Chapter 1511: Born a Sword for Slaughter

Beneath the clear sky and drifting clouds, a stream flows,Like a path uncertain of its destination,Carrying those heartbreaking memories,Winding towards a distance beyond the eye's reach.

The white-haired man upon the blue stone opens his eyes,His sword hidden for a thousand years now reveals its edge,Piercing even this expanse of heaven and earth.Layers of clouds part.

Yet he merely gazes calmly forward,His sword-eyes illuminate the clear stream water,Nowhere does a thread of emotion arise."Something wrong?" he asks.

The water ripples on the stream's surface,Reflecting a woman in a Taoist robe, her hair bound with a jade crown.Her brows, eyes, and temples are bathed in starlight,Her countenance beautiful and fitting.One sees her grace, and also the passage of time.The divine light in her eyes, like the subtle ripples on the water, is capricious.

"Oh, I say," the woman in the Taoist robe speaks with a hint of complaint,"The Duke of Huai from Great Chu sent someone to relay a message to you,And you don't even listen? Don't you care about your precious disciple anymore?"

"He goes to kill, I did not stop him.If he is to be killed, why should I care about him?" the white-haired man asks in a flat tone.

Fine lines appear on the water mirror,The woman's face within the water mirror seems somewhat fragmented."Ah, this..."These words are surprisingly reasonable, rendering one speechless for a moment!

"But he is your disciple after all, and also a true傳 disciple of my Southern Dipper Hall," the woman says.

The white-haired man calmly gazes at the clear stream water,"He chooses to do this thing himself,He chooses to walk this path himself.Then he should have his own realization.If he dies this time, that is also his choice."

"This disciple of yours...His killing intent is no less than yours in your prime.It's just that his inner demons are hard to dispel, and he clings to his own will,"The woman in the Taoist robe sighs."He even specifically came to ask me before,Wanting me to help divinate about that young man named Jiang Wang."

The white-haired man's tone remains bland,"Then he is quite good at opening old wounds of yours."

"Isn't he?" the woman in the Taoist robe says with a touch of resentment."How can I calculate those whose fates are concealed by Yu Beidou?You, the True Man of Seven Kills, Lu Shuanghe,Are the foremost in killing power among True Men in this age.My calculating ability cannot be ranked so high."

"I have a plan.""What is the plan?"

Lu Shuanghe says lightly,"Protect yourself well, cherish your body,Live a few more years.When Yu Beidou dies,You will be the foremost in calculating ability among True Men in this age."

"This... Why would Yu Beidou, who is in good health, die?Do you have some information I do not know?"

"What I mean is..." Lu Shuanghe says,"He is older than you."

"..." The renowned True Man of Heavenly Secrets, Ren Qiuli,Is silent for a while in the water mirror."Thank you, you are still so good at comforting people."

Of course, the real reason they both understand.Yu Beidou's Dao does not exist in the present world;He lost the possibility of becoming a True Monarch long ago.Therefore, his age is the true age that is pressing step by step.But for a person like Ren Qiuli,To have to wait for another person to genuinely die of old ageBefore she can claim the title of the foremost in calculating ability among True Men in this age...Is that not also a kind of sorrow?It is not that she can ultimately defeat her competitor,But that the competitor has already lost to the era, and will eventually lose to time.

"But then again, Shengfeng is one of us from the Southern Dipper Hall after all,His coming to me is also a form of trust," Ren Qiuli says."Are you really not going to help him?"

"Do you know what the most cruel thing in this world is?" Lu Shuanghe asks.Ren Qiuli says, "...Your sword."

"My sword is not enough." Lu Shuanghe gently raises a finger,Pointing towards the sky, "It is this.No matter what choice you make,No matter how much you strive,It remains the same,Following its own order.It will not change for anyone or anything."

He seems to completely miss the hidden meaning in Ren Qiuli's words,Simply stating his own answer, he continues,"When I chose disciples back then, I merely observed.I accepted all outcomes.I hope he can also accept."

"It's different now, Yi Shengfeng is now your disciple,You have raised him for so many years..." Ren Qiuli pauses here,And asks in surprise, "You want to temper his sword?Facing the Duke of Huai's Mansion in the Southern Territory...It's very easy to break!"

Lu Shuanghe only says, "Innate sword artifacts are for killing,There is no reason why they cannot be broken."

Ren Qiuli says, "The Zuo clan is a thousand-year-old aristocratic family,Their might has accumulated over time, and experts are like clouds.At the Duke of Huai's command, countless people will draw their swords.If you do not give him support, he will have no way to survive."

Lu Shuanghe says, "I believe that before he drew his sword,He had already thought clearly about what he would face."

"He is young and impetuous after all,Perhaps he does not understand the weight of the Great Chu Duke of Huai's Mansion,And perhaps he does not know the state of Qi..."

"If a person, before drawing his sword,Does not understand what he is about to face," Lu Shuanghe interrupts indifferently,"Then what is the necessity of him living?"

Ren Qiuli sighs, and says again,"If people below the Divine Manifestation realm attack, then so be it,But I am afraid that the Duke of Huai's Mansion will oppress with power,Which would also damage the reputation of our Southern Dipper Hall."

Among these two True Men, the martial uncle seems to care more about the disciple than the master.Perhaps this is also why Yi Shengfeng went to ask Ren Qiuli for divination help,But did not ask his own master.

Lu Shuanghe looks at the water mirror, and says with unusual calmness,"If an existence above the Divine Manifestation realm were to attack him,Of course, I would protect my disciple's path."

As he himself said, a person, before drawing their sword,Must think clearly about what they are about to face.Lu Shuanghe has no doubt thought very clearly.

Ren Qiuli then understands that this is the bottom line Lu Shuanghe has drawn,And also his response to the Great Chu Duke of Huai.She advises, "It would be better to recall Shengfeng.The Longevity Monarch will be returning soon,During this time, we do not need to conflict with the State of Chu..."

"Zuo Xiao is Zuo Xiao, the State of Chu is the State of Chu.How far can he go for a person from Qi?" Lu Shuanghe responds in a light tone.

He raises his eyes again to look at the sky,A blood-colored, hawk-like strange beastJust happens to flap its wings and sweep past,Shattering the drifting clouds."I also really want to know," he says.

A clear patch of sky above the dome.Silent, formless... and already without the hawk.

At the border where the states of Zhuang, Yong, and Luo meet,There is a city called "Unredeemed."This place is a recognized land outside the law, a city of chaos.The laws of the three countries cannot extend here,Any secular morality or precepts are ineffective here.There is only one voice here, one rule.There is only one crime here—"Poverty," which means those who cannot afford the 'life gold'Can only wait to be killed by others.

Some see it as a cancerous tumor in the Western Region,Others see it as a pure land in the present world.But no matter what people say, or how they see it,It stands silently here, and will continue to stand here for a long time.

Leaving aside the State of Luo for now,With the rise of the State of Zhuang and the reforms of the State of Yong,The two powers face off, and this border area has become even more stable.Perhaps neither wants to start a national war again,And both need such a place for buffer.Thus, the city of Unredeemed becomes increasingly prosperous.

One cannot say it is a soil that breeds evil,But it is indeed a cage that harbors criminals.As long as enough 'life gold' is paid, one can live here,And live well. Regardless of good or evil, old or young.Without 'life gold', there is no life.Also regardless of good or evil, old or young.

The criminal guard leaning by the city gateHas been napping for quite some time.Although this city is full of villains,He does not need to worry about anyone causing trouble.The might of the city of UnredeemedHas been proven time and again throughout the past years...Now it has been a long time since there was a moment that required proving.

In his drowsy state, half-asleep and half-awake,A person walks up to him and stops before him.This person wears a cloak, dressed in linen,Their face hidden beneath the hood.They stand there very politely, as if waiting for him to wake up.This kind of politeness is completely out of place with the temperament of the city of Unredeemed.

The criminal guard glances at this person, then loses interest.Whether male or female, beautiful or ugly, whether they reveal their face or not, is irrelevant.She merely yawns and asks, "Do you know the rules?"

A young voice comes from beneath the cloak,"I wish to hear the details."

Young people do not fare well in this city.Because young people often still have tempers,And their skills have not yet matured.However, this is none of his concern.

Although the criminal guard is somewhat impatient,He still explains the rules of the 'life gold'."Speak, how much do you plan to spend on your little life?"The criminal guard finishes reciting the rules, then lazily takes out the entry form,And picks up a pen. "Friendly reminder,People who cherish wealth often don't live long here."

"Uh." The newcomer pauses, then asks,"What is the minimum to pay?"

The criminal guard detects a rather unpleasant temperament,And puts away the entry form and pen."You can pay not a single cent."

"Then I won't pay," the young person under the cloak says.Very natural, very smooth.

Almost at the same time,Those gathered near the city gate,Standing, lying, or leaning,All cast fierce glares,Each one like a hungry wolf!

Those who linger hereAre people who, for various reasons, are about to be unable to stay in the city.But they came to the city of Unredeemed in the first placeBecause they couldn't survive outside.Leaving now would only mean dying faster.They stake out this place every day,Waiting for potential "new meat."

Although none of the people who choose to live in the city of Unredeemed are easy to mess with,There will always be some reckless youngsters who don't understand the situation,Appearing in this cruel worldTo give them a little "sweetness" to taste, like this one in front of him.A clumsy disguise,And the unique arrogance of youth.Perhaps they did something in some place that caused a sensation,And thus think they are some great figure,Believing they can run rampant anywhere.They need to be taught a lesson.Of course, perhaps they don't need to be taught a lesson,Just buried.

The people gathered here are like hyenas,But the criminal guards of the city of Unredeemed will not pay attention to them.With such a pack of hyenas here,Newcomers entering the city often choose to pay a little more 'life gold'.After all, their criminal guards have rules,Unlike the other scoundrels in the city, they cannot directly rob.

The criminal guard by the city gateDoesn't care what fate awaits the newcomer.Seeing that the newcomer is unwilling to pay,She is too lazy to persuade.She simply says casually, "Then go in, what are you waiting for?"

"Uh, one question." The young person under the cloak,Completely ignoring those fierce glares,Only looks at the criminal guard collecting money at the gate,Still maintaining politeness."I am looking for someone named Lian Heng,Please tell me which way to go?"

The fierce gazes gathered near the city gateImmediately disperse.Those catching lice catch lice, those sleeping sleep,Those sunbathing sunbathe.Anyone who comes directly to find Lian Heng, the commander of the criminal guards,No matter for what reason,Is not someone they can afford to offend.

Only the criminal guard by the city gateShows no change in attitude.Paying or not paying, looking for Lian Heng or looking for Zhang San,Are merely people who have interrupted her nap.She waves her hand with a little impatience,"Go in and ask others.""Honestly, I just watch the gate,Not everything should be brought to me, right?"

The young person wearing the cloakSeems to have a very good temper,Completely unlike other newcomers to the city of Unredeemed who are usually irritable and fierce.He merely nods, and even says,"Sorry to trouble you."Then he walks into the city by himself.

He is a newcomer who has not paid even a single copper coin,With a 'life gold' of zero.He walks alone into the wickedest city in the three Western Region states.No one comes to harass him,But no one pays attention to him either."Hello, excuse me..."

Fierce-looking people walk their own ways,Not even bothering to cast a curious glance.The residents here only worry about how to live each day,How to live with more enjoyment,And do not care about anything else.

Jiang Wang stands in the center of the main street,Politely raises his hand for a long time,Receiving not a single response.Finally, he gives up.He turns around and looks at the people leaning near the city wall.One of them had the deepest malice in their gaze earlier.Jiang Wang walks directly towards him,Blocking his sunlight.

The person looks up, one eye is blind,And there is a knife scar above the brow bone of the other eye.The whole person has an inherent ferocity in their bones."This is really a cold city," Jiang Wang says.

The one-eyed man looks at him vigilantly,And does not speak."You should not have any 'life gold' left, right?" Jiang Wang asks.

The man grins, "How much is the master willing to reward?"

"Lead the way, otherwise I will kill you," Jiang Wang says coldly.Those who seek Lian Heng are certainly not to be provoked,But being sought out and threatened is also something one cannot back down from.The person leaning by the city wallKnows the survival rules of this city very well.His muscles suddenly tense, and a fierce light bursts from his single eye."Heh..."

He only hears the sound of a sword's cry,But does not capture the flash of the sword.He does not capture the flash of the sword,But has already felt the coldness of the sword's edge.The sword's edge sweeps over his scalp,Piercing all the way into the thick city wall.He experiences a slightly cool sensation,Which is the line the sword's edge drew on his scalp.His whole body suddenly goes numb,And then he is almost paralyzed,His whole person feels weak and limp.The cold sweat on his back only emerges at this point.

Jiang Wang slightly lowers his cloak,His voice is unusually chilling, "Heh?"

"Hey, hey, hey, damaging the city wall, that requires compensation!"The criminal guard who had been lazily slouched by the city gate,Seeming half-paralyzed,Instantly appears beside the two,And very self-righteously reaches out to Jiang Wang for money.

Jiang Wang: ...

After paying the compensation,The two people, cursing inwardly,Leave the vicinity of the city gate.What Jiang Wang curses inwardly is naturally the greed of the city of Unredeemed.What that one-eyed man curses inwardly is unknown.

The buildings in the city of UnredeemedHave no particular rules.Aside from generally not being very tall,They exhibit all sorts of bizarre styles.Everything looks chaotic,But within this chaos,One can somehow find a strange order.

The one-eyed man leads the way with his head down,Stopping in front of a flower building with an extraordinary style."Lian Heng should be inside, I don't have gold in my pocket, I can't go in," he says.

Jiang Wang looks up at the plaque of this tall building,And casually throws a gold ingot to him."Thank you for leading the way."

The one-eyed man catches the gold ingot,His eyes are a little strange,Evidently, he did not expect this terrifyingly murderous fellow to actually give him money.But he doesn't hesitate,Takes the gold and turns to leave.A fool doesn't take advantage when there's one to be had.Although he considers himself a fool, he will still take advantage.

Jiang Wang still looks up at the plaque in his line of sight.He is not familiar with this city, and has not been here before.Just looking at this plaque, he has a slight sense of bewilderment.It's truly surprising, the Three Fragrance Tower actually opened here...

"Very strange, isn't it?" A person who suddenly appears beside him,Looks up at the plaque with Jiang Wang.This person is dressed in blood-red tight-fitting clothes,With a single braid,And has a sleepy look.Making Jiang Wang instinctively think of Xiang Qian.

However, his voice is quite emotional,And also full of desire,Unlike Xiang Qian who is so world-weary."Why would such a famous establishment of romanceOpen in a chaotic place like the city of Unredeemed?"

He speaks volubly, "I have also researched this question for a long time.So what exactly is the reason? I believe you are also very curious.Why don't you spend some money and go in and take a look yourself?"

Even with the concealment of the cloak,Jiang Wang's eyes still show strong suspicion—You have a stake in this building, don't you?

Seeing that the business cannot be negotiated, the person shrugs."I am Lian Heng. I heard you are looking for me?"

Jiang Wang looks at him, and transmits his voice,"I am here to find Zhu Weiwu, he said I could contact him through you."

Lian Heng's lazy expression immediately disappears,And he seriously examines Jiang Wang."Is it convenient to take off your cloak?"

"I'm afraid it will bring you trouble," Jiang Wang says equally seriously.

"Hahaha, the city of Unredeemed is least afraid of trouble!"Lian Heng laughs arrogantly halfway,Then seems to suddenly hear something,And cuts off his laughter."Uh, that. Come with me."

He turns and walks towards another street.

Jiang Wang feels inexplicable.But he does not voice his opinion,Simply follows quietly behind this person.The other party is wearing a criminal guard's uniform,And this is in the city of Unredeemed,Presumably, no one here dares to impersonate Lian Heng.Since Zhu Weiwu asked him to come to the city of Unredeemed,And told him to find Lian Heng,Then this person in this placeMust be reliable.Of course, he doesn't trust Lian Heng or the city of Unredeemed,He simply trusts Zhu Weiwu.So, just follow along.

As Lian Heng walks, he suddenly seems to remember something,And mutters in a low voice,"Why am I always leading the way for people?If this continues, I'll become a greeter soon."

"Oh?" Jiang Wang asks casually,"Who else has Your Excellency led the way for?"

"No one, you wouldn't know them even if I told you."Lian Heng seems unwilling to talk further,And waves his hand very casually.

Jiang Wang also remains silent.

The two, one in front and one behind,Walk through streets and alleys,And quickly arrive at the tallest building in this city—A seven-story building.A black vertical plaque hangs in the center of the main door,With only a white character "囚" (Prisoner) on it.The two colors are distinct, further highlighting this character.This character is like a yoke or a lock,With a severe, restrictive aura.Upon reaching this building, one cannot help but hold their breath.

"We're here," Lian Heng stops and says."The person you want to see is inside."

There is a maid inside,Who gestures for Jiang Wang to enter.The entire process is very straightforward,Without any complicated etiquette.

Jiang Wang also steps inside.

The maid leads the way, walking up the elegantly styled staircase,All the way to the fourth floor.Even with Jiang Wang's current level of understanding,He feels that the arrangement here is quite extraordinary,Not much inferior to the Duke of Huai's Mansion.And this is not something that can be achieved solely with money.

The maid in the Prison Tower says nothing at all,Only points to a place for Jiang Wang to sit down,Then serves a cup of tea,And leaves by herself, without even a word of explanation.

Upon entering, Jiang Wang had already carefully observed the surroundings,And planned several routes for leaving.A total of three Immortal Palace Powerhouses were created,And they are now cleaning up the ruins in the Cloud Top Immortal Palace—According to the White Cloud Child, they have the instinct to repair the Immortal Palace,After all, when the Cloud Top Immortal Palace was built,The basic labor force was the Immortal Palace Powerhouses.Of course, a clever cook cannot make a meal without ingredients.Without any materials,Their progress in repair is almost not to be expected.However, for the current Jiang Wang,An Immortal Palace Powerhouse at the peak of the Outer Building levelIs enough to give him more options in his fighting style.

At this time, no one pays attention to him,And he is not in a hurry,Of course, he also does not drink the tea.He just sits there quietly,And cultivates.The world of cultivation has endless clues,One must not waste time waiting for others.

About two hours later,The tea has cooled completely,When a cold and beautiful woman in a black luxurious dress walks in.Her steps are unhurried,And she possesses an inherent aura of being in a high position for a long time.Her face is exquisite and beautiful,But her pair of indifferent phoenix eyesUnconsciously distance her from the world.The moment he saw her, Jiang Wang actually thought of... Shi Huang Jia Xuan.In that world where the sky collapsed and the sea sank,The beautiful figure with wings like a painting,Brought the night with a flap of its wings...

Jiang Wang ends his cultivation,And quickly gets up."I apologize for the intrusion, it is truly rude."

The woman in the black dress merely glances at him indifferently."I heard you are looking for Zhu Weiwu?"

"Yes... he invited me to meet him here," Jiang Wang says.

"What is your relationship with Zhu Weiwu?"

"Friend." Jiang Wang answers seriously,And also asks in a perfunctory manner, "And you are?"

The woman in the black dress only says,"This is my city."

Jiang Wang then bows in salute,"Greetings, Lord of Sin."

The City Lord of Unredeemed, known as the Lord of Sin, Huang Jinmo,Graciously sits in the main seat,And asks in a light tone,"Why are you still wearing a cloak after meeting the owner of this place?"

"I apologize for the rudeness." Jiang Wang first takes off his cloak,Places it to the side, to show sincerity,And then says,"It is simply that Jiang Wang's identity is a bit sensitive in this area,I was afraid of causing trouble for Lord of Sin."

Huang Jinmo merely raises a finger,And the window next to Jiang Wang is already opened,The clamor outside the building and the light of dayBoth pour in.Then she is heard saying slowly,"Don't worry, not many people here know you."

Jiang Wang: ...

"This Jiang's personality is relatively cautious,I have made Lord of Sin laugh," Jiang Wang says, choosing his words carefully.

Huang Jinmo is noncommittal, only saying,"This building has always forbidden outsiders from entering or leaving,But recently, exceptions have been made repeatedly."

"I am humbled and frightened."

Huang Jinmo says without any mercy,"You don't need to be humbled and frightened,This exception is not because of you."Her tone is flat."The court of Zhuang has been pursuing Zhu Weiwu,You know that, right?Every single person here recognizes Zhu Weiwu.It is not very safe for you to meet elsewhere."

Jiang Wang says earnestly,"I thank Lord of Sin on behalf of Senior Brother Zhu for your care."

Huang Jinmo, however, raises her willow eyebrows,And looks at him with great authority."Who are you to him, to thank him on his behalf?"

--- Off-topic ---This chapter is 6k words, another stab at Brother Yan (42/78).