“If our meeting is fate, then parting should also be left to fate.” Xie Yuling couldn’t figure out what this scholar was up to. If he were from the Shanglin Heavenly Palace, he wouldn’t have saved them last night. But if he was just a passerby, why was he acting so strangely? With a hint of caution in his voice, he asked, “Shall we then part ways and each go our own way?”
The scholar said with a smile, “I have traveled on foot, enjoying the scenery along the way, but I have grown weary. Since you two have a carriage, could I perhaps join you in your carriage?”
“I’m afraid we’re not going the same way,” Xie Yuling frowned slightly.
“Where are you going?” the scholar asked politely.
“We’re heading to Yunmeng Prefecture,” Feng Zuojun declared, cutting in before Xie Yuling had a chance to respond.
“Then I’ll go to Yunmeng Prefecture too.” The scholar nodded slightly.
Xie Yuling was taken aback. He turned slightly to the side and placed his left hand on the hilt of his sword. “This young master seems determined to accompany us.”
“I set out on this journey to see the sights of the world, and I am content to go wherever the wind takes me. If a carriage heads to Jimo, then to Jimo I shall go. If a boat sails to the south of the Yangtze, then aboard I shall be. Hence, if you journey to Yunmeng Prefecture, I too shall make for Yunmeng Prefecture. Yunmeng Prefecture is a destination one must experience in this lifetime,” The scholar spoke these words as if they were a matter of course.
“We have important business to attend to, and it would be really inconvenient for us to travel together.” Xie Yuling said solemnly.
“What if I still insist on accompanying you? Will you draw your sword on me?” the scholar asked, looking at Xie Yuling.
“Who in the world are you?” Xie Yuling demanded.
“Then so be it, draw your sword,” the scholar said, smiling serenely.
Xie Yuling felt a sudden surge of killing intent rise from his heart. He didn’t have much hostility towards this scholar, but he was cautious and didn’t dare to travel with someone of unknown origin. He had originally held his sword as a precaution, and had not really intended to draw it. However, at this moment, a voice kept repeating in his mind.
Kill him! Kill him!
“Draw your sword against me!” The scholar’s tone suddenly became more forceful.
“Ah!” Xie Yuling shouted angrily, unsheathed his sword and thrust it towards the scholar.
“The Xie family of Jiangnan, famed for their Falling Flower Swordplay. Impressive,” The scholar took out a jade flute that was originally tucked in his waist with his right hand, raised his hand and waved it lightly, blocking Xie Yuling’s long sword. He waved his hand again and knocked Xie Yuling back three steps. The scholar sighed softly, “The benevolence of a gentleman spans not beyond five generations. The Falling Flower Swordplay of the past was so free and easy, but the Falling Flower Swordplay of today is full of stale air and can no longer live up to its name. No wonder Xie Kanhua doesn’t want to practice it.”
“Just who are you?” Xie Yuling shouted angrily, and once again stabbed the scholar with his sword. This sword move was the most deadly and difficult to learn of the thirteen forms of the Falling Flower Swordplay – Petal Ashes. Although Xie Yuling was already the most outstanding member of the Xie family of his generation, he had never been able to fully master this move. However, the sword strike he unleashed now was absolutely complete and flawless. Xie Yuling even felt that this was the most perfect sword strike he had ever executed in his life.
He was delighted, but even more so, he was astonished. Given his current physical state, this should not have been possible.
“The flowers have all withered and fallen, leaving only ashes behind. What a pity.” The scholar tucked the jade flute back into his waist, suddenly took a step forward, and then came to Xie Yuling’s side.
Their gazes locked, mere inches apart.
“So…fast.” Xie Yuling exclaimed in his heart.
The scholar grabbed Xie Yuling’s hand and pulled the sword out of his hand with a gentle tug. He twirled it once, forming a flower with the blade, then leaped onto the mirror-like surface of the lake. He spun around and landed lightly on the water, causing ripples to spread out in circles.
“The Xie family’s Falling Blossom Swordplay of Jiangnan should be performed like this.” The scholar stood on the lake as if on solid ground. He ran his fingers lightly over the back of his sword, then closed his eyes and pondered for a moment. Finally, he swung his sword.
A wave of sword energy swept across the surface of the lake.
The scholar leapt gracefully into the air and began to perform a sword dance.
“Falling Blossom Swordplay!” Xie Yuling was taken aback. The scholar was indeed performing the Xie family’s Falling Blossom Swordplay of Jiangnan, but it was different from what he had learned. The moves were simpler and more fluid, but more importantly, when the scholar danced with his sword, he truly had the carefree and unrestrained air that he had spoken of.
“Do you understand now?” the scholar suddenly asked in a loud voice.
Xie Yuling was completely absorbed in the wondrous swordplay, and he didn’t even have the time to answer the scholar’s question.
“The Xie family is gone, but it’s good that this young man is capable of learning.” The scholar suddenly pointed his sword at the sky. “The flowers have withered, and the ashes are falling.”
The long sword fell.
A gust of refreshing wind blew through.
“Even a sword that takes lives can be beautiful.” In the wake of the cool sword wind, the flowers and trees on both sides of the lake swayed gently, their petals fluttering and falling onto the surface of the water. The scholar collected his sword and turned to look at Xie Yuling.
Only after a long time did Xie Yuling come back to his senses. “Who exactly are you? Why do you know our Xie family’s Falling Blossom Swordplay?”
“All martial arts in the world stem from the same source. It’s just swordsmanship, after all. If you glimpse one, you can grasp the second, and if you get the second, you can see the whole picture.” The scholar leaped to Xie Yuling’s side, stabbed his long sword into the ground, then turned around and looked at Feng Zuojun, whose hand holding the saber was slightly trembling. “You, draw your blade.”
Feng Zuojun was second to none in courage, and among the whole academy, no other disciple of his generation dared to claim the first place, but that didn’t mean he was fearless, after seeing that man’s swordplay just now, how could he dare to make a move.
But he still raised his saber, and slashed down with one stroke.
The true wind rises, and the clouds fly high.
“You are very good, your saber skills have a bit of your father’s shadow.” The scholar caressed the long saber in his hand, “But how can a martial artist have someone else’s shadow on him?”
Feng Zuojun was so surprised that his bandages burst, and he couldn’t feel the blood gushing from his thigh. He had no idea how he had executed such a perfect move of the Great Wind Style, or how the scholar in front of him had snatched his saber away.
“The Great Wind Style, it values a momentum. You do have some domineering aura on you, but it’s like copying a cat by drawing a tiger, you only get the form but not the meaning, is the so-called momentum just having a louder voice, a more arrogant attitude? Too far, too far.” The scholar stretched out a finger and lightly flicked the blade, “Those who practice the saber, when they get the momentum, they should look down on the world.”
The scholar suddenly turned around, and slashed his saber at the lake surface.
There was a “bang” and the whole lake was shaken!
Nothing remained of the long saber but a hollow hilt, its blade in pieces. With a shake of his head, the scholar threw the hilt away.
The startled lake water fell back down, raining on them like a storm. The scholar drew out his jade flute and waved it lightly, stopping the water a foot away from him. But Feng Zuojun and Xie Yuling were soaked to the bone.
Yet they were numb to it all.
Because they were still immersed in the sword intent that had not yet faded.