“I was originally called Dongfang Xiaoyue, but my master said that my name was too casual and didn’t sound like the name of someone who would become a Confucian sage, so he changed it to Dongfang Wenlin.” Dongfang Xiaoyue shook his head. “Actually, I don’t like this name. It’s too old-fashioned.”
“Who cares if you like it or not.” Jimo Huaxue slightly raised her Junyu sword.
“Now that my life is nearing its end, I want to be called by that name again.” Dongfang Xiaoyue spread his hands. “It reminds me of my younger self.”
“Shut up.” Jimo Huaxue leaped forward and struck with her sword.
Mo Bai struggled to lift his head and gazed at the figure in red, murmuring, “Is this what people call, a Sword Immortal’s strike?”
Xie Yuling and Feng Zuojun were both pinned down by the overwhelming force of the sword, unable to stand. Yet, they still struggled to lift their heads, eyes wide open as they watched the strike. Both came from prominent families. Although the Xie family had fallen from grace, they still had several masters of swordsmanship among them. Feng Zuojun’s father, Feng Yuhan, was famed as the best swordsman in Yunmeng Prefecture. Together, Xie Yuling and Feng Zuojun had encountered countless masters— hundreds, if not thousands. However, this strike before them was, without a doubt, the most powerful they had seen in nearly twenty years.
As the long sword descended, dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky above, and thunder roared.
Confucian Sage Dongfang Xiaoyue remained unfazed, gently waving his sleeve before seemingly casually extending a finger.
Jimo Huaxue suddenly stopped her sword, the fluttering hem of her robe slowly settled down. At this moment, the sword was only an inch away from Dongfang Xiaoyue’s finger.
“Your finger cannot stop my sword,” Jimo Huaxue said in a deep voice.
“It will only shorten my life by three months,” Dongfang Xiaoyue said casually, as if it were a trivial matter, even a slightly pleasant one.
“Is this the reason why you didn’t come down the mountain back then?” Jimo Huaxue asked.
“My most beloved disciple died. Nothing should be an excuse,” Dongfang Xiaoyue said slowly.
“Forget it.” Jimo Huaxue suddenly turned and left with her sword. The overwhelming sword energy that had been pressing down on everyone finally disappeared completely. Mo Bai hurriedly stepped forward and asked with concern, “Second sister-in-law, why did you draw your sword against the teacher?”
“Second sister-in-law?” Dongfang Xiaoyue smiled. “That’s an interesting title. In any case, it’s my fault.”
In the backyard of the Moran Manor, Su Baiyi looked at Jimo Huaxue in front of him with a bewildered expression. Just moments ago, Jimo Huaxue had left from here with his sword, and now she returned, handing the sword back. Could it be that in this brief moment, this Sword Immortal went out and killed someone? But then again, there were no traces of blood on the Junyu Sword. Ah, that’s right. When a Sword Immortal kills, naturally, the sword remains unstained by blood.
“Who’s out there?” Su Baiyi asked tentatively.
“Someone you’ve been waiting for a long time.” Jimo Huaxue turned around as if she was about to leave.
“Someone I’ve been waiting for a long time… Could it be Confucian Sage Dongfang Xiaoyue?!” Su Baiyi exclaimed in surprise.
“It’s him,” Jimo Huaxue replied.
“Did you kill him?” Su Baiyi gulped.
“There’s no need for me to do it. Go and see him.” Jimo Huaxue sighed softly.
Moran Manor, side courtyard.
Mo Bai pointed to the room and said, “Junior Sister Nangong is resting in this room.”
Dongfang Xiaoyue nodded, “I’d like to have a few words with her alone.”
“Yes. Then I’ll go and have Junior Brother Su wait for you in the main hall.” Mo Bai replied.
Dongfang Xiaoyue walked to the door of the room and gently knocked. Nangong Xi’er was sitting inside, circulating her qi, but with little effect, just as it had been on the Golden Wind. The qi she managed to gather would dissipate by more than half when it reached her dantian. Hearing the knock, she stopped and asked wearily, “Who is it?”
“Miss Nangong, may I come in?” Dongfang Xiaoyue asked.
“Come in.” Nangong Xi’er thought that there shouldn’t be any enemies in the Moran Manor, so she replied after a moment’s consideration.
As soon as the words were spoken, a young man in white was already sitting at the small table beside the bed. He leisurely poured himself a cup of tea and said with a mocking tone, “Didn’t you say that if you came down the mountain, you would be like your second senior brother back then, shocking the world? But I haven’t heard your name in the Jianghu, and you’re already lying here healing? And you’ve even lost all your internal energy?”
Before Nangong Xi’er could marvel at the white-clothed young man’s movement technique, she was already stunned by the familiar tone. She looked at the handsome young man in white in front of her, somewhat incredulous, “Tea… Teacher?”
“I often tell you that I was most beautiful man in the world when I was young, but you never believe me and say that I am an old man who only knows how to brag. Now that you have seen it with your own eyes, you should believe it, right?” The white-clothed young man took out a medicine bottle from his bosom, took out a pill from it, crushed it, and threw it into the teacup, then handed it to Nangong Xi’er. “Drink it.”
“Teacher, the last time I saw you, you were in your forties. How come you look younger than me now?” Nangong Xi’er took the teacup, both surprised and delighted. “Could it be that you really cultivated some kind of rejuvenation martial art? You must teach me!”
“Hahahaha. I’m afraid the next time you see me, I’ll be an eight-year-old child. By then, don’t take revenge on me for all the times I bullied you over the years.” Dongfang Xiaoyue pointed to the teacup. “Drink it.”
“What is this?” Nangong Xi’er asked, puzzled.
“Medicine to heal your injuries,” Dongfang Xiaoyue replied.
Nangong Xi’er wanted to ask more, but after a moment’s thought, she first drank the tea in one gulp and then asked, “Teacher, do you know how to treat this injury?”
“There’s no one in the world who understands the injuries caused by the martial arts in the Book of Immortals better than I do. That martial art not only absorbed your internal energy but also damaged your dantian.” Dongfang Xiaoyue handed the medicine bottle to Nangong Xi’er. “Take one of these pills before you practice your martial arts every time, and then circulate your energy. Your injuries will be fully healed within ten days.”
Nangong Xi’er nodded. “Teacher, did you also suffer from the injuries caused by the Book of Immortals?”
“Ah, the past is too painful to recall. I was crippled by this martial art, unable to even stand.” Dongfang Xiaoyue stood up and shook his sleeve. “I’m going to see that Su kid. You take care and heal your injuries.”
“Teacher, weren’t you traveling the world? How did you end up here?” Nangong Xi’er frowned slightly. “And, how do you know about Su Baiyi?”
“That’s a long story.” Dongfang Xiaoyue walked over and ruffled Nangong Xi’er’s hair. “In any case, although your teacher is about to die, I will definitely protect you before I do.”
“What are you talking about, Teacher? You’ve already rejuvenated, how could you possibly die?” Nangong Xi’er thought Dongfang Xiaoyue was joking, but seeing his serious expression, her heart tightened involuntarily.
But Dongfang Xiaoyue immediately laughed, “Yes, yes. So I will always protect you. Do whatever you want on this trip down the mountain. I’m here for you.”