When Zhang Qingyuan left the Listening to the Rain Pavilion, the pavilion master gave him a sheet of paper.
A sheet of white paper drifted naturally down from upstairs. Zhang Qingyuan caught it. Two sentences were written on it.
"Someone has paid to have Zheng Jianxin killed!"
"I did not take the job."
Zhang Qingyuan was immensely grateful and thanked him repeatedly.
That was all the pavilion master could tell him, because they were business partners, and even more because he considered Zhang Qingyuan a kindred spirit.
Telling him that someone wanted his senior brother dead and that his assassins had not accepted the job was already enough.
He could not openly tell Zhang Qingyuan who was plotting against their sect. That was professional ethics, a rule of the assassination world: even if they refused a job, they could not disclose the employer's information.
Even friendship could not override the rules.
Zhang Qingyuan was genuinely grateful. By telling him those two things, the pavilion master had already done everything kindness and duty demanded.
After they left the Listening to the Rain Pavilion, Fourth kept wondering who could be so dishonorable as to hire a killer.
"Qingyuan, what should we do?"
Fourth was rather anxious. An open spear was easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow was hard to guard against. Although Second Senior Brother usually acted like a cocky bastard, he was still their own senior brother, taught by the same master.
Besides, Old Second was quite endearing. He might barely say a word most days, but he really stood by his friends.
Basically, if you asked him to do something, he would actually do it.
Zhang Qingyuan studied the white paper in his hand. Apart from those two sentences, there was also a dot on it, as though ink had accidentally dripped onto the paper.
All this time, he had been pondering the true meaning of that ink spot.
The master of the Listening to the Rain Pavilion could not have dropped it accidentally. A Third Rank expert controlled his True Qi as easily as his own limbs. How could he be so careless that he could not even control his ink while writing?
Besides, even if he really had spilled some ink, he would have replaced the paper. Why use a sheet stained with ink?
So this had to be a hint from the pavilion master, pointing to the employer's true identity.
He thought it over and over without understanding. It was just a drop of ink. Where was the clue?
He said, "We'll go back and warn Second Brother to be careful. The Listening to the Rain Pavilion refused this job, but that doesn't mean whoever's behind it won't approach another organization.
"There are four assassin organizations in our Eastern Realm, and another organization of covert attackers."
Fourth nodded, then added, "And those are just the organized ones. There are freelancers besides them."
"Exactly."
After saying that, Zhang Qingyuan looked at the drop of ink again. Bai Shuyan reached over and took the paper. "Let me see."
While Bai Shuyan puzzled over the ink, Zhang Qingyuan simply continued pondering as they walked.
It had been morning when they entered. Now it was already noon.
The sun blazed overhead, and paths tangled through the dense woods.
Since both were considering the ink's meaning, neither watched where they were going.
After walking for a while, they suddenly stopped.
Zhang Qingyuan looked around. "Huh? Something's wrong."
Fourth looked at him and exclaimed, "Are we lost?"
Neither particularly wanted to admit it, but now they had no choice. They really were lost.
"Oh, fuck! We actually got lost!" Zhang Qingyuan was deeply unhappy, mostly because it was embarrassing.
The dignified sect master of the Tianyang Sect had gotten lost. People would laugh their teeth out if word got around.
Bai Shuyan turned in a circle but found no way out.
Then he took out a small compass and showed it to Zhang Qingyuan.
"You carry that thing around?" Zhang Qingyuan found it quite novel.
Fourth said smugly, "An essential divine tool for roaming the jianghu. Actually, I never used one before either. But ten years ago, one of my sweethearts was a Daoist nun. She gave me this as a token of our love."
Zhang Qingyuan looked down. Sure enough, the compass was rather delicate and had even developed a patina.
Holding the compass, Fourth watched its needle sway from side to side, muttering and gesturing along with it. "North up, south down, west left, east right... this way!"
With that, he pointed in a direction.
Zhang Qingyuan checked, then compared it against the compass. Only after confirming it was correct did he walk on with confidence.
Before long, they found a familiar road. Zhang Qingyuan had to offer Fourth some praise. "You've got a few tricks."
"Of course." Brimming with pride, Fourth began explaining, "Look at everything I'm wearing, from the accessories to the hairband, this compass, and this little knife. They're all love tokens."
Zhang Qingyuan could not help nodding. "That whole outfit really reminds me of an old acquaintance."
"Who?"
"An escort captain from my hometown. In his youth, he was as handsome and carefree as you. He carried far more love tokens than you do."
"Impossible!" Fourth did not believe him. "How could anyone be more of a womanizer than me?"
"Heh, so you do know you're a womanizer," Zhang Qingyuan said scornfully.
"What I had with every one of them was true love, and we all parted amicably. I never shirked my responsibilities!" Fourth hurriedly defended himself.
Zhang Qingyuan said, "That acquaintance was the same. He claimed there was always an ex-girlfriend of his within ten li."
Fourth was dumbstruck. A fierce competitive spirit blazed in his heart. "To think such a master exists! If I get the chance, I must exchange pointers with him."
Zhang Qingyuan did not want to continue this topic, so he asked instead, "Hey, what were you muttering when you checked the compass?
"Was it some Daoist method that female Daoist taught you?"
"Hey, hey, don't say that. It has nothing to do with the Daoist schools. It's just north up, south down, west left, east right. You know my sense of direction is poor. If I don't recite it while checking, I can't tell which way is which."
Fourth felt no shame, and Zhang Qingyuan had no intention of mocking him. There were plenty of people like that. In his previous life, some people could go the wrong way even while looking at navigation.
If the map faced the opposite direction, they even had to turn their phones around to look.
Suddenly!
Inspiration flashed through Zhang Qingyuan's mind, and he hurriedly called to Bai Shuyan, "Fourth Brother, the paper! Where's the paper?"
Fourth pulled out several sheets of rough paper. "Need to take a shit?"
"Not that! The sheet the pavilion master gave us!"
"Oh, right!" He hurriedly dug out that sheet and handed it to Zhang Qingyuan.
Zhang Qingyuan examined the ink stain. It was on the right side of the paper. Looking up at Fourth, he smiled. "North up, south down, west left, east right. The ink stain is on the right."
Fourth understood instantly. "East! The East Sea Sect!"
"Exactly, those fucking idiots. Didn't they come to discuss a merger on the day we buried Master?" Zhang Qingyuan ground his teeth.
Fourth remembered too and immediately said, "They've seen how strong Old Second is, so they're trying to strike from the shadows."
"It has to be them." Zhang Qingyuan crumpled the paper into a ball, his gaze turning vicious.
Fourth was furious as well. "What are you planning to do?"
Zhang Qingyuan said, "Since they've cast aside benevolence, they can't blame us for casting aside righteousness.
"The wind has risen. Then let the East Sea Sect disappear."
"Good."
Zhang Qingyuan had never been good-tempered. In the jianghu, reasoning was useless.
If you were reasonable, someone would exploit that trait and trap you so thoroughly that you could not say a word.
Qiao Feng had been reasonable, and they had schemed him from Beggar Sect leader into a Khitan.
Xuzhu had been reasonable, and they had schemed him from a little monk into a Shaolin traitor.
Li Xunhuan had been reasonable, and they had even schemed him into becoming the Plum Blossom Bandit.
So Zhang Qingyuan was the sort who struck first at the slightest rustle of wind through grass.
He liked making as many friends as possible, but likewise, he wanted his enemies as dead as possible.
He was not surprised that the East Sea Sect would strike from the shadows.
Never mind a martial arts world like this. Even in the twenty-first century of his previous life, business wars between big bosses involved snatching official seals, pouring boiling water over money trees, brawling in elevators, and even using dump trucks.
So in a high-martial world, what was hiring a killer?
Fortunately, the Listening to the Rain Pavilion, the Eastern Realm's foremost power, had not acted. Otherwise, Old Second really would have been in danger.
There was no need to worry about the others. Old Second's One Hundred Percent Advancement Pill would be enough to let him reach the Third Rank Realm at a critical moment.
Now he only needed to consider how to destroy the East Sea Sect legally and reasonably.
Meanwhile, Zheng Jianxin's fame had risen rapidly during this period, and he thoroughly enjoyed the feeling.
For a swordsman, making a name for himself was the finest tonic.
By now, his Four Extremes Sword Technique had reached the pinnacle, Flying Immortal from Beyond Heaven had entered perfection, and he had made some progress with One Sword Separates Generations as well.
His talent was indispensable to this, but so were the trials of the past half month and more.
Outside Donglin City, a swordsman had already been waiting for a long time.
He was a Fourth Rank swordsman from Song Province named Zhao Wuji, whose self-created Wuji Sword Technique had reached the pinnacle.
He had come to travel through Yu Province, never expecting to hear of a Sword Immortal in Donglin City.
He refused to accept it, so he had come to challenge him.
The two stood on the surface of a calm river, their True Qi supporting their bodies.
Their feet rested on the water, yet the flowing water did not wet their shoes.
On the bank, dozens of jianghu practitioners watched, along with two reporters from the Tianyang Daily, ready to record events as they unfolded.
Cradling his treasured sword, Zheng Jianxin said coldly, "You've come."
Zhao Wuji answered just as coldly, "I've come."
Zheng Jianxin shook his head gently. "You shouldn't have come."
His opponent froze. "Wait, I'm challenging you. I sent the challenge. If I didn't come, who would you fight?"
The corner of Old Second's mouth twitched. Forcing his expression to remain still, he cursed inwardly, Don't you swordsmen from Song Province know how to act cool?
You're actually explaining it to me? Who asked for an explanation!
"Your coming merely adds another departed soul beneath my sword."
His expression held a trace of pity, seemingly with a little helplessness as well.
That supremely arrogant statement completely ignited Zhao Wuji's fighting spirit.
Meanwhile, the spectators on the bank heard their exchange and could not help whispering among themselves.
"As expected, our Sword Immortal is stronger."
"Now that's the swordsman of my dreams. The Tianyang Sword Immortal, someone I'll always look up to."
"Wow, those words really get your blood pumping!"
Hearing the whispers from the bank, Zhao Wuji seethed with rage and shouted, "Ha! Let's see how you'll make me a departed soul beneath your sword. Take this!"
Zhao Wuji drew first, thrusting his longsword at Zheng Jianxin like lightning.
Zheng Jianxin remained unhurried, dodging sideways as he drew his treasured sword. With a light swing, he sent a streak of Sword Qi slashing toward Zhao Wuji. Zhao Wuji hurriedly raised his sword across his body to block. With a clang, he deflected the Sword Qi, but the impact numbed his arm.
The spectators gasped, admiring Zheng Jianxin's swordsmanship even more. Humiliation turned to fury, and Zhao Wuji attacked again, his sword moves sweeping in like a violent storm. Light on his feet, Zheng Jianxin moved freely through the rain of swords, like an immortal dancing upon white clouds, while seeking an opportunity to counterattack.
On the bank, the two reporters wrote furiously, watching the duel while their hands raced, missing not a single detail.
Suddenly, Zheng Jianxin spotted an opening. With a shout, he unleashed One Sword Separates Generations.
A fierce sword flash streaked past. Zhao Wuji's vision blurred, and a bloody line had already opened across his chest. His eyes widened in horror, unable to believe he had been defeated so easily.
Zheng Jianxin sheathed his sword and looked at him coldly. "Go home. Stop overestimating yourself."
Zhao Wuji clutched his wound, his face filled with shame and anger.
"Aah!!!" He raised his sword and attacked again, pushing his Wuji Sword Technique to its utmost.
Sword Qi gathered around him like raindrops. Countless invisible streaks of Sword Qi guarded him at their center as he charged at Zheng Jianxin.
At the same time, the Sword Qi transformed into a sky-filling rain of swords. "Sword Emerges Without Limit!"
The rain of swords swept toward Zheng Jianxin, leaving no gaps.
"Hmph!"
Zheng Jianxin gave a soft snort. A black sword radiance instantly condensed behind him, then spread out, forming before him with a series of clangs like a tortoise's armor, resembling a shell.
The sword rain struck the black sword radiance as though sinking into a muddy bog.
Four Extremes Sword Technique, Black Tortoise Defends the Mountain!
After the Sword Qi passed, Zhao Wuji was about to strike again when he saw a white sword radiance already before his eyes.
It moved too fast for the naked eye to follow. He instinctively wanted to block, but before he could react, the cold blade was already resting against his neck.
Zhao Wuji conceded, his eyes fixed on the sharp treasured sword beside his neck.
Zheng Jianxin looked at him with a stern gaze. "Do you concede?"
"I... I've lost... kill me." Zhao Wuji lowered his head.
Yet Zheng Jianxin suddenly withdrew his sword and turned sideways to look into the distance.
Zhao Wuji lowered his head blankly, staring at the withdrawn sword in disbelief. His voice trembled. "Y-you... why aren't you killing me?"
"I should have killed you, but considering that you're an opponent worthy of respect, I wish to spare your life."
"I'm... worthy of respect?"
Zheng Jianxin said, "Would you follow me and explore the farthest reaches of the sword Dao?"
Zhao Wuji looked up, his eyes brightening, and clasped his hands in salute.
"I swear to follow the Sword Immortal unto death!"
At that moment, Zheng Jianxin took out a sheet of paper and handed it to him.
Zhao Wuji hurriedly accepted it with care, excitement surging in his heart.
Something brought out at a time like this-could it be a fragment of some sword technique?
It had to be said that people sometimes imagined things in the best possible light.
After all, Zheng Jianxin's performance really had won him over.
Such a powerful swordsman, such a sharp-edged personality.
But when he lowered his head, he saw the words: "Tianyang Sect Swordsmanship Instructor Employment Contract."
"Huh?"
He was just about to ask when he saw that Zheng Jianxin had already turned away and was walking toward the bank, step by step across the water.
He did not forget to remind him, "Remember to sign it."
Zhao Wuji: "..."
When they reached the shore, everyone immediately crowded around, offering compliments.
Two reporters held pens and paper. "Sword Immortal Zheng, what are your thoughts on this duel?"
"Hmph." Zheng Jianxin snorted softly, his air of a master speaking for itself.
"Tell us why you didn't kill your opponent. Was it because his swordsmanship earned your approval?"
"Mm." The fellow nodded lightly.
The two reporters kept asking all sorts of questions, while everyone else surrounded him, showering him with praise.
Yet just then, two hidden weapons shot straight toward Zheng Jianxin's abdomen. Zhao Wuji, who had been behind Zheng Jianxin the whole time, instinctively warned him, "Watch out!"
Old Second instantly stepped back, drawing his sword to block at the same time.
Clang, clang.
After two crisp rings, he looked up and saw a man behind the crowd turn and run.
"Flying Immortal from Beyond Heaven!"
Old Second turned into a streak of white sword light, catching up to the man at tremendous speed.
His Sword Qi became a bolt of lightning that slashed at the man.
Unexpectedly, the assassin's movement technique was astonishingly fast. Twisting his body, he dodged the Sword Qi, leaving behind a section of his sleeve.
The others wanted to give chase, but Zheng Jianxin raised a hand to stop them.
On the ground, a sheet of white paper fell out of the sleeve he had cut off.
On it was a portrait of Zheng Jianxin, with a line of small text beneath it.
"Zheng Jianxin, eight hundred taels. The East Sea Sect will settle the balance."
The two reporters were very excited, and the other onlookers buzzed with discussion.
"Rest assured, Sword Immortal. Tomorrow's front-page headline in the Tianyang Daily will report everything exactly as it happened!"
Zheng Jianxin: "Hmph!"