Thirteen Life-Taking Swords

Word soon spread that the notorious rapist Tian Boguang and Mount Hua's eldest disciple, Linghu Chong, had died in a tavern.

After making inquiries far and wide, some busybodies pieced together the details of what had happened.

The gist was that Yilin, a disciple of Abbess Dingxian, the leader of the Mount Heng Sect, had gone out on an errand and caught Tian Boguang's eye. The notorious rapist abducted her, only to encounter Linghu Chong along the way. Linghu Chong wanted to rescue Yilin from him, but he was no match for Tian Boguang, so he could only play along, hoping to persuade him to release her.

Judging by that alone, Linghu Chong could indeed be considered a gentleman who upheld justice and helped those in need.

However, many people had also witnessed him calling Tian Boguang his brother in the tavern, and even speaking up in his defense.

It was precisely because of that that the young man in white had killed him in passing.

Thus, opinions of Linghu Chong in the martial world were divided. Some believed he was indeed a chivalrous man. Even if he had called Tian Boguang his brother and defended him, his offense did not warrant death. They felt the young man in white had gone too far.

But more people thought the young man in white had done well to kill him. In their eyes, Linghu Chong was a petty man who could not distinguish right from wrong.

He thought Tian Boguang was far too innocent to be killed merely for making an offensive remark about the young man in white. But were the women whose chastity Tian Boguang had ruined not innocent too?

Moreover, according to the witnesses, the young man in white had been quietly eating all along and had never provoked anyone. Tian Boguang had recklessly courted death by insulting him, and had been killed as a result. He had brought it entirely upon himself.

As for Linghu Chong, although his offense truly did not warrant death, the young man in white had not been wrong. As the Mount Hua Sect's eldest disciple, he should have been an example to the Righteous Path of the Ming Jianghu. Yet he could not distinguish right from wrong, called a rapist his brother, and even defended him. He was utterly unworthy of being a Righteous Path disciple.

Regardless, he had now paid the price for his actions.

After word of the incident spread, Abbess Dingxian of the Mount Heng Sect arrived at the tavern the following day and took Yilin away, offering no comment on the matter.

Soon afterward, Yue Buqun, the leader of the Mount Hua Sect, also came in person and took away Linghu Chong's body.

It was said that his face had been expressionless, and he had made no threats. Before leaving, he had merely admitted before everyone that he had failed to teach his disciple properly and begged forgiveness from his fellow members of the Righteous Path.

Though he had not said so explicitly, he had clearly swallowed the loss.

As for Tian Boguang's body, the authorities took it away that same day.

Tian Boguang was a rapist with a criminal record. Although he had now met his punishment, they still had to take his body back to register the case and report its resolution.

The matter ended there, but the discussion showed no sign of dying down. Many people even began debating the identity of the young man in white.

However, the young man in white and his companions had disappeared after the incident. His ruthless methods and his ability to kill Tian Boguang with a single chopstick proved that his martial arts were certainly formidable, so no one dared court death by following them.

Thus, no one knew where the young man in white had gone.

Many people, however, remembered the distinguishing features of his party.

Young, highly skilled, handsome, and accompanied by two guards-a green-faced spearman and a swordsman wielding a Miao Saber...

Yu Huatian naturally knew nothing of these discussions. Even if he had known, he would not have cared.

Tian Boguang had deserved death many times over. As for Linghu Chong, he was merely a Mount Hua disciple. If he had not also been a child of destiny, Yu Huatian would not even have bothered personally killing someone with such paltry skills, for fear of dirtying his hands.

He cared even less about the Mount Hua Sect's reaction.

If Yue Buqun knew what was good for him, that would be the end of it. If not, Yu Huatian would wipe out his Mount Hua Sect as well.

Although the Five Mountains Sword Sects enjoyed considerable renown in the martial world, in terms of strength, even their combined forces barely qualified as a first-rate power. Individually, they did not even qualify as second-rate.

Mount Hua in particular had dwindled since the Sword-Qi Conflict, until it no longer qualified even as a third-rate sect. Had Feng Qingyang not still been there to hold the fort, and had outsiders not been wary of acting without knowing the sect's true depth, Mount Hua would have been destroyed long ago.

After all, the Mount Hua Sect's Violet Mist Manual was a fine internal cultivation art, and plenty of people in the martial world coveted it.

Why would Yu Huatian take such a worthless sect seriously?

After leaving the tavern, Yu Huatian and his two companions headed straight out of town and traveled west toward Dragon Gate Pass.

Dragon Gate Pass lay in the northwest of Ming, but the overland route was too long. The fastest way to reach it was to take a boat along the Luo River, so Yu Huatian chose to travel west by water.

To avoid attracting attention, Yu Huatian did not take an official vessel. Instead, he found a merchant ship and had the boatman arrange a secluded cabin for him. After paying, he returned to the cabin alone, shut the door tightly, and opened the system.

Killing Tian Boguang and Linghu Chong had earned him over nine thousand strands of destiny. Added to his previous savings, his plundered destiny had once again exceeded ten thousand, enough for a silver draw.

Yu Huatian felt a little anticipation. What fine prize might a silver-tier draw yield?

"System, draw one Silver Reward!"

Yu Huatian gave the order in his mind.

Light flickered across the system interface. Ten thousand strands of plundered destiny were deducted, and a martial arts manual depicting sword techniques appeared.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, host. You have obtained the martial art: Thirteen Life-Taking Swords.]

Thirteen Life-Taking Swords?

Yu Huatian froze, somewhat surprised.

It was not that he thought the martial art was bad. Rather, drawing another sword art felt like chicken ribs-too meager to savor, yet a pity to discard.

In terms of swordsmanship alone, the Three-Pronged Sword Art he had devised himself was already enough to handle ordinary martial experts, let alone the Seventy-Two Sword Forms from the Sunflower Manual.

The Seventy-Two Sword Forms encompassed most of the variations in the world's sword techniques and were exquisitely refined. With those forms alone, he could sweep aside most swordsmen under heaven.

As for the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords, it was the hereditary sword art of the wandering swordsman Yan Shisan. It had a modest reputation in the martial world, but in terms of intricacy, it certainly could not compare with the Sunflower Manual's Seventy-Two Sword Forms.

The true power of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords lay in the Fourteenth Sword and Fifteenth Sword that Yan Shisan had created himself.

That was why Yu Huatian found it somewhat unrewarding: these Thirteen Life-Taking Swords did not include the Fourteenth Sword or the Fifteenth Sword.

[Ding!]

[Martial art detected: Thirteen Life-Taking Swords. Would you like to receive the infusion?]

Just as Yu Huatian placed the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords in the system space, another system prompt sounded in his mind.

Yu Huatian hesitated briefly, then decided to learn it anyway. "Yes."

Whoosh-

In an instant, the essential teachings of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords flooded Yu Huatian's mind.

But this infusion was different from the earlier infusion of the Sunflower Manual.

The Sunflower Manual had been a benefit from the beginner's gift package. It had come at complete mastery from the outset, so Yu Huatian had not needed to spend time cultivating it gradually.

This time, however, the system merely transmitted the manual for the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords into Yu Huatian's mind as memories. It did not include the art's various transformations or any cultivation experience.

To master the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords fully, Yu Huatian would still have to work through it himself.

After a cursory look, Yu Huatian became even more certain of his earlier judgment.

In terms of intricacy alone, the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords indeed could not compare with the Sunflower Manual's Seventy-Two Sword Forms. Yet it seemed to be a sword art made for killing, far surpassing the Seventy-Two Sword Forms in ruthlessness.

Every one of the thirteen forms aimed to kill, with no thought given to countering techniques or defending.

"No wonder Yan Shisan took up assassination, despite being a wanderer..."

An assassin sought either to kill with a single strike or, if that strike failed, flee a thousand miles away. Most assassins were not adept at fighting their enemies head-on.

The Thirteen Life-Taking Swords was an extremely aggressive art. For an assassin, nothing could have been more suitable.

Yu Huatian shook his head, then looked at the system interface. "System, open the status panel."

"Ding!"

Host: Yu Huatian

Realm: Peak Grandmaster

Martial arts: Boy Skill (complete mastery), Sunflower Manual (complete mastery), Thirteen Life-Taking Swords (uninitiated+)

Plundered destiny: 6,436

After one Silver Reward draw, his destiny had dropped back to just over six thousand.

However, Yu Huatian paused when he saw the "+" displayed after "uninitiated" beside the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords.

Could it be...

A possibility occurred to Yu Huatian, and he tried tapping the "+"...

Whoosh-

In an instant, the mnemonic verses and key cultivation points for the First Sword of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords appeared in Yu Huatian's mind.

At the same time, a small figure seemed to appear deep within his mind, holding a longsword and demonstrating the First Sword of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords over and over.

After an unknown length of time, Yu Huatian abruptly returned to his senses. He had now fully mastered the variations of the First Sword.

Almost instinctively, the Three-Pronged Sword beside him flashed out of its sheath. A cold gleam cut through the cabin as the sword swept through the air, seemingly cleaving the air itself. An instant later, the cabin was quiet again.

Yu Huatian remained seated on the berth, his left hand gripping the middle of the scabbard. The Three-Pronged Sword was sheathed, as though it had never moved.

Yet not far away, the old table suddenly began to crack.

Crash-

With a dull thud, the table collapsed.

A closer look revealed that all four legs had been severed cleanly through the middle. The cut surfaces were smooth and clear as mirrors, as though they had been sliced apart in a single instant.

Thirteen Life-Taking Swords, First Sword-Sword Thrust to Seal the Throat!

Yu Huatian's eyes lit up as though he had suddenly discovered a new world. He hurriedly looked at the system interface. Sure enough, his status panel had changed.

Host: Yu Huatian

Realm: Peak Grandmaster

Martial arts: Boy Skill (complete mastery), Sunflower Manual (complete mastery), Thirteen Life-Taking Swords (First Sword+)

Plundered destiny: 6,336

The Thirteen Life-Taking Swords had changed from "uninitiated" to "First Sword," while his plundered destiny had decreased by one hundred.

The corners of Yu Huatian's mouth lifted slightly. Just as he had thought!

Plundered destiny could be used not only for draws, but also to improve martial arts.

That meant that no matter how difficult the martial arts he obtained in the future might be, he could learn them instantly as long as he had enough destiny.

He would never again need to worry about lacking talent or comprehension!

Yu Huatian looked once more at the "+" beside the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords.

Mastering the First Sword had cost one hundred strands of destiny. How much would it take to learn all thirteen?

Without hesitation, Yu Huatian tapped it again.

Second Sword, Returning Wind Seizes the Moon: one hundred and fifty strands of destiny.

He tapped again-

Third Sword, Green Peak Slashes the Face: two hundred strands of destiny.

He kept tapping-

Fourth Sword, Wrist-Breaking Sword Flick: two hundred and fifty strands of destiny!

A short while later, Yu Huatian absorbed the variations of the thirteen swords in his mind while checking his status panel:

Host: Yu Huatian

Realm: Peak Grandmaster

Martial arts: Boy Skill (complete mastery), Sunflower Manual (complete mastery), Thirteen Life-Taking Swords (complete mastery)

Plundered destiny: 1,236

The Thirteen Life-Taking Swords had reached complete mastery, and the "+" beside it had vanished.

Each successive sword cost fifty more strands of destiny than the previous one. In total, he had spent five thousand two hundred strands-not much at all.

After all, an ordinary person would need at least a dozen years, perhaps even decades, to master these thirteen swords, and might still fail to reach Yu Huatian's current level.

"With destiny's help, I'll be able to master any martial art quickly from now on!"

Having discovered another use for destiny, Yu Huatian was in excellent spirits.

He then carefully reviewed the various transformations of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords. Only after confirming that he had mastered them all and lacked nothing but practical combat experience did he close the system and sink into a deep sleep.

Over the next few days, Yu Huatian kept himself shut in his cabin, even paying the boatman to deliver his meals.

Apart from occasionally going out to relieve himself, he spent all his time studying the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords.

Although he had already mastered the art completely, Yu Huatian still wanted to see whether he could work out a fourteenth variation.

After all, in the original story, Yan Shisan had created the Fourteenth Sword and Fifteenth Sword by refining the foundation of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords.

The Fifteenth Sword in particular was no less powerful than Ye Gucheng's Heavenly Immortal from Beyond the Heavens. In the original story, it had nearly killed the Sword God, Xie Xiaofeng. It was a sword technique that scarcely belonged to the mortal world.

But he had yet to devise even the Fourteenth Sword. Thinking about the Fifteenth Sword now was clearly reaching too high and too far.

Yu Huatian was in no hurry. He first tried refining the techniques of the initial thirteen swords, combining them to create the Fourteenth Sword.

Yet after days of sustained effort, he still had no idea where to begin.

Yu Huatian had even begun considering whether he should seek out Yan Shisan directly and ask him about the essentials of the Fourteenth Sword. But Yan Shisan was only modestly famous at present and could be working as an assassin anywhere. There was no telling whether he had even comprehended the Fourteenth Sword yet.

He could only abandon that thought. For now, he still had to rely on himself.

Yu Huatian had his own pride. He refused to believe that Yan Shisan could comprehend the Fourteenth Sword, and even the Fifteenth Sword, while he could not.

They were both characters from martial arts dramas, but he was the final villain, whereas Yan Shisan was merely a supporting character-at most, the second male lead.

Even in terms of their current standing, he was the exalted director of the West Depot. Throughout Ming, aside from a select few, he could hold everyone else's life and death in a single hand.

Yan Shisan, by contrast, was still a down-and-out wanderer, perhaps even taking assassination jobs to make ends meet. Yu Huatian refused to believe he could not measure up to him...

Hmm? Killing?!

Suddenly, Yu Huatian thought of Yan Shisan's current line of work.

As an assassin, his first consideration would certainly be killing. As it happened, the initial thirteen swords of the Thirteen Life-Taking Swords were all killing moves. Thus, when Yan Shisan comprehended the Thirteenth Sword, his thoughts must also have revolved around killing and the preceding thirteen variations.

In other words, the Fourteenth Sword must also have been connected to killing!

Moreover, he remembered that in the original story, Yan Shisan had sought out Xie Xiaofeng for a duel after comprehending the Fourteenth Sword. His heart must have been filled with resentment then, and he had wanted to kill Xie Xiaofeng to prove himself.

Previously, no matter how much renown he earned in the martial world, people always compared him with Xie Xiaofeng. He was like Xie Xiaofeng's shadow.

Thus, when he later sought out Xie Xiaofeng for a duel, he had also wanted to cast all that aside and prove himself: Yan Shisan was Yan Shisan, not Xie Xiaofeng.

At that moment, Yu Huatian vaguely glimpsed a way forward.

Before he could think it through, however, the ship suddenly stopped.

Immediately afterward, someone knocked on the door, and Zhao Tong's voice came from outside. "Director, we've reached Dragon Gate!"

We're here already?

Yu Huatian returned to his senses, feeling somewhat dazed. Then he took a deep breath, stood, opened the door, and walked out.

--

I was in a bad mood after finishing my writing, so I opened my phone and played a couple of games. Afterward, I suddenly realized my mood had actually been pretty good before...

(End of chapter)