Ten Directions Sword Master

A carriage slowly drove into the capital. It was of ordinary size and decorated in a simple and elegant style, free from vulgarity.

The car door was engraved with a pattern of two ancient longswords crossed, representing the identity of the visitor.

"A gathering of heroes has brought forth countless geniuses... To participate in such a grand event is a life well-lived."

Du Mocun lifted the curtain and uttered a heartfelt sigh.

"Disciple Xiao, your talent lies not in martial arts, but in calligraphy. Forcing yourself to pursue martial arts will only make you suffer more."

A middle-aged man sat in the middle of the carriage, holding a book, and spoke slowly.

"You saw what happened during our trip to the Water Palace. I almost lost an arm. Forget about making great progress in my cultivation, I almost lost all hope of refining my spirit."

"Instead of spending that effort, you should study calligraphy more. The charm of ink lasts for a thousand years, and you can leave your name in history."

The middle-aged man had heterochromatic eyes; although he wasn't old, he exuded a mature and world-weary air.

He possesses a free and unrestrained temperament, and his face exudes masculine charm.

It was Su Feibai, the contemporary master of Jian Pavilion in Zhaxi and the foremost calligrapher of this dynasty.

Seeing his face, one can better understand Su Qingdai's breathtaking beauty.

Su Feibai brought his eldest disciple and daughter to the capital at the invitation of the imperial court to attend the gathering of heroes and to write a preface for the inscription.

Therefore, he has the right to say that.

Even forces far stronger than the Zhaxi Sword Pavilion might not be able to enter such an occasion.

Centuries later, the probability of Su Feibai being mentioned in historical records is higher than that of most martial artists who reached the peak of the Divine Refinement stage during the same period.

These are things that the mere early-stage Refinement Spirit Master of the Zhaxi Sword Pavilion could not accomplish.

Su Feibai, the contemporary master of calligraphy, possessed unparalleled skill in both brush and ink.

"Qingdai, I've arranged to meet Jinzhenfeng. He'll be at the Gathering of Heroes... In his letter, he said that he's been reading ancient books and has come to understand a new, unfathomable acupuncture technique that can cure congenital ailments and restore one's foundation. If it works, you can practice for at least a few more half-days every ten days, and you won't have to just talk about it on paper anymore."

Su Feibai saw that his eldest disciple was indifferent and scoffed inwardly. He wasn't like that back then, thinking that he could use his sword to make the Thirteen Swords of Zhaxi famous all over the world.

Approaching middle age, he finally let go of his obsession and integrated the strength of regular script, the fluidity of running script, and the flying white of cursive script, eventually becoming a master calligrapher.

He turned to his daughter, his eyes filled with pity.

He finally had a son who was exceptionally talented and virtuous, but because his wife had fought with someone while pregnant, he lost his vital energy. Whenever he cultivated for a little longer, he would suffer from insufficient blood and qi, resulting in a pale face and cold sweat.

This effectively condemns martial arts to death; no matter how high your talent, what's the use if you don't cultivate it?

"Is he the legendary physician from Jiangzuo, renowned for his unparalleled acupuncture skills?"

Su Qingdai's eyes lit up, showing a hint of excitement.

Jin Zhenfeng was one of the most renowned physicians in the Great Chu Dynasty. His life-saving acupuncture skills were famous throughout the north and south, and people from thousands of miles away would come to request his treatment.

The fact that the father brought it up suggests that he was fairly confident in the success of the Golden Needle Sealing technique.

"He owes me a favor and will do his best... but don't have too much hope. Jin Zhenfeng said his acupuncture technique only stimulates the vital energy deep in your acupoints... to truly cure it, you can only find those few long-extinct divine objects to stand on the same starting line as others."

Su Feibai nodded slightly, speaking frankly.

To avoid raising expectations for the younger daughter, which could lead to disappointment and unsatisfactory outcomes, it was best to avoid this approach.

In fact, he wouldn't have wanted to tell Su Qingdai in advance if she hadn't been depressed and downcast after returning from the Taihu Water Palace.

"Excellent! Junior Sister's talent is a hundred times greater than mine. Even if she only spends a third of her time cultivating, she won't be far from reaching the Spirit Refinement stage!"

Du Mocun clenched his fist in excitement, genuinely happy for his junior sister.

"I don't aspire to be as outstanding as the top talents on the list, just enough to make some progress in my cultivation, so I won't be completely lost when looking at the classic texts and techniques."

Su Qingdai's pursuit of martial arts was less about yearning for greater strength and more about exploring the unknown.

For any martial art you come into contact with, you must get to the bottom of it and dissect it to find out its most fundamental principles.

It is ironic that such a weak woman, who was not good at cultivation and had shallow cultivation, could study the content so insightful and profound.

Many of the senior members of the Zhaxi Sword Pavilion had to gain inspiration by communicating with Su Qingdai.

"Speaking of which, there's someone we know on the final list of this gathering of heroes..."

Du Mocun seemed to remember something, and his expression became full of anticipation.

"Is 'senior brother' the one we met in Spring Valley that day?"

Su Qingdai's eyes gleamed with interest as she asked a question.

"But we later inquired and found that the young master of the Lu family had studied at the foot of Misty Peak in Taihu Lake, so it was impossible for him to have appeared in Chungu County at that time... Moreover, the Lu Yezhuo mentioned by the Lu family members did not match the appearance of the person we saw."

"These are all minor details. The swordsmanship he displayed and his ancestral home and noble birthplace best reveal his true identity... Considering his age, can you find another young genius who matches the portrait?"

Du Mocun was very firm in his own judgment.

"Never mind, we'll be able to see all the geniuses at Zhanghua Terrace soon. If he really is the person you imagine, we'll see him there."

Su Qingdai did not continue arguing about this unanswerable question; in fact, there was a vague name in her heart.

However, there is no evidence whatsoever, and it would be laughable to say it.

Su Feibai did not respond. He was a guest of honor of the Lu family of Wu County and was familiar with several elders.

If Lu Yezhuo weren't often away from home, it wouldn't be difficult for the younger generation to get to know him.

After entering the city, the group went straight to a royal garden, which had been bestowed by the emperor to Prince Shou as a villa five years ago.

The eldest son of the emperor came from a humble family and had little influence in the court. He was humble and peaceful, and only talked about metaphysics and philosophy with famous scholars, and wrote poems and painted.

He greatly admired Su Feibai's calligraphy and repeatedly asked him for his works, even addressing him as his teacher.

During holidays and festivals, gift-giving is an essential part of the celebrations.

Several people from Zhuxi and Jiange came to the capital and, at the strong request of Prince Shou, stayed at the prince's villa.

Enjoying the most prestigious treatment, they awaited the arrival of the gathering of heroes.

……

Zhanghuatai.

A building every five steps, a pavilion every ten steps.

The long corridor is like a curtain, winding and turning.

This palace was first built in the middle of the Great Chu Dynasty and was built by twenty-three emperors. Its extravagance was beyond description.

At the end of the dynasty, Zhanghuatai suffered from fire and war, and some buildings were damaged.

It wasn't until the Great Chu Dynasty was re-established that tens of thousands of laborers were conscripted for over ten years of continuous repairs, finally restoring this heavenly palace and earthly wonder.

"In the past, I read in books that the number of pillars supporting the buildings was more than the number of farmers in the fields, and I thought it was an exaggeration... But after seeing it with my own eyes, I realized how much of the people's hard-earned money was used in these places. The fall of the Great Chu was not unjust."

Su Qingdai took in the extravagance of Zhanghuatai and said coldly.

"Junior sister, be careful what you say."

Du Mocun looked around in a panic; his junior sister's ideas were frighteningly radical.

Someone led them to their seats and they greeted the guests they knew.

Important figures rarely seen on ordinary days have appeared one after another, including top-ranked experts, important officials of the imperial court, and representatives of various forces.

Du Mocun bowed and greeted everyone along the way, his mouth aching from smiling, but his heart was filled with bitterness.

Those younger people who were also brought up by their elders were either almost ten years younger and came out to broaden their horizons.

They are either around the same age, already at the half-step of the Spirit Refinement stage, and striving for a higher level.

After a few exchanges, he began to feel ashamed of himself.

"Brother Chu, I've booked ten tables at Yonghua Restaurant, awaiting your triumphant return!"

The boy at the next table suddenly stood up and greeted the man with the knife who was walking towards him.

The other party nodded slightly and went to the waiting area ahead.

Yet he still felt a sense of pride, as if he had received tremendous affirmation, and turned to boast:

"Brother Chu and my family have been friends for generations. He made a special trip to visit my grandfather when he came to the capital... In the finals, he was a seeded player in the third group as a first-class player."

"So it's Young Hero Chu He."

Du Mocun's lips twitched, and he managed a weak reply.

The neighbor boasted that this kid's surname was Wang, and although he had no relation to the Langya Wang clan, he was still from a prominent family with generations of officials.

His father's generation alone produced a vice minister, a high-ranking official, and a prefect.

Chu He is ranked seventh on the leaderboard, and his popularity and martial arts skills are not among the top three. However, due to his favorable group assignment, his odds of winning the championship fall right in third place.

Such a person can now be regarded as a martial artist who has refined divine skills.

After the gathering of heroes, he will soar to new heights.

Being able to associate with such a person is indeed something to be proud of.

"Young Master Lu, you've arrived!"

Du Mocun was dejected when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye. Like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline, he shouted out without thinking.

The man paused, as if pondering and recalling something, and asked in a doubtful voice:

"Du Mocun from Jian'ge in Zhuxi?"

Du Mocun was so excited that he didn't know what to do. He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said:

"I didn't expect that Young Master Lu would still remember me. I wish you great success today and that you will become famous throughout the world."

Just a simple conversation made him unable to suppress the smile on his face, and his mood improved a lot.

Lu Yezhuo is far inferior to Chu He in terms of fame and ranking, but he still managed to make it to the finals of the Heroes' Gathering.

With his background in the Lu family of Wu County, his future was bright.

"Brother Du, you actually know Young Master Lu?"

The young man from the Wang family was so shocked that he lost his composure, and his expression changed.

"We met by chance before, and we hit it off immediately."

Du Mocun found it strange. Although this Wang family was not as powerful as the five great families, it was still a rising star in the Great Chu and was in power.

It wouldn't be difficult to get acquainted with the direct descendants of the Lu family through an intermediary; there's no need for such a shock and discomposure.

"I didn't expect Brother Du to have such connections. Young Master Lu only showed up briefly when registering, and then just watched those clowns jump around without paying any attention to them."

The young man from the Wang family stared blankly, speaking rapidly.

"After the gathering of heroes, I would like to ask Brother Du to introduce me to someone. I have long admired the young swordsman Lu... However, there is something wrong with your congratulatory message. What do you mean by becoming famous overnight? His fame has spread beyond the seventeen prefectures and reached far and wide."

"Young Master Lu, Little Sword Immortal Lu, these two..."

Du Mocun's head buzzed, feeling dizzy and somewhat confused.

It took me a moment to realize what was happening.

What Wang Jiazi meant was that the young man he had always thought of as Lu Yezhuo was actually Lu Li, the second-ranked person on the list of people whose name he had heard countless times in the past two years, a sword immortal.

How could it be Lu Li?

How could it not be Lu Li!

Du Mocun had forgotten how he had replied to the young man from the Wang family, and he was still absent-minded when he sat down.

That was the most legendary genius on the list of people in decades, hailed as the second Qinglian Hermit.

Those who questioned and belittled him were only saying that his spiritual body was insignificant, and no one thought that being listed on the Earthly Ranking was a difficult thing for him.

Considering Lu Li's age, even if he were at his worst, he could still remain on the Earth Ranking for decades and become a powerful figure with significant influence.

Looking back at previous years' lists, how many people dared to claim that their potential surpassed his?

However, considering the timeline of Lu Li's rise to power, it makes sense.

When they met in Chungu County, he had just begun to make a name for himself, and few people in the martial arts world knew him.

It was quite an amusing incident that he mistakenly identified her as Lu Yezhuo by a twist of fate.

"Senior brother, you've been spacing out ever since you came back from chatting with that Wang kid. Did he look down on you?"

Su Qingdai nudged Du Mocun, who was lost in thought, and tried to comfort him.

"This person is obsessed with fame and fortune, a good-for-nothing who talks big but knows nothing about martial arts. Senior brother, you don't need to take his words to heart... The duel in the arena is exciting and intense, it would be a pity to miss it."

"Chu He of the Shattered Star Blade unleashed seventeen consecutive strikes, advancing layer by layer with unparalleled power, leaving his opponent with no choice but to parry and retaliate until he was exhausted and surrendered... Meanwhile, Kumarajiva of the Vajra Temple used only one set of the Great Sun Fearless Hand Seal to quickly defeat Fu Sheng, the Lone Wolf of the North, who had been shining brightly in the preliminaries, in three moves."

Su Qingdai was mesmerized. If the occasion hadn't been inappropriate, she would have loved to record the most exciting parts and offer her detailed commentary.

"Two matches have already been held. You have no idea who I just met... Never mind, you can see for yourself without me telling you."

Du Mocun managed to close his mouth with great difficulty, and weakly pointed forward.

Su Qingdai was puzzled and looked towards the stage, where a commotion had already broken out around her.

Two figures stood up and slowly walked onto the arena.

"The first match in this group was against Lu Li and Duan Ci... Don't underestimate this seemingly unknown disciple of the Zhenwu Temple. He dominated the preliminaries and won every match. He's not without a chance."

Su Qingdai's cultivation level was too low, and her eyesight was not yet open, so she saw the two faces much later than others.

That refined and otherworldly man, whom I had only met once but who had left a deep impression on me, was now on the stage.

"So he was Duan Ci... no, he was Lu Li, the second-best of the Azure Lotus, who is unstoppable under heaven!"

Duan Ci's boxing skills are pure and profound, and his intentions are amazing. He has neither the energy nor the qualifications to practice Pure Yang Tai Chi Sword.

The young swordsman, whose swordsmanship was divine and astonishing, was indeed more in line with Lu Yezhuo's performance that day than Lu Yezhuo.

Lu Li from Chungu County wasn't even on the list of successful candidates, so there was no way anyone could connect him to him.

Later, Su Qingdai hesitated for a moment and shifted her suspicions to Lu Li.

But I felt it was too much of a coincidence, and we didn't have any further contact afterward, so I didn't investigate further.

"Junior sister now knows why I was so shocked and pale. It turns out that you and I had a long talk with the second most mysterious person on the list without our knowledge."

Du Mocun suppressed his complicated feelings and spoke.

"Senior brother, watch closely. This will be the highest-level competition since the start of the Heroes' Gathering... If you can gain anything from it, it will greatly benefit your future path."

In Su Qingdai's eyes, Duan Ci's aura continued to rise, and black and white light rose up, covering the entire arena.

Just one glance was enough to make one's heart flutter, as if a heavy weight was pressing down on one's head.

Meanwhile, Lu Li remained motionless, standing still with his sword in hand.

Despite Duan Ci's overwhelming momentum, he abandoned the attempt to outmaneuver him.

"The Black Tortoise and the Soaring Serpent—a dual concept—which divine skill of the Zhenwu Temple is this?"

Du Mocun was shocked and gasped.

His skills are not outstanding among his peers, but he associates with extraordinary people and has honed his discerning eye to a high degree.