The Barbed Words and a Swift Blade

—When others are ignorant of your stratagem, you have already secured half your victory.

Wan Ren recognized Jueziming, whose moniker was the ‘Cloud-Summit Sword Immortal.’ As the name implied, Jueziming had achieved considerable mastery in swordsmanship; otherwise, the epithet ‘Immortal’ would never have been appended to their name.

They had participated in numerous martial world activities centered around the sword, including competitions, exhibitions, and even lethal confrontations.

During Jueziming’s lifetime, Wan Ren had once sparred with them. Jueziming’s sword art was remarkably soft and seemingly powerless, akin to delicate silk, with no discernible lethality in its movements. Yet, if one were to launch a fierce assault, they would immediately be met with a potent counter-attack, as if encountering a needle hidden within cotton, or a blade concealed within silk.

Wan Ren, of course, harbored no fear for Jueziming, nor for the Flowing Flowers Over Water Sword Sect. However, East Bamboo Immortal possessed little knowledge of the Flowing Flowers Over Water Sword Sect, and while she was proficient in unarmed combat, she was inevitably constrained by their intricate sword formations.

Guan Xuelan, Ye Shuanghong, and Wen Tanzi, among others, stood as the preeminent Sword Guardians of the Flowing Flowers Over Water Sword Sect, famously known as the ‘Ten Flowers Facing the Moon.’ Their collective strength was rumored to rival, if not surpass, that of the former ‘Five Flowers Gathering the Moon.’ Were their Flowing Flowers Over Water Sword Formation to be wielded by all ten of them in concert, its power would undoubtedly amplify. Fortunately, only two were present on the field; yet, even with just these two working in tandem, East Bamboo Immortal found herself struggling to cope.

Whenever either Guan Xuelan or Ye Shuanghong made a move, the other would invariably follow with a supporting strike. While their swordsmanship was not yet consummate and possessed flaws, each time East Bamboo Immortal seized upon one’s opening, the other’s subsequent sword technique would inevitably obscure the former’s vulnerability. Their sword moves flowed ceaselessly, and the more ferocious East Bamboo Immortal’s attacks became, the more potent the counter-attacks she faced.

Yi Ranchén had been observing from the sidelines for a considerable time. Having been trained by a celebrated sword master, she possessed an innate understanding of sword combat, discerning its intricacies with a mere glance.

Although she had never heard the name He Zhibei, observing Ren Xinzuo’s swordsmanship today had already granted her profound insights. As for the Taiyi Juntian Sword, she had learned of it from her master, Cheng Lixue. Now, with the addition of Guan Xuelan’s Starfall Sword Art and Spring Water Sword Art, she felt that her journey to East Bamboo had been truly worthwhile. Upon her return, she resolved to recount every sight and sound to her master.

—East Bamboo Immortal, everything you have done for East Bamboo is witnessed by the heavens; you have already fulfilled your benevolence and righteousness to the utmost. Why persist in this struggle against us? We did not come to East Bamboo to kill and burn, but to bring prosperity to the common people. We implore you to cease fighting and concede defeat!

Ma Yan surveyed the members of the Southern Dipper Star, then stepped forward and declared.

—Brother Ren has already injured your heart meridian. Should you continue to struggle, your cultivation will undoubtedly suffer. Why remain so stubbornly misguided?

Upon hearing Ma Yan’s words, Director Ji subtly cast a sidelong glance, having already discerned his intentions.

—If you surrender now, we will not harm you in the slightest.

He had initially intended to say ‘we of Polaris,’ but then he reconsidered, realizing that Director Ji was the true leader of this expedition, and only Director Ji could represent the Polaris Academy of Sciences. He couldn’t speak so casually, so he swallowed the words ‘of Polaris’ back down.

—All the esteemed individuals of the Southern Dipper Star are eminent figures of this age. Mr. Wan’s swordsmanship is extraordinary, Mr. Zhu’s reputation is widespread, and Fenghu and Yunlong, the two elders, are formidable forces. Though this Mr. Ji does not reveal his true name, he is nonetheless an honorable and forthright gentleman. As for this young lady, while her cultivation may be shallow and her strength lacking, she hails from a renowned sect and, given time, will undoubtedly become a celebrated sword master. With them present as witnesses, should any one of us renege on our word after East Bamboo Immortal surrenders and presumptuously attack her with blades, then let every single one of us perish without a proper burial place.

The moment these words were uttered, a subtle surge of anger rippled through the Polaris contingent. This Ma fellow was spouting sheer nonsense, truly unbearable to listen to.

He was making a pledge to East Bamboo Immortal, yet he proclaimed, ‘Should any one of us renege on our word, let every single one of us perish without a proper burial place.’ He should speak only for himself; why drag everyone else into it? If this Ma character were to betray his word, would they all be forced to die alongside him?

Had Director Ji uttered such a statement, those present might have found it acceptable. But who was this Ma fellow, to dare implicate everyone in his pronouncements?

However, Chi Yiheng, the scholarly man, and his companions did not share this sentiment. On the contrary, they believed that speaking in such a manner lent greater credibility to the statement. If all instances of ‘we’ in Ma Yan’s speech were replaced with ‘I,’ the weight of his words would be too slight to sway East Bamboo Immortal in that moment.

They harbored no illusions that East Bamboo Immortal would actually consider surrender. Ma Yan’s words, no matter how grandly spoken, were merely a ploy to disrupt East Bamboo Immortal’s thoughts, thereby granting Guan Xuelan and Ye Shuanghong a slight edge in their fight.

As for East Bamboo Immortal herself… having long endured the crucible of battle, Ma Yan’s words might not have any discernible effect. Yet, even if there was merely a one-in-ten-thousand chance that East Bamboo Immortal might be momentarily distracted, granting Guan Xuelan and Ye Shuanghong an opportune moment, then such exaggerated rhetoric was entirely worthwhile—its only cost being a further decline in everyone’s impression of Ma Yan.

However, his reputation was already so tarnished that he likely cared little whether others’ impressions of him were good or bad. How much worse could it possibly get?

On the Southern Dipper Star’s side, Fenghu and Yunlong, the two elders, exchanged glances with Wan Ren, both having discerned Polaris’s intent to seize this opportunity to disrupt East Bamboo Immortal’s thoughts. It was one thing to outnumber an opponent… but to resort to such ‘external interference’ was another matter entirely.

—East Bamboo Immortal, they are trying to distract you. Do not heed their words.

Zhu Jifeng and Mr. Ji both assented to Wan Ren’s words, while Yi Ranchén, conversely, furrowed her brow and gazed at Ma Yan with considerable displeasure.

Among Cheng Lixue’s disciples at Lijiang Villa, she was undeniably one of the foremost talents. Despite her later initiation, her cultivation was in no way inferior to that of her fellow disciples. Her master had even entrusted her with their renowned weapons, ‘Shuyan’ and ‘Zhuxin,’ a clear testament to their affirmation and recognition of her abilities. Yet, this man had the audacity to claim she was ‘lacking strength, but from a renowned sect, and given time, would become a celebrated sword master’… Did he truly believe she would only ever rely on her sect’s reputation to make her way in the world?

Whenever her fellow disciples at Lijiang Villa spoke of her, it was invariably with gazes of admiration and envy, their tones imbued with unequivocal approval and praise.

But this man, how dare he…

—You… what was your name again?

Yi Ranchén had just opened her mouth, ready to argue with him, only to realize after speaking that she didn’t even know his name.

—My surname is Ma, my given name is Yan, and my courtesy name is Yifu.

Ma Yan smiled faintly, secretly pleased that his adversary had indeed taken the bait.

His previous words had seemed directed at East Bamboo Immortal, but in truth, they were aimed squarely at Yi Ranchén. To distract Ren Du, he needed to single out someone from the Southern Dipper Star to capture Ren Du’s attention, ideally provoking him into splitting off to offer assistance.

He had personally witnessed the formidable prowess of Fenghu and Yunlong, the two elders, earlier that day and would never dare provoke them. While Wan Ren’s swordsmanship was indeed potent, he was currently unarmed, so Ma Yan felt no fear of him. However, Wan Ren was a seasoned veteran of the martial world and unlikely to be easily provoked by mere words. Furthermore, without a sword in hand, even if angered, he would never enter the fray unarmed, more likely suppressing his fury or seeking another blade.

Both Mr. Ji and Zhu Jifeng were individuals of exceptional self-restraint. Mr. Ji, in particular, had remained utterly composed, even managing a smile, when Le Sishu had previously subjected him to such humiliation.

Ultimately, Ma Yan’s gaze settled upon the young lady from Lijiang Villa. He had never heard of her before, surmising she must be a new disciple, one who seldom ventured into the martial world. Though her strength was considerable, she clearly lacked worldly experience. Provoking her would significantly increase his chances of success.

He didn’t need to defeat her; merely forcing her into a disadvantageous position, thereby compelling Ren Du to intervene, would suffice.

However, he had to seize the opportunity precisely. If Ren Du did not make a move, and instead Fenghu and Yunlong, the two elders, or others intervened, he would have no choice but to retreat, and his plan would consequently unravel.

Nonetheless, this plan still warranted an attempt.

After all, this was an excellent chance to make an impression on Director Ji.

—Your words just now were quite barbed!

Yi Ranchén stood with one hand on her hip, resembling a proud young rooster.

—Did I speak falsely?

Observing Yi Ranchén’s haughty expression, a sudden flicker of disgust arose in Ma Yan’s heart, and he let out a scornful chuckle.

—Cheng Lixue’s swordsmanship was inherently inferior; what surprise is it then that their disciples are lacking in strength? My saying that you hail from a renowned sect and could, in the future, become a celebrated sword master by relying on your sect’s reputation was already giving you ample face.

Yi Ranchén was incandescent with rage. She had not anticipated her opponent would stoop to insulting her master. Instantly, she reached for her sword, but Wan Ren, with lightning-fast reflexes, pressed down on her sword hilt.

—Miss Yi, he is provoking you to act. Pay him no mind.

Hearing this, Yi Ranchén suppressed her fury and retorted loudly.

—Nonsense! You claim my master’s swordsmanship is inferior; do you mean to say your own swordsmanship surpasses theirs?

Ma Yan’s expression abruptly turned severe. A slender gleam of light shot forth from the sword sheath at his waist. His left hand gripped the sheath, holding it upright on his right side, while his right hand, already clutching the sword hilt, pushed the blade back into its scabbard.

In the precise instant the blade returned to its sheath, the bark of an ancient tree several tens of meters away rapidly peeled away, leaving behind the character ‘剑’ [jiàn] – sword – etched into its trunk.

Yu Wusheng felt a jolt of surprise. He had not expected Ma Yan’s swordsmanship to be so extraordinary. Drawing a sword to sever a tree was not difficult, but Ma Yan had drawn and resheathed his blade in a single, fluid motion, carving the character onto the tree in a mere instant. This demonstrated the unpredictable nature of his sword’s trajectory. Moreover, at such blinding speed, if his power had been slightly greater, the tree would have been pierced by sword qi; if slightly less, the carved character would inevitably have been uneven in depth. Judging by the consistent depth of the inscription, he possessed considerable mastery in swordsmanship. Meanwhile, a dark-cloaked swordsman within the crowd subtly raised their head, observing the character on the ancient tree in silence.

—What swift swordsmanship!

Among the Polaris contingent, some began to cheer, and a buzz of discussion erupted.

—Brother Ma’s sword… truly formidable!

Someone’s cheer faltered mid-sentence as they suddenly realized Ma Yan’s ill repute, deciding it was best not to praise him excessively, lest it make them seem too closely associated with such a person.

—Where did he learn such swordsmanship?

—Ma Yan has been in the martial world for so many years, yet no one has ever heard which sect or faction he belongs to, nor who his master is…

Ma Yan glared sidelong at Yi Ranchén, his expression utterly disdainful.

—Although your swordsmanship is formidable, it is not necessarily superior to my master’s.

Yi Ranchén retorted, her tone equally dismissive of Ma Yan’s swordsmanship.

—Mr. Ma, your swordsmanship is as swift as lightning, with many strange and unpredictable changes in every move. May I ask from which sect this sword art originates? What is its name?

Ren Xinzuo respectfully bowed to Ma Yan, clearly seeking instruction sincerely. As a swordsman, encountering such a unique sword art filled him with pleasant surprise, prompting him to disregard Ma Yan’s poor reputation and directly inquire about it.

—’From the Lightning Gate’… the Chasing Lightning Single-Line Sword…

Ma Yan’s expression turned sorrowful, as if recalling past events, and a hint of hatred entered his gaze as he looked at Yi Ranchén.

—From the Lightning Gate?

—Never heard of it!

—Have you heard of it?

The Polaris members murmured amongst themselves, wondering how a sect with such formidable swordsmanship could be so obscure.

The Southern Dipper Star contingent exchanged glances, clearly having never heard of the ‘From the Lightning Gate’ or the ‘Chasing Lightning Single-Line Sword.’ Even Wan Ren, a master of swordsmanship who prided himself on knowing the origins of many martial world sword arts and sects, was completely bewildered. He had never encountered such a sect, nor such a sword art.

—My Lightning Gate was… utterly annihilated by Cheng Lixue over a hundred years ago!