Chen Ping's Sword

Chen Ping played his sword, making a sound, and didn’t bother to hide his abilities discreetly.

He had figured it out.

On the journey to Feiyun Crossing, not only would he have to face the frenzied pursuit of the Beizhou Barbarians, but also those Jianghu travelers drawn by fame or profit.

Among them, thieves might not really be thieves, and heroes might not truly be heroes.

The Jianghu might no longer be the Jianghu, and even Hann people and Hu people didn’t need to be so strictly differentiated.

Right and wrong, black and white, depended solely on one’s standpoint...

It was all a mess.

In such circumstances, the weak had no right to speak.

Only the sword in one’s hand was the most trustworthy companion.

And it was what most made others fear, made them speak of courtesy, of right and wrong.

With the sword in his hand, its edge pointed diagonally at the ground, murderous intent emanated from him, with Qi and Blood surging, like the deep sea hiding an undercurrent...

Though young, he exuded an aura of undeniable majesty that was hard to challenge.

No one dared to underestimate him.

"So you’re Hero Yuanxi, right? Considering the reputation you’ve built, it’s not easy, and you might have done many good deeds usually...

Heed my advice: before figuring out the whole story, let us mind our own business, without a need to fight to the death."

"Just you?"

The old man with the long beard chuckled silently, stroked his long beard under his chin, shook his head, not bothering to reply.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t figured it out.

On the contrary, he understood it well.

Trying to take Princess Mingyue through Yuanxi directly to Ling Mountain Prefecture, young man, you’re thinking too much.

Fame and wealth are at stake; whether you’ll succeed or fail depends on this time. It’s not something that could be smoothed over by a few sweet words.

Chen Ping, upon seeing his expression, realized that those words just now were like playing the lute to a cow.

"Good advice is hard for a doomed ghost to heed... Since that’s the case, let’s rely on our skills and accept what heaven bestows."

His gaze turned cold, and he said no more.

He just tightened his grip on the sword, intent on killing more firmly.

After all, this wasn’t the future; sometimes, killing and being killed didn’t have much reasoning behind it.

No need to distinguish between good and bad people or Hann and Hu people.

Drawing the sword to decide life and death, that’s all.

The surrounding onlookers, who were initially watching the excitement intently,

were now mostly standing far away, just peeking, not daring to come close.

By now, the situation had drastically changed from before.

According to Jianghu rules, challenges and competitions only decide the winner.

But now, it concerned life and death...

The killing intent on both sides was intense, and they weren’t holding back. If someone interfered, there would be no place for grievances should something go wrong.

"If it were me, I’d take people and quickly escape... Doesn’t he know that Hero Yuanxi Zhao Yunshen is a top peak expert with the Eight Extraordinary Meridians opened?

His fame within a hundred miles is immense, with students and apprentices as numerous as cattle. Even Earth List experts must visit him, not daring to underestimate."

"I’ve heard that before Tian Qi gained fame, he was just a beggar, relying on his extraordinary strength to learn some martial arts, hence his rise.

But after all, he came from a humble background; how could he truly understand how strong some renowned figures in the Jianghu really are?"

"Doesn’t anyone think Tian Qi, with a sword in hand, looks very imposing, overwhelming all directions? He might not lose..."

"What do you know?"

"And with that age, ask who Hero Yuanxi is. Never mind if he’s number 305 on the Hidden Dragon List; even if he were in the top hundred, stopping Elder Zhao’s three moves is uncertain."

"Not to mention, this time Elder Zhao also brought Cheng Fang, the Flowing Spring Sword master and the Spring Water Sword Hall’s chief disciple, along with seven great disciples, clearly determined to succeed..."

The onlookers saw it clearly.

Among them, a few Jianghu masters were pondering whether to intervene and grab a share.

The bounty from Xingqing Prefecture wasn’t worth much; the reward from the Beihu Envoy Team was the equivalent of a mountain of gold and silver...

They offered too much.

Whether it’s Great Li or Beizhou, what difference does it make?

Great Li has stood for three hundred years, yet the people aren’t living any better, still mired in misery.

It doesn’t matter who’s in power.

"What an ignorant young brat. Junior brother, go save Commandery Princess Mingyue; leave this person to me to deal with."

Cheng Fang of the Flowing Spring Sword looked composed and steady, the sword in his hand was notably broader than those of others...

He drew his sword, and his aura surged wide and mighty, like water flowing smoothly and pervasively.

Another one who had opened more than five Extraordinary Meridians.

Chen Ping’s eyes flickered. He thought that this Hero Yuanxi, Elder Zhao, had a knack for teaching students.

Among the eight disciples under him, all were exceptional.

The weakest one was slightly stronger than Jiang Teng from the Changkong Martial Arts Hall, whom Chen had shot with a sleeve crossbow the other day.

But times have changed; today I am not the man I was yesterday.

As Cheng Fang’s Flowing Spring Sword momentum formed, it turned into flowing streams, though the sword came from the front, it surrounded from all directions.

The four disciples behind him wore smiles, their figures flashing as they charged towards Hua Lian’er, who had put down her chicken leg behind Chen Ping.

They had long understood that to obtain the Beizhou Barbarian bounty, merely killing this rising star on the Hidden Dragon List was not enough.

The key was that harmlessly pretty young girl.

She must not be lost at any cost.

"Man dies for wealth, birds die for food; what a pity, what a pity..."

Chen Ping, trapped by the momentum of Cheng Fang’s Flowing Spring Sword, seemingly didn’t move, with a hint of sarcasm on his face.