Chapter 51 : Chapter 51
Chapter 51: We Ought to Act on Heaven’s Behalf and Take His Head as an Offering to Heaven
Sword-Forging Manor.
Its Martial Practice Ground was grand and immensely spacious, large enough for all the disciples of the manor to drill and practice martial arts at once with room to spare. At this moment, it was packed with people from the Jianghu.
In the center of the Martial Practice Ground, gifted young talents were sparring with all manner of martial arts. Every move they used was graceful and fierce, dazzling to behold. Quite a few major figures renowned throughout Jiangnan and the surrounding regions had appeared on the raised platform before the field. Among them were no small number of sect masters whose martial cultivation had reached the Upper Three Ranks.
Amid that gathering of sect leaders, two men sat at the center like the moon surrounded by stars. One was He Qin, the Manor Master of Sword-Forging Manor himself. The other was Cheng Zhenjiang, Great Hero Cheng, the Martial Alliance Leader of the North. The two of them were watching the fierce sparring in the center of the field.
The “Young Northern Alliance Leader,” Cheng Feng, was facing the Sword-Forging Manor’s eldest disciple, the “Sword Hero,” He Qing.
One wielded the River-Severing Sword Art with imposing might, his foundation of Internal Energy astonishingly deep. The other fought with a treasured sword in each hand, striking left and right in tandem. Astonishingly, both were Human-Grade weapons, a display of enormous wealth. The clash between the two was incomparably intense and evenly matched, drawing wave after wave of cheers.
“Well fought! As expected of Great Hero Cheng’s son. He truly has inherited the essence of the River-Severing Sword Strike!”
“He Qing’s twin swords are fierce and perfectly fused together, endless in their flow. He is no less impressive!”
“If the Young Northern Alliance Leader defeats the Sword Hero this time, his position on the Human Ranking will probably rise several more places!”
When two tigers fought, Cheng Feng was clearly the one drawing more attention. At only sixteen, he was five years younger than He Qing, yet he already possessed such strength. He was unquestionably one of heaven’s favored sons.
After several dozen more exchanges, Cheng Feng finally broke through his opponent’s technique with a single sword strike, sending forth River-Severing Sword Qi and narrowly winning by one move.
He withdrew his sword and cupped his fists. “Many thanks for Senior Brother He’s guidance! Then I shall gladly accept the twenty-seventh spot on Tianji Tower’s Human Ranking!”
He Qing shook his head helplessly and returned the salute with a smile. “If you hadn’t suppressed yourself down to Fourth Rank, I wouldn’t have lasted ten moves against you.”
Though he felt some regret, he was not dejected. Losing to Great Hero Cheng’s son was nothing shameful.
“You two, come here.”
At He Qin’s call, the two who had just finished sparring came over to stand before Cheng Zhenjiang and He Qin. Countless sect leaders looked at them with envy. If their own successors were this promising, they would laugh in their sleep.
Cheng Zhenjiang stroked his palm and laughed heartily. “Feng’er, you did well! But you must never grow lax because of this!”
He was deeply gratified by his youngest son, and it was not only because of Cheng Feng’s strength. It was also because, even while contending against others, he still carried himself with poise and magnanimity. That was the kind of bearing a son of Cheng Zhenjiang ought to have.
At the side, Zhao Xichun and Cheng Yue looked at Cheng Feng with pride, happy for him. Cheng Si, meanwhile, kept her head lowered, no one knowing what she was thinking.
“Thank you, Father! I definitely won’t slack off!”
Cheng Feng was delighted to receive praise. Looking at the newly acquired top-grade Human-Grade treasured sword in his hand, he felt his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds. Perhaps he could even break into the top ten of the Human Ranking.
If that happened, the gap between him and that fellow Cheng Yu would only grow wider and wider.
No matter how sinister and vicious the other man was, no matter how much strength he had hidden, before Cheng Feng, he would still be defeated in a single move.
Once the sparring between the two most talented young prodigies in the arena was over, the matches among the other juniors no longer held any brilliance. At that moment, one of the sect leaders suddenly spoke in a calm voice.
“Passing things on to the younger generation is the future of the Jianghu’s chivalric way. But if they have no inheritance to rely on and must grope forward on their own, they will struggle to take even a single step.”
“Manor Master He, since some inheritances are being kept hidden, why not share them with the heroes of the Jianghu, so that together we may carry forward the great path of chivalry?”
The moment someone bluntly brought up the true matter at hand, the others hurried to chime in.
“Exactly, exactly. Our sects ought to watch over and support one another. If the road ahead is hard for the rest of us, you can’t just leave us behind.”
“The Jianghu values boldness and straightforwardness. Manor Master He, surely you won’t let others think less of Sword-Forging Manor.”
The martial artists who were forever proclaiming righteousness and the proper path no longer bothered to hide themselves. Without the slightest restraint, they laid bare their longing for the Grandmaster Inheritance. The chivalry they were supposed to uphold had become nothing more than an excuse.
If it meant obtaining the road ahead, they did not care about such things.
Hearing this, the genial smile on He Qin’s face instantly faded by more than half.
A pack of bandits!
A trace of displeasure flashed through his eyes, though he quickly concealed it.
He had already investigated the matter. These people had come because they heard that Sword-Forging Manor had gathered a million laborers to excavate Sword-Forging Mountain, and they had believed the rumors about some Grandmaster Inheritance.
One after another, they had come to fleece him.
“Since all of you have already heard the rumors, I won’t hide it any longer. Sword-Forging Manor has indeed discovered something extremely remarkable...”
He Qin did not deny it.
The others were instantly overjoyed. The rumor was true!
“However, it is not a Grandmaster Inheritance. How much credibility could there be in a story spread by an Imperial Hound of the court?”
“What we found is the finest Fire Essence, produced by the fortune my Sword-Forging Manor has accumulated over several hundred years. By rights, everyone who sees it should get a share, but unfortunately it would be useless in all your hands.”
“Only when things are used to their fullest can they best benefit the Jianghu. Isn’t that so, Great Hero Cheng?”
The moment everyone heard that it was not a Grandmaster Inheritance but merely Fire Essence for forging weapons, their excitement plummeted, and their interest waned at once.
Seeing this, He Qin revealed a faint smile.
That was his plan. Everyone cared about face. He would not deny the rumor, but he would simply claim it was something others had no use for.
Surely they could not be shameless enough to insist on seeing it with their own eyes.
If they did that, they really would be no different from bandits.
By invoking Cheng Zhenjiang’s name, he was also using that reputation to restrain everyone. Do not entertain any crooked thoughts. After all, that upright Ninth Rank hero was right here.
Cheng Zhenjiang did not wish to get dragged into this sort of matter and had just been about to nod.
But suddenly, from the side, Cheng Feng spoke up.
“Manor Master He, I have something to say. Fire Essence is an extremely violent substance. If it were truly within Sword-Forging Mountain, it could not possibly remain this stable.”
As he spoke, he raised a hand and gathered a strand of pale golden Internal Energy in his palm, which now seemed to be drawn toward the mountain.
“I was born with a trace of Dragon Qi in my Internal Energy. Here, it is responding to something. I fear you may have mistaken Dragon Essence for Fire Essence.”
Dragon Essence?!
Everyone’s eyes widened at once. They had all heard that the Young Northern Alliance Leader had been born with a trace of dragon qi. Cheng Zhenjiang, too, immediately sat up straighter, his expression turning solemn.
If it truly was Dragon Essence, then wouldn’t that mean the thing beneath the mountain was...
a Dragon Vein!
The yearning in their eyes flared instantly, far stronger than when they had thought it was a Grandmaster Inheritance.
Anything associated with dragons was never ordinary.
One after another, they looked toward Cheng Zhenjiang and his son with gratitude.
He Qin, that old fox, had nearly played them all for fools!
At these words, He Qin’s face froze, and he looked toward Cheng Zhenjiang.
What was wrong with your son?!
Hadn’t I just given you a fine sword?
If there really was Dragon Essence, couldn’t our two families have discussed it afterward? Why blurt it out so casually?
Cheng Zhenjiang had not expected this surprise gain either. With a faint smile, he said, “People of the Jianghu ought to act openly and straightforwardly. If my son has something to say, then he says it plainly. I hope Manor Master He will forgive him.”
What difference did it make to him whether it was said or not?
With his status and strength, no matter how things were divided, he was bound to take the lion’s share. He might as well say it aloud and earn some gratitude in the process, rather than let others learn of it later and stab him in the back with their words.
People of the Jianghu were supposed to speak plainly. To beat around the bush and conceal things was the conduct of petty men.
He Qin stared wide-eyed, hardly believing what Cheng Zhenjiang had just said.
These father and son were shameless beasts!
He had barely accepted his gift before turning around and stabbing him in the back. So this was what they called a great hero?
But surrounded on all sides by a crowd of sect masters, He Qin did not even dare vent his anger. He could only speak helplessly.
“What Young Master Cheng says makes sense. Perhaps we truly judged it wrongly.”
His heart was filled with helplessness, yet there was no possibility of retaliation.
Retaliate against Great Hero Cheng? That would be courting death!
With no outlet for his anger, he could only trace the matter back to its source and begin to hate that Jinyiwei who had spread the news. Killing intent surged in his heart.
It was one thing for that man to slaughter the martial artists of Qingjiang Prefecture until they fled in terror, but why did he have to set his sights on Sword-Forging Manor?
If not for him, none of this would have happened!
At once, He Qin cupped his fists toward the crowd and said, “Since this may be a Dragon Vein, then we must handle it with the utmost caution. This thing is of the greatest importance to the Great Qian imperial court and royal house! The news must be kept hidden!”
“Especially that Jinyiwei Hundred-Household Commander who spread the news. He must know something. I have heard that this man kills like a butcher and has massacred the Jianghu of Qingjiang Prefecture.”
“Why don’t we first act on Heaven’s behalf? It would also conveniently prevent the news from leaking!”
The moment everyone heard that He Qin was being forced to yield up the benefits, they were overjoyed.
“Good! I’ve long heard that Jinyiwei Hundred-Household Commander is guilty of every evil under heaven. We ought to act on Heaven’s behalf and take his head as an offering to Heaven!”
“That’s right! Kill that cur!”
As the crowd voiced their agreement—
SNAP!
The chair beneath Cheng Zhenjiang exploded apart, and his face twisted into a strange, conflicted expression.
“What is the matter, Great Hero Cheng?”
Cheng Zhenjiang hastily waved a hand and sat down on a newly replaced chair. “Nothing, nothing!”
The others could not very well press him further, so they nodded and continued, “Right, where is that cur, and what is his name? I’ll go execute him right now!”
“That cur is the newly appointed Jinyiwei Hundred-Household Commander of Qingjiang Prefecture. His name is Cheng Yu!”
SNAP! SNAP!
The sound of stools shattering rang out again, only this time there were two of them.
Cheng Zhenjiang and Zhao Xichun had broken one each.