At that moment, Jiang Wuchao’s sword energy condensed into three sword formations. One trapped “Chongyuan’s” neck, while the other two restrained “Chongyuan’s” limbs.
Jiang Wuchao, gripping the Minglan sword, stepped back. “Chongyuan” bared his teeth and stumbled as Jiang Wuchao dragged him over.
The evil spirit inside Wang Dayong’s body seemed to be in great pain, twisting and struggling.
Jiang Wuchao flicked his wrist, creating another sword formation that spread out like ripples on water. The sound of crashing waves arose, deafening Lu Xiaochan and making him dizzy.
That “Chongyuan” was then overwhelmed by the final sword formation. Jiang Wuchao sent his flying sword through Wang Dayong’s body, pinning a cluster of evil spirits firmly to the tavern wall, before disappearing along the sword’s length.
Lu Xiaochan was still in a daze. He lowered his head and vomited everything he had eaten earlier.
His ears were ringing, and in the end, he even threw up bile.
“I told you earlier, you’d regret watching this spectacle to the end,” Shu Wuxi’s voice sounded.
Lu Xiaochan covered his ears, but the sound of crashing waves in his mind continued unabated.
Wang Dayong’s corpse fell to the ground. His eyes were bulging, and his face was covered in silt, as if he had crawled out of the mud.
The villagers watched from afar, not daring to approach.
Jiang Wuchao sheathed his sword and sighed, lowering his head.
“Fellow villagers, this butcher was also a victim of foul play. Now that the evil spirit has left his body, I hope you all will remember your neighborly bonds and give him a proper burial.”
Suddenly, all the villagers crowded around, some kneeling, others kowtowing.
“So this is the true Immortal Lord!”
“Thank you, Immortal Lord, for driving away evil and subduing demons for us!”
While everyone was thanking Jiang Wuchao, someone noticed the fake Immortal Lord trying to squeeze out of the crowd and escape.
“The charlatan is trying to run!”
“Trying to escape! If it weren’t for your bad advice that ruined our Lushu Town’s… feng shui! How could an evil spirit have entered?”
The villagers, not understanding what an evil-repelling charm was, simply equated it with feng shui.
“Beat him to death!”
“He’s been freeloading for so many days!”
Jiang Wuchao barely managed to stop the villagers from assaulting the fake Immortal Lord. When he turned around again, he found that Lu Xiaochan and the young gentleman sitting on the roof ridge had disappeared.
Lu Xiaochan, holding a bamboo branch, staggered all the way back to the inn with Shu Wuxi, and immediately collapsed onto the couch.
“I feel so awful…What’s going on?”
“That’s because the power Jiang Wuchao borrowed for his Minglan sword was sound. Your hearing is more sensitive than most people’s, so naturally, you’re more affected than ordinary folks.”
“Borrowed power… What’s that?”
“Whether it’s an immortal with a thousand years of cultivation or someone wielding a divine weapon, a person’s power is always limited. Evil spirits in this world feed on desires; the more evil thoughts they absorb, the stronger they become. In contrast, sword masters of immortal sects emphasize resonance with heaven and earth, borrowing spiritual energy from all things in the world to exorcise evil and dispel fiendish energy. This is called borrowing power.”
“Oh… You just… just said that Jiang Wuchao’s master… Ling Niangwu’s level was only ‘borrowing power’? Is there something more powerful than that? And what level is Jiang Wuchao at?”
Although the sound of ocean waves persisted in her ears, whenever Shu Wuxi spoke, Lu Xiaochan felt as if a gentle breeze was entering a secluded valley, bringing comfort and peace to her ears.
“The initial stage of cultivation is naturally to form the golden core. Without the golden core, there’s nowhere to store true spirit.”
“Hmm, and then?” Lu Xiaochan reached out to tug at Shu Wuxi’s sleeve, but Shu Wuxi still avoided it.
Whenever he stopped talking, Lu Xiaochan felt terribly uncomfortable.
“Next is ‘entering the power.’ At this level, cultivators empathize and resonate with all things in the world, learning to establish connections with worldly beings and find the essence they’re most adept at borrowing. This is Jiang Wuchao’s current level.”
“Oh, oh, he’s good at borrowing sound?”
“Yes.”
Shu Wuxi fell silent again, and Lu Xiaochan kicked off the blanket in frustration.
Would it kill you to say a few more words?
Always just “hmm,” “hmm,” “hmm,” it’s not like you’re on the toilet!
What’s with all the “hmm”-ing!
Shu Wuxi calmly picked up the blanket and covered Lu Xiaochan again.
Seeing that Lu Xiaochan was about to kick off the blanket again, Shu Wuxi firmly grasped his ankle through the blanket.
His strength didn’t seem great, but it was enough to keep Lu Xiaochan’s leg from moving.
“At Jiang Wuchao’s current level, he’s only skilled at borrowing sound. So the sword formations he creates have limited power.”
Shu Wuxi explained patiently, his voice soft and continuous, yet carrying a unique spiritual energy that crept into Lu Xiaochan’s heart through his myriad thoughts.
“Oh, oh, and after that?”
“After that comes true ‘borrowing power.’ At this level, mountains, rivers, and lakes can all be incorporated into formations. The power of sword formations can be as vast as the Kun Peng or so subtle it’s hard to discern with the naked eye.”
So this level was about coordination.
“Is this the level of sect leaders?”
“Yes. Ling Niangwu of Zhiwu Mountain Villa was already skilled at borrowing power six hundred years ago. But after another seven hundred years, he still hasn’t entered the ‘great power’ stage.”
“What’s that?”
“Borrowing the essence and souls of three thousand worlds, bringing all the sword energy in the world into the formation.”
Lu Xiaochan’s fingertips trembled slightly. “Is this the so-called ‘trend of the times, unstoppable’?”
“More or less.” Shu Wuxi gently pressed Lu Xiaochan’s ankle through the blanket.
Lu Xiaochan deliberately tried to kick him, rolling around on the bed, sometimes trying to provoke Shu Wuxi, until finally Shu Wuxi held Lu Xiaochan’s waist with one hand and gripped his ankle with the other. His hair fell down, and Lu Xiaochan could smell his scent more clearly, so he squinted and smiled.
“That’s amazing! Is there anyone in the world who can reach this level?”
“Of course there is.”
Shu Wuxi’s voice gave no indication that he was restraining Lu Xiaochan, or that Lu Xiaochan’s constant movement had worn away his patience. On the contrary, the pressure with which he held Lu Xiaochan was just right, making him unable to move freely yet not feeling completely restricted.
“For example?”
“Like Sword Master Chen Miu of the Nanli Jingtian, whose Twilight Sword can borrow the essence of the sun and moon.”
“Who else?”
“Sword Master Huo Fu of the Xiyuan Jingtian, whose Zhongxiao Sword can borrow the souls of mountains and earth veins.”
“That’s amazing! What about other sword masters?”
“In the battle of Wuyi Jingtian 1,300 years ago, the sword masters of the Dongxu and Beiming fell, leaving no successors.”
“I see…” Lu Xiaochan sighed, “Then what about the Wuyi Jingtian? I know the Sword Master of Wuyi Jingtian, his name is Yang Cang! It means ‘In the vast three thousand worlds, all living beings are in one’s thoughts’, right?”
Shu Wuxi’s fingers suddenly tightened on the blanket, nearly breaking Lu Xiaochan’s bones.
“Ouch! That hurts!”
Shu Wuxi immediately loosened his grip.
“…You still remember him?”
His voice, which had been devoid of emotion until now, suddenly seemed to carry human feeling.
A sense of expectation spilled from his throat, yet he had to hold it back tightly, making one feel inexplicably heartbroken upon hearing it.
“The old beggar who raised me told me about him. I’ve never met Yang Cang or heard him speak, so there’s no question of ‘remembering’ or not.”
At that moment, Lu Xiaochan felt as if a spark was about to illuminate the darkness, but it instantly dimmed and extinguished.
Leaving only a darkness that words couldn’t describe.
“Are the various sword masters the limit of cultivation?”
“There’s one final realm – removing power.”
“Removing power? Does that mean no longer borrowing the spirit of all things in heaven and earth?”
“Yes, creating from nothing is to become a true god. No one can reach this realm.”
“Oh.”
“Can you sleep now?”
“My ears are still uncomfortable…Why don’t you sing a song for me? Maybe I’ll fall asleep while listening?”
Lu Xiaochan reached out to touch Shu Wuxi through the blanket.
Shu Wuxi reacted as if burned, wanting to avoid the touch, yet he didn’t move away.
Lu Xiaochan was delighted. So besides blowing air, I can touch you like this too!
He took a chance and, through the blanket, grasped Shu Wuxi’s hand in return.
Previously, Shu Wuxi’s breathing had been calm and composed, but now Lu Xiaochan couldn’t hear his breath at all.
“Brother Wuxi, so this is what your wrist feels like.”
Lu Xiaochan’s fingers curled around it. Fortunately, the blanket was thin this season, allowing Lu Xiaochan to feel the curve of Shu Wuxi’s wrist bone.
“Brother Wuxi, are your hands resting on either side of me?”
Lu Xiaochan turned his face to ask.
“…Yes.” Shu Wuxi’s voice was a bit tense and warm, as if his breath would ignite a wildfire if it touched Lu Xiaochan.
“That’s nice, it’s like you’re embracing me.” Lu Xiaochan carefully moved his fingers, as if slipping them between Shu Wuxi’s.
“Xiaochan, do you have any other questions? If not, you should sleep…”
“I do! Are your fingers long, smooth, and beautiful?” Lu Xiaochan asked.
“I… don’t know what kind of hands you would consider beautiful.”
This was the first time Shu Wuxi’s answer wasn’t certain.
But Lu Xiaochan liked the hesitation in his voice.
“Then remember this: to me, your hands are the most beautiful hands. Because they tuck me in and protect me.”
Lu Xiaochan smiled with eyes half-closed, believing that while Shu Wuxi might not understand beauty or ugliness, or the difference between extreme wealth and poverty, he surely understood Lu Xiaochan’s gratitude and appreciation for everything he’d done.
For a long time, Shu Wuxi didn’t respond, simply allowing Lu Xiaochan to hold onto him through the blanket.
