to teach her the cultivation principles of Myriad Swords Return to the Source tonight!