Chapter 43: Xing City Night Sky
When Chunzhu, Zhao Xingtian, and Hei Niu came down, Lu Changfeng was engrossed in reading a gossip newspaper.
Among the various Martial Arts Realm newspapers in Jiangnan Prefecture, the Hundred Knows Thousand, published by the Thousand Knowledge Sect, was the most official.
Its monthly rankings—such as the Prefectural Strength Ranking, the National Strength Ranking, the Swordsmanship Ranking, the Spiritual Artifact Ranking, and so on—were all recognized as authoritative.
However, Lu Changfeng, already planning to live in seclusion, had little interest in these Daoists.
The copy of Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon he was holding, published by the Liuhua Sect, seemed much more to his liking.
The secret histories, strange events, and scandalous tales of the various sects and clans in Jiangnan Prefecture recorded within it were even more captivating than the Qidian novels from his previous life.
After all, although the writing in Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon was exaggerated, it was indeed based on real events, which made it a little different from pure fantasy novels.
Most importantly, you could actually find the protagonists of the stories and ask them if the events were true...
Seeing Lu Changfeng so engrossed, the three of them also picked up newspapers and started reading.
Once they started, they too became fascinated.
’How come something so new and interesting hasn’t made it to Yunyang Prefecture?’ they wondered.
Chunzhu was reading a newspaper published by a female-only Sect, aimed at female Martial Artists.
Zhao Xingtian was naturally reading the Hundred Knows Thousand, desperately searching for his own name.
As for Hei Niu.
The kid was illiterate. Holding the newspaper upside down, he glanced at it a few times, found it boring, and went back to burying his head in his food.
Lu Changfeng also put away his newspaper. After a hearty meal, he took Hei Niu to ask about the water routes to Jiang City.
Traveling downstream by water was, for one, fast, and for another, more comfortable than a bumpy ride on horseback.
Jiangnan Prefecture had an abundance of waterways.
Among its thirty-six cities, aside from three, the other thirty-three were all interconnected by water.
A river ran right through the center of Xing City.
After making some inquiries along the river, Lu Changfeng and Hei Niu found a cargo ship heading directly to Jiangzhou.
The cargo ship had three decks. The bottom two were for cargo, while the top deck could carry passengers.
Following the current downstream, it would pass through several tributaries and change rivers multiple times, reaching Jiangzhou in six days.
Lu Changfeng booked their passage, agreeing to come to the docks early the next morning to board the ship.
With their travel plans settled, Lu Changfeng and Hei Niu returned to the inn to rest.
With time to spare at the inn, Lu Changfeng practiced the Blood-Drinking Frenzy Saber a few times.
With his Saber Extremity Talent, his progress with this Saber Technique was extremely fast.
Lu Changfeng also wanted to cultivate the Fengtian Forging Body Saber Skill, but unfortunately, his pig iron long saber hadn’t been forged yet.
He would have to wait until he reached Jiang City to find a blacksmith shop and have it remade before he could begin cultivating it.
As night deepened, Lu Changfeng pondered how he would secretly cultivate in Jiangzhou. Should he fulfill his master’s wish and open a Changle Martial Arts Hall?
Or should he join some power?
In reality, Lu Changfeng had many options now. With Zhao Xingtian by his side, he had the perfect candidate for copying a Root Bone.
But Lu Changfeng also knew that Zhao Xingtian wouldn’t stay with him for long.
Having inherited the complete Fengtian Saber Technique from the ’Giant Elephant Woman’, Lu Changfeng naturally understood the true reason Zhao Xingtian was staying by his side.
Lu Changfeng dragged his weary body and slowly drifted off to sleep.
In another room on the same floor, a window slid open silently.
A figure used the windowsill for a light push, leaping gracefully onto the inn’s roof.
"Young Sect Leader." A Swordsman was already waiting on the roof. He bowed his head and spoke respectfully to the newcomer.
The person who had just flown onto the roof was none other than Zhao Xingtian!
"What is it?" Zhao Xingtian asked coldly.
The Swordsman lowered his head and said quickly, "The Sect Master has learned that you are heading to Jiangzhou, Young Sect Leader. He urges you to return to Luocheng as soon as possible. Jiangzhou is too far from Luocheng, and the Sect’s power cannot protect you there."
"I’m well aware of that. I will keep a low profile in Jiangnan Prefecture."
"Condensing the Jade Bone relies on a tranquil heart. If protecting that guy didn’t calm my mind and allow my Jade Bone to condense rapidly, why would I stick around a mere ordinary Blood Forging Martial Artist?"
"I cannot return for the time being."
Zhao Xingtian was still lying to the Swordsman. The longer he spent with Lu Changfeng, the less he understood him.
Lu Changfeng’s Talent, spirit, and perseverance were the strongest he had ever seen.
Especially after learning Lu Changfeng’s true age the day before yesterday, he understood that the kid completely surpassed him in both Root Bone and Talent.
Zhao Xingtian knew that Lu Changfeng was destined for greatness.
The less he understood Lu Changfeng, the more he couldn’t figure out why Luoo Xingyun had been willing to return to the Sect, and why he had been willing to pass on the Moon Chasing Sword Species to him before dying.
There was clearly a peerless prodigy right beside him.
’Is it because I am his Disciple?’
’But ten years ago, Luoo Xingyun was unwilling to take me with him when he left.’
’Was it because he thought I would receive more resources in the Sect?’
Now, the man was dead. Before he died, Luoo Xingyun had focused all his energy on passing the Moon Chasing Sword Species to Zhao Xingtian, without leaving a single final word.
Trapped in a vortex of thought, Zhao Xingtian felt his heart constrict, as if he couldn’t breathe.
In this state of mind, if he left Lu Changfeng, Zhao Xingtian had no idea when he would ever finish tempering his Jade Bone.
’Lu Changfeng, oh, Lu Changfeng, you truly are a poison.’
Zhao Xingtian waved his hand, dismissing the Swordsman. "Your Cultivation Technique and cultivation are already too far behind mine. You don’t need to follow me anymore. Return to the Xuanyuan Sword Sect and go into closed-door cultivation in the Secret Realm."
The Swordsman hesitated for a moment, but seeing the impatient look in the Young Sect Leader’s eyes, he cupped his fists, executed his Lightweight Skill, and left.
Zhao Xingtian looked up at the sky. A full moon hung high, its scattered light illuminating the world as bright as Daylight.
"Enjoying the moon by yourself?"
Lu Changfeng slowly climbed up the stairs from the courtyard.
"No, I was just giving my Sword Servant a few instructions," Zhao Xingtian said candidly.
"Sword Servant? What’s that?" Lu Changfeng asked, curious.
Zhao Xingtian took a shallow breath and began to explain slowly.
It turned out that every Sect Master of the Xuanyuan Sword Sect has a Sword Servant.
This Sword Servant is chosen when the Sect Master is still the Young Sect Leader, and they voluntarily become the Sword Servant.
From that day forward, the Sword Servant becomes a wholehearted vassal to that one person.
The Sword Servant will cultivate the same Cultivation Technique as their target, obey only their target’s commands, follow them like a shadow, and, when necessary, die in their target’s place.
"Can you call your Sword Servant out so I can meet him?" Lu Changfeng asked, curious.
"I told him to leave," Zhao Xingtian replied sullenly.
Lu Changfeng rolled his eyes. "Didn’t you just say a Sword Servant has to follow you like a shadow?"
"His cultivation is too far beneath mine. There’s no point in him following me. It’s better to let him go back and cultivate properly, lest his strength still be a drag on me when I inherit the Sect Master position in the future," Zhao Xingtian explained.
Lu Changfeng nodded in understanding.
"How long will you be staying with me in Jiangzhou?"
Zhao Xingtian estimated the condensation speed of his Jade Bone. "About half a year, I suppose."
"Aren’t you going to ask how I knew you were going to leave?"
"You’re a peerless prodigy. You’re bound to know the things you should."
Lu Changfeng was speechless for a moment. He did the math. ’Half a year is enough time to copy Zhao Xingtian’s Root Bone several times. I should be satisfied with that.’
"Forget it. We’re taking a boat tomorrow, and I used to get a little seasick. I’m going down to rest first." Lu Changfeng turned and left.
As he was climbing down the stairs, Zhao Xingtian’s voice drifted over. "You need not worry. Now or in the future, the relationship between us is the same as the one between you and my master."
The only response Zhao Xingtian received was a long yawn.