Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

—By the way, Yu Xietian is now doing the "translation" work, so P.S. can't see the scene here through the headphones.

"Yes, the withered lotus bloomed on the evening of July 15th, specifically from 8 PM on July 15th to 2 AM on July 16th. We can assume that this period coincides with the time when the other party held the ceremony. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility of it being a ruse; we must be careful about that."

It is now late at night on July 13th...less than 48 hours have passed since that time.

Everything about Ye Jiaofang remains hidden in the shadows.

Chapter 41 The Man Who Gave the Sword

"The withered lotus is an extremely fragile creature; to put it bluntly, even a gust of wind could kill it. But trying to find out Ye Jiaofang by investigating the withered lotus won't be an easy task."

"The only saving grace is that he probably can't take Bailian away from Yingman. This thing's life force is too fragile, and if, as Dou... Fengyunke said, the ritual will cause a huge commotion, then the city is his only option. He must, and can only, stay in the city to complete the ritual. Normally, this place is Yingman; if he moves around carelessly with Bailian, Bailian's life will be in danger."

Ouma is an island nation, and the nearest country to it is over a thousand kilometers away. This distance, regardless of the mode of transportation, is enough to cause the "Baili" (a type of rare plant) immense suffering. The high price of "Baili" is a testament to the power of capital. However, it's also true that it's difficult to cultivate and dies easily, effectively making itself a rare and valuable commodity.

Although it cannot be confirmed at present that the withered lotus is an indispensable material for the ritual, it is the only clue we have at the moment, and that is the only way to proceed.

Shenxin proposed a series of somewhat far-fetched but, upon closer examination, quite feasible solutions. Unfortunately, she ultimately rejected them all, including but not limited to using the magic network to raise or lower the temperature of the entire Cherry Blossom Forest, causing Bailian to die instantly; releasing large amounts of harmless but lethal toxins into the forest; or artificially creating rain, adding a debuff to the rain to kill Bailian...

These methods are not entirely without feasibility. However, they are certain to be ineffective against Ye Jiaofang. Not to mention someone with his numerous methods, even Ying Qin Guan could directly envelop Bai Lian with his inner energy for two whole days without feeling tired. Such a waste of manpower and resources, yet only yielding such a small return, Shen Xin felt was really unnecessary.

However, after she denied herself, the military still adopted some of her suggestions. Shen Xin could not imagine the attention and effort the military put into this matter. As long as there was a one in a thousand chance that it would work, as long as it could take Ye Jiao Fang some time and keep him by Bai Lian's side, unable to do anything else, this investment would be worthwhile. What if the other materials for the ceremony were not collected completely?

Even if nothing else works, it's good to distract him a little... despite the fact that there are already so many primordial alien races in the world. Humanity can't just give up like this, thinking that one more won't matter. That kind of thinking is absolutely unacceptable. We must fight against the primordial alien races to the very end. This is the military's will, and there can be no retreat!

—So Wang Qiushui is a complete scoundrel, inside and out.

The military's final solution was artificial rain, with a trace amount of toxin added to it. This toxin could be spread through the air. After a brief test, it was confirmed to be harmless to humans and could cause Bai Lian to die suddenly. The process began. From deciding on the plan, testing, preparing materials, gathering magicians, to the release, the whole process took less than an hour and a half, which was extremely efficient. However, whether it would actually work or not, no one knew.

-

July 14th, morning.

Himura Tan's visit to the Sword Saint's Mansion is a return visit. He's deeply worried about Kami Kurenai. However, having spent so much time with her, he's been influenced by her way of thinking. She possesses a unique philosophical approach: if something is bothering you and you have no solution, then don't dwell on it. This is probably what they mean by "worrying unnecessarily."

So Hiramura stopped thinking about it... those things were affecting his freedom too much. Shen 9 had become his weakness. He had never thought that someone could become his weakness.

Hiyomaru entered the Sword Saint's Mansion. He had already dealt with the two split factions yesterday. His eldest and second senior brothers had been terrified by him. In addition, he had spoken to the military, so the two of them should not dare to cause any more trouble.

"Himura!"

A joyful shout came from Naruto, who was sitting in the courtyard with a young man opposite her. Upon seeing Hisumura Tan's arrival, she exclaimed with delight, then asked with some concern, "Why did you leave in such a hurry yesterday?"

Yesterday, Himura Tan's wife naturally received a notification and went to Horn's house. At that time, they had not yet finished dealing with matters in Yoshiwara. Himura Tan's wife contacted the military through an earpiece and handed over the remaining miscellaneous tasks to them. So far, it seems that they have done a good job.

Yesterday's events were still fresh in Hiramura Tan's mind, and he was unwilling to talk about them. He turned his gaze to the third person in the room, trying to change the subject.

"Who is this...?"

“A descendant of my grandfather’s friend.” Mingyin hurriedly introduced, “You know Himura. My grandfather received guidance from a master when he was young. He never forgot it and believed that it was the beginning of his entire life. Unfortunately, he never saw him again, let alone repay him. This is the descendant of that master. There is a token to prove it. His name is Tang Shige.”

Tang Shige...

Himura Tan's eyes lit up. The man appeared to be in his twenties or thirties, with deep purple pupils and a calm expression. Himura Tan's eyes had been heavy with suspicion lately, so she tried to sense him with her aura... and concluded that he was a third-rate martial artist.

The other person's name also caught Hiyomura's attention... The legendary Black Dragon Emperor was called Wenren Geshi. And this person was called Tang Shige; the two names were too similar.

Mingyin wasn't idle either; she began to introduce Himura Tansaku to Tang Shige.

"This is the disciple of our ancestor... or at least he used to be, but he is basically self-taught. In recent days, he has become famous throughout the world. You should know him. His name is Himura Dan's Sakura."

Tang Shige said calmly, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Himura Tanzakura replied, "Nice to meet you."

After exchanging greetings, Hishimura Tanzakura spoke up, asking, "How did things end up last night?"

"Mr. Hattori arrived after you left..."

Naruto didn't finish her sentence. That Mr. Hattori was a high-ranking official of Ouma and held a deep prejudice against dojos. Ouma should have reformed long ago; he was extremely hostile to the Sword Saint's Mansion, having subtly suppressed it even when the Sword Saint was still around, let alone now. But yesterday, he was actually driven by Himura Dansaku… Just how much power does Himura Dansaku possess?

Hisumura Tan's refusal to answer the question was understandable; he simply handed the matter over to the military, leaving the specifics to them. While this might seem like an abuse of power, Hisumura Tan's and Shin-Kyu's risked lives to get here, so using a little authority was perfectly justifiable.

"If you two are going to talk for a long time, why don't you settle my matter first?"

Tang Shige, with his deep purple eyes, spoke up. He put down his teacup, interrupting their conversation, and said, "I came to Yingman this time to retrieve a sword."

Chapter Forty-Two: The End of the Struggle

Mingyin then realized that she had neglected her guest and quickly said, "Please go ahead."

“My ancestor once gifted a sword to Mingjue,” Tang Shige said, addressing him by his name rather than as the Sword Saint. “When I first heard of his death, I intended to retrieve the sword, but I was delayed by trivial matters. Recently, I happened to have some free time, so I came here to take the sword back.”

Hishimura Tan's distant memories were stirred. The Sword Saint did indeed have a sword that he never used, but he would take it out to maintain once a week. According to him, it was a gift from a nobleman. It was once everything to him. Back then, a country boy without even a name held this sword and plunged headlong into this chaotic world.

Sword Saint's starting point was even lower than Ying Qin Guan's. Although both were village boys, Ying Qin Guan was at least able to make a living and save some money, and he was literate. Sword Saint's situation was much worse. He was an illegitimate child, his father was unknown, and his mother abandoned him and ran away. He grew up eating food from many families and didn't even have a name. People called him by some insulting titles.

Later, the Sword Saint met a benefactor and received some opportunities. From this benefactor, he obtained a sword and then took two characters from that sword as his name... The surname "Ming" was something Sakura didn't have.

"It is only right," Mingyin replied. Returning the sword to that noble person was a long-held wish of the Sword Saint. But this wish was destined to remain unfulfilled, for so much time had passed, and that noble person must have already passed away. However, returning the sword to his descendants could be considered as fulfilling a wish.

She stood up, bowed slightly, and said, "Himura, please sit here for a while."

Himura Tanzakura nodded and sat down opposite Tang Shige, while Naruto turned and left, presumably to find the sword.

The two men sat facing each other, and Hisumura Tanzaku casually started a conversation.

"Where are you from?"

Tang Shige picked up his teacup and said calmly, "Black Dragon."

Black Dragon...

This answer made Himura Tan's heart tighten. Like Southern Qin, Black Dragon had also fallen. In modern warfare, it's rare to see such a devastating situation where a country is truly reduced to a kingdom. But Black Dragon and Southern Qin were both very special. Southern Qin was truly dead, while in Black Dragon, some suffered from drought while others suffered from floods. The infrastructure of Black Dragon's capital far surpassed that of the Seven Luminaries in many aspects, while the standard of living in Black Dragon's rural towns was even lower than that of Southern Qin. After the capital was struck by an apocalypse, Black Dragon basically only existed in name. Generally speaking, it's assumed that Black Dragon has also fallen.

Claiming to be from the Black Dragons is hardly a good choice. After all, they produced a top war criminal and a genius madman who reversed the course of history. Generally speaking, Black Dragons working abroad wouldn't identify themselves as Black Dragons... but precisely because of this, this answer seems especially authentic, because people from other countries have absolutely no reason to pretend to be Black Dragons. Unless... simply stating the country would expose their identity.

“Black Dragon…” Hisumura Tanzaku raised her teacup, took a sip, “Then your name is really quite unlucky.”

Judging from the other person's age, Himura Tan's eyes seemed to be around the same as the Black Dragon Emperor's. However, the Black Dragon Emperor only began to exert his power in his youth, which basically ruled out the possibility that "he chose a similar name because of admiration." It could only be concluded that the other person just happened to have this name and bumped into the Black Dragon Emperor.

"It will indeed cause some trouble," the other party replied calmly, "but it's nothing to worry about."

Himura Tanzaku paused slightly and asked, "What's the name of that sword?"

This was something he had always been curious about. The Sword Saint would take time every week to maintain the sword, but he never used it in battle. Everyone only knew that the Sword Saint's name came from the sword, but they didn't know the sword's full name.

Tang Shige said, "The sound resonates and fades away!"

The sound resounded endlessly!

Himura Tanzakura was slightly taken aback, then couldn't help but praise, "What a great name!"

Martial artists understand martial artists best. Hisumura Tansaku understood the deeper meaning in the name. "Ming" and "Xiang" actually refer to something. "Che" means thorough. "Jue" can be understood as a dead end. "Mingche Xiangjue" can be translated as "doing (something) until it can no longer be done". Considering that this is a sword, it can be directly translated as "fighting to the last moment" or "fighting to the death".

"Only death can end the struggle!" Hisumura Tan's voice was awestruck by the name of the sword. "The person who gave this sword a name must be an extraordinary hero."

A common flaw among martial artists is that they see everything as a struggle... However, this time, Himura Tan's words were not unfounded. The name "Ming Tei Ei Jue" is the best interpretation of struggle.

Tang Shige remained calm, took a small sip, and the bitter taste exploded in his mouth. But upon closer tasting, there was also a subtle, almost imperceptible fragrance.

Mingyin walked out carrying the sword box and handed it to Tang Shige.

"After my grandfather died, I still maintained this sword from time to time, but not as often as before..."

Tang Shige took the sword box, opened it, and there lay the sword, Ming Che Xiang Jue, lying there quietly. The sword was silver-white and without any nicks or chips; it was truly a peerless sword.

However, Tang Shige inexplicably laughed and finally shook his head.

"Himura," he suddenly called out to Himura Tan's voice, asking, "What do you think is the destiny of a sword?"

Himura Tan's Sakura didn't know why he suddenly called her, but she still answered according to her own understanding: "Broken on the battlefield."

Hisumura Dan's answer was both wrong and right: the fate of a sword is not necessarily to be broken on the battlefield. But the fate of a martial artist is like that; a martial artist is one who fights to the death, fighting until the very end.

"The fate of a sword is to break on the battlefield..." Tang Shige sighed softly, then brandished his resounding sword, "But look at this sword. It's pampered, maintained every so often, placed in a prominent position, displaying something. But... it's a sword. It should be covered in nicks and repairs; only then is it a complete sword..."

"His ancestor gifted him this sword, yet he refused to use it in battle... What a waste of a precious sword!" Tang Shige laughed loudly, then stood up and put the sword back in its case. His words were particularly impolite. However, neither of the two people present said anything; Mingyin could not refute it, nor would Hisumura Tan's.

“In this world, there are not many people who can understand the resounding echoes.” Tang Shige handed the sword box to Hishimura Tan's. “I suppose you still retain a fighting spirit. This sword is for you.”

Himura Tan's sword did not refuse; he accepted it and said, "What if one day I also lose the will to fight?"

"No..." Tang Shige said calmly, rising to leave. "You and I are the same kind of people. For people like us..."

"Only death will end the struggle."

Chapter Forty-Three: The Last Night

On the 14th of July, nothing was found all day, and before they knew it, it was late at night again, with only one day left until the Ghost Festival.

This is Shenxin's guess about the date Ye Jiaofang will hold the ceremony. Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, it's probably close to the truth, and the group is under a lot of pressure.

Becoming a Primordial Alien grants not only a surge in combat power but also a greater variety of methods. Countless individuals have defeated Primordials throughout history, numbering at least thirty to fifty. However, only three top-tier martial artists from the Investiture of the Gods—the God of War, Ye Jiaofang, and Ying Qin Guan—have truly killed a Primordial. While the God of War and Ying Qin Guan achieved their victories against the seemingly foolish Earth Mother Goddess, Ye Jiaofang's methods were truly astonishing, managing to kill a Primordial Alien in an unknown manner.

It's unclear which ancestor he killed...

"Hongyan has sent a message." Inside the combat base, a group of people gathered. Feng Yunke calmly announced, "Tomorrow night, Ye Jiaofang will hold a ceremony. It will be a big event, but the exact location is still unknown."

He paused slightly, then said, "In addition, if the situation is special during the battle and the distance is too far, the military will consider disclosing our identities to Wang Qiushui so that we can get her help at the appropriate time and arrive at the battlefield as soon as possible."

Wang Qiushui can teleport people, but the distance is far less than when she's alone; the algorithm involved isn't as simple as dividing by two. However, as long as they're within Yingman's city, it shouldn't be a big problem.

"This isn't a wise move... but it's the only option left."

Shenxin thought this wasn't a good choice, because Wang Qiushui was shrouded in mystery. Revealing Ying Qin Guan and Feng Yun Ke's identities wouldn't be a good thing, but if she didn't, Wang Qiushui wouldn't be able to take them with her. And if she did take them... would Wang Qiushui really be willing to take them after revealing her identities? Honestly, she'd lived this long; as long as she didn't do anything reckless, she wouldn't die. Why should she risk her life to get close to Ying Qin Guan?

If Shenxin were Wang Qiushui, she certainly wouldn't take this risk. But deceiving Wang Qiushui would come at a much higher price, so Shenxin said it was a last resort.

"tomorrow.."

When a completely unknown war is about to break out, everyone has their own thoughts. For example, Himura Tan's wife, a few days ago, was thinking about whether there was any possibility of negotiating peace. She concluded several times that it was very difficult, but not impossible. The Primordial Alien Race is the bottom line for humanity. Ye Jiaofang disappeared for more than nine hundred years, and then suddenly appeared, wanting to become a Primordial Alien Race. It is clear that he wants to stand on the opposite side of humanity. But to say that there is really no chance at all is not necessarily true.

The progenitor symbolizes so much; an progenitor who established an effective, two-way connection with humanity symbolizes even more. If such a person were to appear and be willing to reveal all the legacies he received from the progenitors, then there would be room for negotiation, regardless of the conditions.

—This was what Hiyoma Tan's thoughts were a few days ago. Now, he only wants to kill Ye Jiaofang.

"Is he still thinking about it...?"

Yu Xietian stood on the balcony, gazing down at Ying Qin Pass. He stood with his upper body bent, eyes closed, and in a posture of holding a sword, simply standing there in the courtyard.

"Yes, he is still comprehending." Feng Yunke's voice was calm as he stood on the balcony as well. "Ye Jiaofang is unparalleled in the world in terms of comprehension, learning ability, learning speed, innovation, and application. He has lived for over a thousand years, during which time he has been diligent in his studies and has mastered countless martial arts. In the previous battle, he revealed only the tip of the iceberg of these martial arts, and now he is trying to see if he can comprehend a portion of them."