NOVPUBThe point of blade vibrated.
Wang Ba’s heart stirred as well.
"Have we already reached the Sword Lodge mentioned by Martial Uncle Xumi?"
Just then,
a voice filled with joyous excitement suddenly rose from a distant snow-capped mountain:
"Xumi! Haha! You’ve finally come!"
"Hmm?"
Wang Ba, Ying He, and Li Yingfu were all momentarily stunned.
Before the voice had faded,
a highly concentrated sword-light, shimmering with a five-colored radiance, shot towards them from afar!
"Chief Division Master, be careful!"
Sensing the acute danger the sword-light posed, Ying He’s complexion drastically changed.
In almost an instant, he conjured up a defensive radiance.
Li Yingfu was slightly slower but still promptly stood in front to shield them.
Wang Ba, on the other hand, was the last of the three to summon his Mysterious Dragon Soldiers.
"Could this person be Martial Uncle Xumi’s enemy?!"
"But why does the five-colored light atop this sword-light feel so familiar?"
In the rush of the moment, Wang Ba had no time for detailed thoughts and quickly activated his Zen Shadow Clothing.
And within the blink of an eye, that sword-light had already flown amidst the iron vessel.
It stopped abruptly, shaking slightly as if searching for something.
"Eh? It’s not Xumi?"
The voice was filled with confusion.
The three of them saw a figure leaping rapidly from the depths of the distant snowy mountain.
Despite leaping, the speed was extremely fast - Wang Ba could not even discern the specific appearance of the newcomer, only catching a glimpse of a fleeting shadow that suddenly landed before the iron vessel.
Only then did they see the person, with disheveled hair and gnarled Beard and hair.
Wearing a simple, darkened and ragged robe,
looking even more like a savage than the Tubizhou Cultivators.
However, none of the three on the iron vessel dared to underestimate the other.
Despite his shabby appearance, the arrived person’s aura was neither subtle nor concealed, incredibly refined and courageous, and filled with a wildness rarely seen among cultivators.
As soon as he landed in front of the iron vessel,
the sword-light immediately turned and entered the fontanelle of his head.
Yet, he seemed unconcerned, his head shaking left and right as he sized up the three people.
Wang Ba knew that this person was probably the old friend spoken of by Martial Uncle Xumi.
He felt a slight disappointment in his heart.
He thought that this person was Martial Uncle Xumi’s beau, only to find out he was a ’savage’.
But after giving it some thought, considering that Xumi was willing to sever his own arms for the Sword Dao, it stood to reason that he likely had little interest in the Way of Yin and Yang.
Although that was his thought, Wang Ba did not dare to be negligent and quickly raised his hand to pay respects:
"This senior, I am…"
The ’savage’ looked towards Wang Ba, eyes suddenly brightening, and waved his hand to beckon:
"Come."
Wang Ba hadn’t yet reacted.
From his sleeve, the point of blade uncontrollably ’swooshed’ as it flew out and like a swallow returning to the forest, landed in the ’savage’s’ hand, emitting a resonant hum of delight.
Seeing this scene, Wang Ba became even more certain of his guess.
He hastily completed his sentence:
"I am Wang Ba, a cultivator from the Great Jin Myriad Manifestation Sect of the Fenglin Continent, entrusted by Elder Xumi of our sect to return this item to the senior."
"Myriad Manifestation Sect?"
The ’savage’ cradled the point of the blade in his hands with great care, his face brimming with a joyful smile.
Hearing Wang Ba’s words, he showed no surprise, but curiously asked:
"Elder… Xumi has already attained Immortal Ascension, hasn’t he?"
Wang Ba nodded.
At hearing this, the ’savage’s’ expression brightened when he looked at the point of the blade:
"Then that means..."
Before he could finish his sentence.
The radiance on the point of blade suddenly spread.
Following that, a phantom figure flew out from it.
Tall and thin, with a cold countenance.
It was the very figure Wang Ba recognized.
"Martial Uncle Xumi?"
Wang Ba was somewhat astonished.
Xumi looked towards Wang Ba, nodded slightly,
"This is my Spiritual Mind."
He then turned his gaze to the ’savage’.
His eyes exhibited slight fluctuations, and he spoke in a deep voice:
"Chijian, it seems you still have not entered the path."
The ’savage’ Chijian laughed heartily, apparently unfazed by the remark:
"Entering the path or not, that’s your concern, what does it have to do with me?"
"I only care when my sword can reach its ultimate end."
Xumi stood with his hands behind his back, shaking his head lightly at the words:
"The Sword Dao is the Dao of the heart; if the heart knows no bounds, how can the Sword Dao have an end?"
"Your path has strayed."
Upon hearing this, Chijian’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze, sharp and flickering, betrayed a hint of danger:
"Strayed? Xumi, don’t tell me you think that after achieving Immortal Ascension before me, you’re qualified to criticize my Sword Dao?"
"The Sword Dao is the Sword Dao! It has nothing to do with whatever Dao of the heart you’re on about!"
"Hold on, you’re not thinking of using me as a sparring partner after your ascension, are you? Hey, that would be more than welcome!"
Saying so, he released the point of blade and swiftly created distance from the iron vessel.
Sword-light surged within him, with the glow of five colors swirling around.
Xumi did not respond immediately but rather tilted his head slightly and whispered to Wang Ba, explaining:
"This person is a Sword Dao master from the Huangji Continent, obsessed with the sword; hence, he is named Chijian." 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝔭𝔲𝔟.𝖈𝔬𝔪
"He has wandered across various continents, gaining many inheritances; after I defeat him later, his accumulation can be freely taken and used to complete your Dao of Dharmas."
Wang Ba was taken aback.
He glanced at Martial Uncle Xumi somewhat astonished.
He had always thought his Martial Uncle was a straightforward man…
But Xumi had already turned to face Chijian, speaking in a calm voice:
"If we’re to have a contest, why not add a little stake to it?"
"A stake?"
Chijian looked at Xumi with uncertainty:
"Since when did our sparring need to have stakes added?"
But having seen much and knowing more, he quickly realized the implication and said with sudden understanding:
