Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

Chapter 74 The Mountain-Suppressing Saber Technique

After being ridiculed by Su Ye, Liu Jingyuan's face drained of color, and all the eagerness and innocence in his eyes vanished. He froze on the bed, falling into a long silence.

He hung his head, his disheveled hair obscuring his disfigured face, and the hysterical hatred and pleading around him were gradually replaced by a deathly despondency.

Previously, he lived in his own obsession, naively believing that chivalrous heroes should right wrongs and avenge others, never considering that a chance encounter did not obligate him to risk his life for someone he had just met. Su Ye's words were like a sharp blade, piercing his self-deceiving illusions and making him fully realize reality.

The room was silent, save for Liu Jingyuan's heavy, weak breathing, which echoed intermittently in the air.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head, the light in his eyes dimmed, leaving only a desolate silence. He did not argue or plead anymore, but spoke in a hoarse voice, his tone calm to the point of numbness.

"I was confused... I didn't understand social etiquette."

He gently moved his fingers, feeling the blood and qi in his body gradually stabilizing. Although the wounds on his body were hideous, they were only superficial injuries. With the nourishment of his internal energy and the pills, he was no longer in danger of losing his life.

He looked at Su Yan, slowly shook his head, and his eyes were filled with a desolate stillness.

"My health is fine now, but my family is destroyed and all my relatives have passed away. There is no meaning to my life anymore."

Su Yan stood to the side, looking at him calmly.

He was well-versed in medicine. Last night, when he was treating Liu Jingyuan's injuries with his qi, he had already determined the man's physical condition. He had only suffered severe external injuries and internal organ damage. After a few days of rest, he would be able to move freely again and there was no danger to his life.

But the resolute and deathly look in the man's eyes had already revealed his thoughts, and Su Yan instantly guessed that he was determined to die.

Liu Jingyuan took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and with trembling hands reached into his close-fitting clothes, slowly pulling out a roll of yellowed, wrinkled silk. The silk was of an antique quality, its edges worn, clearly having been treasured for many years. After carefully unfolding it, four large characters were written on it in vigorous handwriting.

The Mountain-Suppressing Saber Technique.

"This is a family martial art passed down through generations of my Liu family. It was created by the border general of the previous dynasty. Although it is incomplete, it is still a truly profound sword technique."

Liu Jingyuan held the silk in his hands, his eyes showing a mixture of reluctance and relief.

"Now I am the only one left in my Liu family. My time is running out. If this secret is buried with me in the yellow earth, I will truly be ashamed of my ancestors."

He handed the silk to Su Yan, his tone earnest yet resolute.

"Young Master Su, you saved my life, and I am deeply grateful. I have no way to repay you but to give you this 'Zhenyue Saber Manual,' hoping that it can be passed down in your hands and not be lost forever."

Su Yan looked at the silk handkerchief handed to her, her fingertips twitched slightly, but she did not take it immediately.

He wasn't ignorant of medicine; he had examined Liu Jingyuan's physical condition during treatment and was naturally very familiar with it. Although his injuries were severe, they wouldn't endanger his life. His statement that he didn't have much time left probably meant... his mind was made up.

Looking into Liu Jingyuan's lifeless yet persistent eyes, she knew that refusing was pointless.

Accepting the manual fulfilled his last wish.

Su Yan said no more, reached out and took the yellowed "Zhenyue Sword Manual". His fingertips touched the rough silk surface and he nodded slightly.

"Since you've given it to me, I'll accept it. I'll keep this secret safe, and if a suitable successor comes along, I'll pass it on to you. I will never let it be forgotten."

There were no unnecessary formalities or false refusals; Su Yan's straightforwardness actually relieved Liu Jingyuan.

He struggled to get out of bed. After a night's rest, his external injuries were mostly healed, and although his movements were slightly slow, he could walk freely. He bowed slightly to Su Yan, giving a solemn salute, and without saying another word of farewell, turned and walked out of the guest room.

His back was slender yet resolute, and every step he took was firm.

Su Yan stood there, watching his figure disappear through the doorway, her eyes unmoved.

Each person's destiny is predetermined.

Although spiritual practitioners are compassionate and strive to save all living beings, they can only save them temporarily, not forever.

Moreover, he was burdened with important matters of Chongyang Palace and had no extra energy to care about the petty squabbles of Gucheng.

He turned and went back to his room. Just as he put away the "Zhenyue Blade Manual", he heard the innkeeper's panicked screams coming from downstairs, followed by noisy footsteps and shouts.

"Murder!"

"Express Reporter"

Clearly, someone discovered the bloodstains and signs of a struggle in the next room.

Before half an incense stick had burned, several constables rushed upstairs with knives and sticks. They pushed open the door to the next guest room and saw bloodstains and signs of a fight all over the floor. Their expressions changed.

The lead constable inquired around, and a junior constable also came to Su Yan's room, knocking on the door and asking questions. After Su Yan opened the door, he simply stated that he didn't know, without elaborating on the details.

Seeing that Su Yan was calm and composed, unlike an ordinary person, and considering that there were no victims at the scene, the constable did not want to cause any more trouble. He only asked a couple of perfunctory questions before waving his hand to have his men carry away the four corpses of men in black, thus hastily closing the case as a feud between martial arts figures, and hurriedly left the inn.

The innkeeper was terrified and could only accept his bad luck. He sent people to clean up the scene, and the entire inn was shrouded in an atmosphere of fear.

Su Yan closed the door, shutting out all the noise from the outside world. He and Su Ye didn't linger. After quickly packing their belongings, they set off for Zhongnan Mountain after a short rest.

Meanwhile, in a secluded and hidden courtyard with blue bricks on the outskirts of Gucheng, a completely different scene unfolded.

The courtyard was far from the city, with high walls and a tightly closed gate. The surroundings were quiet and silent, exuding a cold and desolate atmosphere that kept strangers away. Inside the main hall, a middle-aged man sat upright in the main seat, dressed in a black brocade robe. He had a calm and extraordinary demeanor, and his whole body exuded an unfathomable sense of mystery. There was a hint of fierceness in his eyes, but he never revealed any trace of his true identity.

Below, a man dressed in shorts and with a respectful expression stood bowing and reported in a low voice.

"Master, the four assassins sent to kill Liu Jingyuan have all been killed, and their bodies have been taken away by the authorities for burial. What about Chai Xiu's situation...?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's expression suddenly turned cold. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, producing a dull sound that exuded an oppressive aura. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his tone, though calm, carried an undeniable authority.

"Continue the investigation. We need to find them alive or dead. We must get that sword manual. As for that woman, I'm tired of her. You can deal with her as you see fit."

"yes!"

The man bowed and accepted the order, his eyes gleaming as he turned away.

He quickly left the main hall.

The middle-aged man sat alone in the hall, his gaze fixed on the direction of Gucheng, his eyes deep and unfathomable.