The Peril of Possessing a Treasure

Inside the inn, Qing Lingzi held a long sword, his demeanor calm and unhurried.

For a seasoned middle-aged swordsman, there's no need for a frantic chase and slashing.

For Qing Lingzi, by constantly pursuing and pressuring his opponent until he drives them to despair, he can easily eliminate them.

And this opponent is quite interesting.

Qing Lingzi wasn't inherently greedy, but he couldn't suppress the desires in his heart.

For swordsmen, the vertical and horizontal sword techniques of the School of Diplomacy represent the pinnacle of swordsmanship, the most coveted and ultimate sword skills.

As the head of the sword sect, few swordsmen had ever dared to challenge this school of thought.

When the School of Diplomacy declined, it quietly disappeared from the Southern Jambudvipa Continent.

This led to the disappearance of the swordsmanship of the Zongheng Sword Sect.

Qing Lingzi wasn't sure if Lei Bei possessed a top-tier sword technique from the Zongheng Sword Sect, but he was clearly willing to investigate thoroughly until Lei Bei revealed the sword technique he had mastered.

"It's no use running away to me today," Qing Lingzi said calmly. "Your cultivation level is far below mine, and I'm not some useless piece of trash like Duan Sheli!"

"This is unreasonable!" Lei Bei cried out in pain, "I only went into the Wenying Pavilion for a short while, and went to see the King immediately after I came out. The King waited for me for two days, and I waited for the King for seven days. This matter should be evened out!"

"You have no concept of hierarchy? Are you trying to compare yourself to the King?" Qing Lingzi said calmly, "With words like that, even if I don't kill you today, someone else will!"

"The worst that can happen is that I won't be a first-class guest retainer anymore," Lei Bei said.

"You think the King of Huainan's Household is a place you can come and go as you please!"

Qing Lingzi lowered her eyelids, her gaze indifferent yet tinged with a hint of pity for Lei Bei.

He gripped his sword in his right hand and moved with light steps toward the retreating Lei Bei.

"He seems to be from the Snow Mountain Sword Sect," Dong Zhongshu whispered.

"I don't care if he's from the Snow Mountain Sword Sect or some Qing Luo Heng, I can't beat him, and I don't want to fight him," Jin Chang muttered under his breath. "This guy used to be an assassin; if I don't kill him, he'll definitely kill me!"

"Qing Luoheng?"

Jin Chang was clearly very familiar with Qing Lingzi, even uttering the other's name in a low voice.

"This guy is a wanted criminal by the imperial court," Dong Zhongshu said. "He used to lead his disciples to storm the prefectural governor's mansion and kill all 139 people inside. I never expected him to change his name and defect to the King of Huainan."

As long as one doesn't flaunt the name of the Snow Mountain Sword Sect and openly mentions that one is Qing Luoheng, evading official searches shouldn't be too difficult.

For example, Zhang Cigong took the place of the groom Ruan Qigong, and so far no problems have arisen.

With Qing Luoheng joining the ranks of the King of Huainan, the King of Huainan's Household had clearly already resolved the issue of his identity.

Dong Zhongshu frowned slightly as he looked at the middle-aged swordsman who called himself Qing Lingzi.

He is an official, Qing Lingzi is a thief.

Although both have changed roles, this does not affect their true identities.

Dong Zhongshu had previously tried to avoid disaster, retreating to avoid it when he saw Lei Bei into the guesthouse. But now, he was more inclined to observe the situation calmly.

Qing Lingzi was wearing straw sandals, but the other person made no sound as they stepped forward and pressed closer.

The closer he got, the stronger the bloodlust on Lei Bei's face became.

"I'm somewhat interested in your swordsmanship," Qing Lingzi said, frowning. "If you're willing to hand over your swordsmanship manual, I'll cut off your right hand, and that will settle the matter."

"Pooh!"

"I'm only giving you one chance to choose," Qing Lingzi said calmly. "Your swordsmanship is excellent, but your death will have no impact on us whatsoever."

Qing Lingzi disdains the power of decluttering, but he Lei Bei, who challenges him from two different levels.

Yesterday's Lei Bei able to transcend levels and be killed by the severing of ties; what will happen to Lei Bei tomorrow?

Qing Lingzi was not the best swordsman, nor was he reluctant to give up the title of second best swordsman in the King of Huainan's Household's Mansion, but he did not want to die.

The King of Huainan and his crown prince had a certain interest in swordsmanship, and they would occasionally put on a sword fight performance.

Qing Lingzi recently sparred with Ninth Master, the number one swordsman, and both were injured.

If one day he were to have to fight Lei Bei a sword duel, Qing Lingzi was certain that he might die at that time.

Legend has it that the stronger the attack on the Horizontal Sword of the School of Diplomacy, the more ferocious the counterattack becomes, to the point that even the master of the Horizontal Sword technique cannot control its power.

The Snow Mountain Sword Sect's swordsmanship follows a dangerous and murderous path, making them almost completely countered by this type of swordsmanship.

Qing Lingzi didn't want to face that kind of accident.

Either he acquires the Horizontal Sword Technique, or Lei Bei killed, or he disregards the retaliation from the King of Huainan's Household and leaves Huainan.

Qing Lingzi clearly did not want to accept the last option at hand.

He pointed his sword at Lei Bei.

"A choice?" Qing Lingzi said calmly.

"Pooh!"

Lei Bei sprayed with a mouthful of smoke. Seeing Qing Lingzi approaching again with his sword, and Dong Zhongshu, Jin Chang and the others not coming to his aid, he quickly changed his tune.

"As long as you don't kill me or cut off my hands, I'm willing to hand over the Horizontal Sword Technique," Lei Bei said quickly.

"Hand..."

Lei Bei's haggling was a bit excessive for an assassin, but Lei Bei's mention of the Horizontal Sword Technique and his willingness to hand it over put Qing Lingzi in a difficult position.

"Keeping my arm won't bother you," Lei Bei. "If I lose my right hand, I'll starve to death. What's the difference between cutting off my arm and letting me die?"

"Ugh!"

"Take the sword manual if you want it. It's just a fragment I found. If you learn it well, maybe I can even learn from you," Lei Bei said quickly.

"Found it?"

Qing Lingzi was slightly taken aback.

Swordsmen from all over the world searched far and wide, but no one found the swordsmanship of the School of Diplomacy. On the contrary, this little-known cultivator had a stroke of good luck.

"Where is the incomplete copy?" Qing Lingzi asked.

"You have to promise not to kill me or cut off my right hand," Lei Bei.

"Hand over the incomplete copy first," Qing Lingzi said.

"If you can't guarantee you won't kill me or cut off my hands, I won't hand it over," Lei Bei stubbornly.

Once you get into negotiations with Lei Bei, the other party will stick to their guns.

Zhang Xuezhou and others Lei Bei before, so they were very clear about the young swordsman's character.

Lei Bei, however, encountered the indifferent Qing Lingzi.

Seeing the veins bulging on Qing Lingzi's forehead from time to time, the swordsman was clearly trying to control his temper.

"Isn't that Horizontal Sword technique you mentioned a top-tier skill?"

Zhang Xuezhou asked Dong Zhongshu and Jin Chang in a low voice.

"It's a top-tier technique!"

Jin Chang gritted his teeth and gave Dong Zhongshu a wink.

Both were trying to avoid disaster, but even the greatest calamity couldn't compare to the allure of a top-tier technique.

As long as they possess a top-tier skill as a pledge of allegiance, they can enter the "A-grade" room to seek the Huang-Lao arts to change their fate.

They are only one level above the Huang-Lao school of thought.

At this moment, Lei Bei already removed a piece of animal skin clothing from under his long coat.

The animal skin garment was engraved with the "Horizontal Sword," a top-tier technique of the Zongheng Sword Sect.