I Have the Martial Arts Heavenly Eye in the Storm Riders

When I came out of the tavern, there was still a sliver of fiery red light on the horizon.

Two young figures stepped onto the official road one after the other. One carried a sword on his back, and the other carried a black sword. One was taciturn, and the other had bright eyes. They were originally very different, but walking together, they did not seem awkward at all.

Heading west, the mountains grew deeper and the bamboo thicker.

On this day, the mountain road suddenly turned and went straight into a secluded bamboo forest.

The bamboo shadows overlapped layer upon layer, shattering the sunlight. When the wind blew, the whole forest rustled, like someone secretly sharpening a sword in the shadows.

The stone steps wind up the mountainside, damp with moss, covered with fallen leaves, and a few old bamboo sticks are scattered along the roadside, as if blown in from elsewhere by the wind.

As soon as Long'er entered the bamboo forest, her pace slowed down.

It wasn't fear, but a very strange feeling.

The surroundings were eerily quiet, yet this quietness seemed to conceal something, as if someone had left an extremely heavy sword intent here. Over the years, it not only did not dissipate but also seeped into the wind and the bamboo leaves. Even a breath felt like you could smell an indescribable sharpness.

The sword-shaped birthmark between his eyebrows warmed up slightly again.

A few dozen steps further on, there is an old wooden sign leaning crookedly by the roadside.

The wooden sign was blackened by wind and rain, but two large characters were still visible on it.

Sword Village.

A few lines of smaller characters were carved beside it, the strokes extremely bold, almost leaping out of the wood—

A sacred place for swordsmanship.

The place where the Sword Saint comprehended the sword.

You'll regret it for life if you don't go here.

Long'er stopped.

He first looked at "Sword Village," then at "Sword Saint," his eyes gradually brightening, as if someone had lit a flame in his eyes.

But before he could speak, Jin beside him had already stopped in his tracks.

The moment the wooden plaque came into view, the aura emanating from Jin's body suddenly changed.

He had been keeping his composure the whole way, and even when he didn't speak, his breathing remained steady, like a piece of iron pressed down at the bottom of deep water.

But at this moment, upon seeing the words "Sword Saint," it was as if a piece of cold iron from deep water had been suddenly pulled to the surface, and a chilling aura immediately surged up, making even the knuckles turn white.

Long'er turned her head to look at him.

"Do you recognize this place?"

Jin didn't answer, only staring at the wooden sign, a coldness gradually creeping into his eyes.

The aura of gold was deep and profound, as if it concealed a sharp blade, but Long'er did not notice it.

He felt that Jin's movements were steady and powerful, each step seemed to be secretly accumulating strength, and the timing of his movements was extremely precise.

"Do you know this place?" Long'er asked, tilting her head.

Jin then moved slowly, his gaze still fixed on the wooden sign. After a moment, he uttered two words softly.

"I've heard of it."

Long'er glanced at him again.

The answer was too bland, almost perfunctory, but he had clearly seen the change in Jin's aura just now, and it was definitely not as simple as "heard of".

He was about to ask another question when Jin had already looked away and his voice returned to its usual calm.

"A person who has been dead for many years still has a reputation that can intimidate people."

These words sounded ordinary, but when they came out of Jin's mouth, they carried an indelible chill, like rust pressing under an old wound, which would reek of blood at the slightest touch.

Long'er did not ask any further questions.

His gaze returned to the two words on the wooden sign.

Sword Saint.

To Jin, those two words were like a thorn that had been there for years; it looked like it had scabbed over, but if you really touched it, it would still bleed inside.

But in Long'er's eyes, it was like a door.

It was as if something was lurking behind the door, quietly waiting for him to step inside.

Jin noticed his expression and glanced at him sideways.

"You want to go in?"

"think."

"Just because of the words 'Sword Saint'?"

Long'er shook her head.

"more than."

He raised his hand and pressed it against his brow, his voice lowering slightly.

"Something is calling to me."

Jin's eyes narrowed.

Are you sure you're not imagining things?

"No." Long'er answered very quickly and with absolute certainty this time.

"I sensed it as soon as I entered the bamboo forest."

"The wind here is different, the sound of the bamboo is different, even the air on the ground is different."

"It's as if a sword intent remains here, and it hasn't completely dissipated yet."

Jin was silent for a moment, then suddenly said:

"Sword intent is something that not just anyone can touch."

Long'er looked at him, and that arrogance in her eyes slowly resurfaced.

"Just because not everyone can touch it doesn't mean I can't."

These words, once spoken, had a distinctly his own flavor.

Jin looked at him and suddenly remembered the way the boy's eyes gleamed as he stared at his leg techniques when they first met at the bridgehead. The murderous intent surging in Jin's heart was suppressed to some extent.

"You really are like a sword."

Long'er said, "It's not that I look like you, it's that I am."

After hearing this, Jin's lips twitched slightly.

"Let's go."

A hint of youthful smile finally appeared in Long'er's eyes as she turned and walked deeper into the bamboo forest.

Jin stood still and looked up at the wooden sign again.

Sword Saint.

These two words had been weighing on his heart for many years, sometimes burning like fire, sometimes crushing like ice, even his breath carried the taste of old wounds resurfacing.

But at this moment, he finally suppressed his surging hatred little by little, and his expression turned somber again.

"Let's go inside first and talk about it."

He muttered something under his breath and followed after him.

Deep in the bamboo forest, the sound of the wind gradually rises.

Two young figures, one in front and one behind, disappeared into the new bamboo forest that held old sword intent, old grudges, and new paths.

After passing through the bamboo forest, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A small village lies quietly in a mountain valley. The houses are scattered at different heights and are all built of bamboo and wood. Wind chimes hang from the eaves and ring out when the wind blows. At first glance, it really does have a secluded and tranquil atmosphere.

But Long'er only glanced at it before her gaze was fixed on the stone statue at the village entrance.

The stone statue is about three zhang tall, with a long beard hanging down to its chest, wearing a wide robe and large sleeves. It stands there with its hands on its sword, its eyes slightly raised, as if looking at the sky, or as if it has seen all of humanity and is too lazy to lower its head anymore.

Even though it's a stone sculpture, its aloof and proud aura hasn't been worn away in the slightest.

This is the Sword Saint Dugu.

Long'er stood under the stone statue, looking up at it for a long time.

For some reason, the moment he saw that face, his heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something. He couldn't explain why or make sense of it, but it felt strangely familiar, as if he had seen it in a dream, or as if he had met that face in a much more distant place.

He frowned slightly and raised his hand to press his brow.

"What's wrong?"

Jin stood to the side and asked a question.

Long'er didn't answer immediately, but stared at the stone statue for a moment before whispering:

"This face...it looks familiar."

Jin followed his gaze, his eyes lingering on the stone statue for a moment before looking away.

"What's so familiar about a dead person?"

He spoke calmly and softly, but Long'er still sensed that he was reluctant to talk about it, so she didn't ask any further questions.

Although Jin's expression remained calm, his hands in his sleeves slowly clenched, and his feet sank slightly, as if the force within him was silently pressing down on his legs.

If someone hadn't stepped in the next moment, the stone statue at the village entrance would most likely have cracked in half by that one step.

"Oh, you two young men, what a perfect time to come!"

A cheerful voice suddenly burst out from the side, interrupting their thoughts.

A middle-aged man emerged from behind a bamboo shed at the village entrance. His gray cloth robe was faded from washing, and he was holding a folding fan. He walked very quickly and was right in front of us in just a few steps.

This man had narrow eyes that almost disappeared when he smiled. His lips always carried a hint of warmth and shrewdness, making him look like a storyteller who roamed the streets, or a street vendor who could talk the dead right into existence.

He first clasped his hands in a fist salute to the two men, then unfolded his fan and pointed at the stone statue.

"You two are clearly knowledgeable about swords. Coming to Sword Village has been a wise decision."

"My surname is Xu, and everyone in the village calls me Xu Sanzui. I specialize in leading visiting heroes and valiant men on tours of the village, ensuring you two won't have a wasted trip."

Long'er glanced at him.

"Your name sounds like something you gave yourself."

Xu Sanzui wasn't annoyed at all; instead, he chuckled.

"Young man, you have a good eye."

"If you can't speak your mind, how can you earn a living?"

After saying that, he moved closer to the stone statue, lowered his voice, and pretended to be mysterious.

"Let's start with this stone statue."

"To onlookers, it's just a stone; but those in the know will immediately understand—though the Sword Saint is dead, his spirit remains."

"The reason Sword Village has attracted so many martial arts practitioners over the past few decades is because of its irrepressible sword energy."

Upon hearing this, Jin gave him a cold look.

Xu Sanzui felt a chill run down his spine from that glance, but he didn't dare stop talking and quickly turned his gaze to Long'er.

"Young man, stand closer. Do you feel a tightness in your chest, a chill in your nostrils, and even a sharp aura seeping into your bones?"

Long'er didn't fall for his act and said calmly:

"The wind blowing through the bamboo forest is naturally cool."

Xu San choked on his words, then let out two dry laughs.

"Yes, yes, what you say makes sense, young man."

"However, the wind in Sword Village is ultimately different from elsewhere."

As he spoke, he secretly observed the expressions of the two. He noticed that although Long'er was cold, she was still willing to talk, while Jin hadn't given him a friendly look from beginning to end. He immediately understood what was going on.

The one in black is hard to fool; the one who can truly be fooled is the younger one.

So he put away his fan and led the way into the village.

"Now that you two are here, why don't you come inside with me and take a look around?"

"The stone statue, the sword-writing monument, the Peerless Sword Shop, the Sword Enlightenment Platform—not a single one should be missed, especially the Sword Enlightenment Platform; that's an opportunity that countless people outside would pay anything for."

When Long'er heard the words "Enlightenment Sword Platform," his eyes indeed flickered.

Xu Sanzui immediately struck while the iron was hot.

"That's right, young man, you look like you have potential. You should definitely check out this kind of place."

"Who knows, while others might just be passing through, you might step right in and find yourself on the same path the Sword Saint once walked."

Jin scoffed.

"Your mouth is certainly not wasted."

Xu Sanzui immediately smiled ingratiatingly.

"Just trying to make a living, just trying to make a living."

Long'er ignored all of this, only glancing up at the stone statue again before walking towards the village.

Seeing this, Xu Sanzui quickly followed, fanning himself and leading the way, his mouth never stopping.

The village is indeed well-maintained.

The stone-paved road was swept clean, and bamboo racks and flower pots were placed in front of the houses. Many shops had their storefronts deliberately aged, with signs such as "Holy Spirit's Legacy," "Sword Saint's Former Residence," and "Peerless Remains," each one more intimidating than the last.

There were even a few children chasing and playing with wooden swords by the roadside, shouting "Sword One" and "Sword Two," performing the moves in a mess, and it was unclear who taught them.

Long'er frowned the whole way as she looked around.

Jin grew colder and colder as he looked at the screen, and eventually stopped saying a word altogether.

They hadn't walked far when Xu Sanzui led the two to a stall.

The stall was filled with longswords, all with identical scabbards, identical tassels, and even the patterns on the hilts looked like they were all cast from the same mold.

Xu Sanzui's eyes lit up, as if he had finally led a guest through the main gate. He hurriedly reached out and took a handful, then presented it to Long'er with both hands.

"Young man, look! The Peerless Sword!"

Long'er glanced at his hands, then at the back of the stall.

Not only were there dozens of swords hanging on the shelves, but even the little boy selling candy next door was carrying a miniature wooden "Peerless Sword," running and swinging it until he was covered in sweat.

Long'er was silent for a moment, then asked:

"Supreme Warrior, shouldn't there only be one?"

Xu San didn't even blush; he snapped his fan open and grinned with exceptional smoothness.

"The truly peerless one, naturally, has only one."

"These are all replicas of old souvenirs."

"A martial artist who comes to Sword Village must bring something back with him, otherwise, if others ask, wouldn't it be a wasted trip?"

Jin stood to the side and spoke calmly.

"Using scrap metal to fool people is a way to make money."

Upon hearing this, Xu Sanzui immediately sheathed his sword, but his words remained sharp.

"Young man, you've gone too far with your words."

"How can a transaction based on mutual consent be called deception?"

"Besides, the people who come to Sword Village aren't buying swords; they're buying a keepsake."

Long'er had no interest in that pile of things and walked away.

Xu Sanzui was not discouraged when his sales pitch failed. He quickly chased after him and continued to talk at length about the life of the Sword Saint.

"Speaking of the Sword Saint, he was truly remarkable."

"He started learning swordsmanship at five, surpassed his master at seven, became famous at nine, and by thirteen had already left his peers far behind..."

He spoke with great enthusiasm, mixing truth and falsehood, claiming he had mastered swordsmanship overnight, that he had secluded himself for three years, and that he had startled thirty-six masters with a single sword strike—he described it all with great detail and conviction.

Long'er listened for a few moments at first, but the more she listened, the more she felt something was wrong, so she simply asked him:

"You've seen it before?"

Xu Sanzui paused for a moment, then patted his chest and said:

"Never seen it before? That doesn't stop me from admiring it!"

"That's how it's been passed down in the village, it can't be wrong."

Jin added casually from the side,

"The dead are the best for storytellers; after all, they're not going to crawl out of their graves and curse you."

Xu San's face stiffened, he gave a dry laugh, and quickly relayed the message.

"Young man, you're joking, you're joking."

He smiled outwardly, but inwardly he was groaning.

This young man in black is clearly a cold piece of iron; he can ruin the place with just a few words, yet you can't gauge his true strength, so you don't dare to turn against him.

Long'er didn't care about any of that. As he walked, his thoughts gradually drifted to a certain place deep in the village.

The further he went, the clearer the burning sensation between his brows became, as if something was hidden ahead, pulling him along from a great distance.

Finally, Xu Sanzui led the two to a stop in front of a grand hall.

The main hall wasn't particularly ornate, but the lintel was low, and steps led up to an old plaque with three large characters: "Enlightenment Platform."

Xu Sanzui closed his folding fan, his expression becoming more serious than before, as if he had finally led his guest to the most valuable place.

"arrive."

He pointed upwards, lowering his voice,

"This is the place where the Sword Saint comprehended the sword."

"Whether you visit other places or not doesn't matter, but if you miss this place, you'll have truly wasted your trip."

Before she could finish speaking, Long'er had already stepped onto the stairs.

He completely ignored Xu Sanzui's subsequent preamble, as if he were being lured by something, his eyes fixed only on that grand hall.

"Hey, young man, wait a minute, wait a minute—"

Xu Sanzui quickly stepped in front of him, his smile still the same, but the meaning behind it had changed.

"You can go in, of course, but... it's not a place you can just look around for free."

Long'er paused, finally turning her head to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

Xu San rubbed his hands together, his smile appearing remarkably practiced.

"Not much, ten taels of silver."

"Don't worry about the price, gentlemen. What's inside is the real deal; nothing outside can compare."

Long'er then realized that she didn't have much silver on her, and her brows furrowed.

Seeing his expression, Xu Sanzui's smile deepened. Just as he was about to add a few more words, a silver ingot suddenly flew over from the side.

With a soft thud, she landed right in his arms.

Is that enough?

Jin stood at the bottom of the steps, his tone indifferent, as if asking about the cost of a bowl of tea.

Xu San held the silver in his mouth, first stunned, then his eyes lit up. He quickly bent down and took a bite, grinning from ear to ear.

"Enough, enough, of course enough! You two just go in, just go in!"

Long'er turned to look at Jin, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"Consider this money a loan from me."

Jin glanced at him. "Let's go inside first."

Before Long'er could say anything more, Jin raised his chin.

"Haven't you been talking about this place the whole way? What are you standing there for?"

These words weren't harsh, but they sounded pleasant.

Long'er felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and without saying anything more, she simply nodded to him and turned to walk inside.

Upon receiving the silver, Xu Sanzui immediately reverted to his obsequious demeanor, bending over and following behind, escorting the person all the way into the palace.

Jin didn't go in; he just stood outside the door, gazing at the old plaque above the palace gate with a detached expression, lost in thought.

The hall was very empty.

There were no divine weapons or portraits; the empty ground was covered only with a series of footprints of varying depths, stretching from the entrance all the way inside.

The footprints looked messy, as if they held some secret. The area was specially enclosed by a wooden fence, and there was an incense table and incense burner next to it, with wisps of smoke rising from it. It was all done in a very proper manner.

Xu Sanzui followed Long'er closely, speaking very softly, as if afraid of startling something.

"Young brother, these are the footprints left by the Sword Saint when he comprehended the Holy Spirit Sword Technique."

"Ordinary people wouldn't understand it; they'd just think it was randomly created. But truly talented people, if they observe it for a while, can see the underlying principles."

"Some say these footprints hold the essence of the Holy Spirit Sword Technique, while others say even the shadow of Sword Twenty-Three remains within them..."

He spoke so mysteriously that I thought Long'er, at his age, should be somewhat intimidated.

To everyone's surprise, Long'er just looked down and didn't say a word.

Seeing that he didn't respond, Xu Sanzui thought he was stunned, so he became more and more enthusiastic.

"Countless people outside would pay a fortune to even catch a glimpse of this place. Young man, you are incredibly fortunate to be able to get in at such a young age."

"Take your time and look at it slowly, no rush. The more you look at this kind of thing, the more you need to calm down—"

Before he could finish speaking, Long'er suddenly scoffed.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was extremely piercing.

Xu Sanzui immediately stopped talking.

"Young man?"

Long'er continued to stare at the footprints on the ground, but her expression gradually darkened.

A moment later, he seemed genuinely amused, a smirk playing on his lips, but his eyes were icy cold.

"This dares to call it the Footprints of Enlightenment?"

Xu Sanzui's expression changed drastically.

"What...what do you mean by that?"

Long'er took two steps forward, stood beside the set of footprints, pointed at them, and her tone was filled with barely suppressed disgust.

"The steps are unsteady, the center of gravity is scattered, the front and back cannot connect, and the left and right are also not in good shape."

"To put it bluntly, it's just a bunch of rudimentary footwork pieces cobbled together, deliberately stepping too deep or too shallow, and then putting on an air of profound mystery."

As he spoke, he took two steps to the side, his movements slow but clear enough to make the so-called mysteries on the ground crystal clear.

"This kind of thing might fool laymen, but anyone who knows a little can see through it at a glance."

Sweat beaded on Xu San's forehead, but he still forced a smile.

"Young man, you're quite old, but you've got quite the big mouth."

"The things left behind by the Sword Saint can't be so easily obtained—"

"Sword Saint?"

Long'er suddenly turned to look at him, her eyes flashing with anger.

"You dare mention the Sword Saint?"

This shout made Xu San's heart tremble, and he took half a step back.

Long'er's chest heaved as she looked at the footprints on the ground, feeling a surge of fire rising within her.

If it's just a lie, he might not care.

There are plenty of swindlers and con artists in the underworld; it's not his place to deal with them one by one.

But these people are using the name of the Sword Saint and the reputation of the sword path to smear a bunch of worthless things here and insist on calling it some kind of unparalleled opportunity.

He couldn't swallow this insult.

"They dare to put this kind of garbage here to fool people?"

Long'er cursed and kicked him.

"Snap!"

The wooden fence surrounding the footprints broke in half on the spot.

Xu Sanzui's expression changed drastically, and he rushed forward to try and stop him.

"No! Don't do anything reckless!"

Long'er wouldn't listen; she flicked him aside.

He then grabbed the bronze incense burner from the altar and smashed it hard on the ground.

"Clang!"

The incense burner tumbled out, scattering ash all over the ground and creating a chaotic mess of smoke.

Xu Sanzui was truly enraged this time. His previous smiling face vanished instantly, and his voice suddenly became shrill.

"Damn it! You're asking for it!"

As he backed away, he shouted at the top of his lungs toward the rear of the palace.

"Help! Help! This kid's causing trouble!"

"Quick, hold him down! Don't let him move anymore!"

At the sound of the shout, several burly men rushed out from the rear, each carrying a stick, their steps hurried and heavy, clearly having been waiting there for some time.

Xu Sanzui hid behind the group, stopped waving his fan, and the shrewd smile on his face turned into a ferocious grin.

"You little rascal, you've got a sharp eye!"

"I was originally going to let you leave with some dignity, but since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

He pointed at Long'er and hissed through gritted teeth:

"Cripple him!"

"We absolutely cannot let him go out and spread rumors!"

"court death!"

A loud shout burst in from outside the hall, a gust of wind suddenly rose by the door, and Jin's figure was swept into the hall.

He advanced too quickly. Several men who rushed towards Long'er felt their vision go black, and before they could even stand firmly, their chests felt as if they had simultaneously struck several iron stakes.

Several muffled thuds rang out in succession. The sticks were thrown from their hands, and people were sent flying backward. Some crashed into the incense table, while others smashed into the wooden railing. Cries of pain immediately filled the air.