Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

The Taihang Mountains stretch across the land like a giant dragon, with the Loess Plateau in the heart of the Qin state to the west and the vast plains of the Zhao state to the east. This natural barrier not only prevented the Qin army from advancing eastward but also built a formidable pass for the Zhao state.

On the rugged mountain path, Xu Qing trudged along, leaning on a simple wooden cane.

The mountain was steep and treacherous, and even though he was skilled in martial arts, he could only take one step at a time, accompanied by eagles and lone clouds.

As they reached a mountain hollow, a mournful neighing of horses suddenly came from the wind, mixed with the clash of weapons and indistinct shouts.

We had been hiking in the mountains for a long time, and there were few human footprints, only animal tracks and bird calls.

The sudden sound instantly caught Xu Qing's attention.

He crept forward following the sound, but before he could get close, a strong smell of blood hit him.

With a slight frown, he quietly disappeared behind the jagged rocks by the roadside, gazing intently into the distance—

Ahead, the valley was a scene of devastation. A caravan had clearly been robbed; men and horses were overturned, goods were scattered, and dozens of ruthless bandits were gleefully counting their "spoils," oblivious to the corpses strewn across the ground. The terrified neighing of horses mingled with the bandits' crude laughter and curses, creating a brutal picture.

The Taihang Mountains are treacherous, straddling the border between two countries. Since ancient times, they have been a breeding ground for bandits. Before entering the mountains, Xu Qing had heard that the "Thirteen Bandits of Taihang" roamed this place. So it was not surprising that he encountered such a scene today.

"If I had arrived a moment earlier, I might have been able to save a few lives," Xu Qing sighed inwardly. "Unfortunately, it's too late."

He was not a compassionate saint, nor did he have any intention of rashly getting involved in a fierce battle for a group of complete strangers.

In this chaotic world, life and death are as insignificant as grass, something we've long been accustomed to.

However, there are always "unexpected" events in the world.

Just as the bandits were basking in the euphoria of their successful plunder, a dark figure swooped down from the cliff like a ghost.

In an instant, a chilling atmosphere spread, as if ink had been splashed across the heavens and earth, condensing into an invisible halo.

It wasn't real ink painting, but it carried the weight and murderous intent of ink.

Wherever the shadow passed, screams of agony erupted. Blades flashed like lightning, blood splattered, and the bandits fell like wheat before they could even see who was coming.

In the chaos, a terrified voice screamed, "Ah! You are... Six Fingers..."

"Spare me!!"

The pleas for mercy abruptly stopped.

In a short time, all the dozens of bandits were wiped out.

Looking at the dead bandits, the figure in black robes showed no sympathy. Even though their sect advocated "universal love and compassion," beasts were clearly not worthy of sympathy.

Then, he looked at the innocent caravans that had perished, and only then did a look of pity appear in his eyes.

He planned to dispose of these people's bodies.

But at this moment, the figure in black robes seemed to sense something, and suddenly turned his head to look, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's.

"Come out."

Hidden in the shadows, Xu Qing felt an invisible pressure sweeping over him.

Chapter 19 The Ink Sect Leads the Way, the Azure Blade Responds

Master.

An absolute master.

Looking at the world, Xu Qing's strength is actually not weak, at least much stronger than Jing Ke who is just starting out. After all, Xu Qing has many people supporting him. Those who have obtained the swords he forged are actually working for him invisibly. In addition, he also received a considerable reward when the swords were sold.

More concrete examples include martial arts manuals, while more metaphysical examples include things like aptitude, which are mysterious and difficult to describe in words.

Xu Qing today cannot be considered a well-rounded warrior, but he does know a little about everything.

All of these factors combined allowed Xu Qing to hold his own against top-tier experts.

However, if the enemy encountered is stronger, it becomes somewhat beyond one's capabilities.

Fortunately, Xu Qing was not a swordsman who lived on the edge of a knife; he was always kind to people and never made enemies.

An extremely sharp sense of oppression spread out as if it were a tangible force.

Xu Qing hesitated for only a moment before calmly revealing himself.

"Just now, while traveling alone on the mountain path, I heard some strange noises in the distance, so I quickened my pace to get here, only to find this group of bandits having committed murder and robbery..." He spoke calmly and gently, recounting the reason for his presence. Finally, he sincerely gave a thumbs-up, "Senior, what skill! Facing so many vicious and ruthless individuals, you dared to charge into the fray alone and wipe them all out; truly admirable."

Upon hearing this praise, the man in black showed no sign of pride, his expression remaining as indifferent as still water.

His gaze swept over Xu Qing, and he slowly said, "You are no ordinary person either. You walked alone on the Taihang Mountain path, and your clothes were clean and spotless, which shows that you have considerable skill."

Xu Qing smiled calmly: "In this chaotic world, traveling around, if you don't have some ability to protect yourself, you can hardly move an inch."

Changing the subject, he looked at the deep black robe and tentatively asked, "Just now, those bandits cried out 'Six Fingers' before they died, and you also have a preference for this black attire... Could it be that you are the world-renowned master of the Mohist school—Six-Fingered Black Knight?"

Their identities have been revealed.

The man in black robes made no attempt to conceal himself.

He simply raised his left hand slowly.

The six finger bones are clearly visible.

A silent message is worth more than a thousand words.

A genuine look flashed in Xu Qing's eyes, and he quickly stepped forward: "It really is Senior Six Fingers in person!"

Respect arose spontaneously from their words.

The Six-Fingered Black Knight's voice remained calm: "You are not a disciple of the Mo Sect, so there is no need for such formalities."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's smile remained unchanged, and the deliberate respect he had shown vanished. He then asked directly, "May I ask, senior, why have you ventured into the depths of Taihang?"

"While I was traveling in the State of Zhao, I heard that the 'Thirteen Great Bandits' were entrenched in the Taihang Mountains, guarding the dangerous passes and specializing in robbing merchants, murdering and stealing..." Six-Fingered Black Knight revealed the purpose of his trip, "I have come here to eliminate this scourge."

"Senior intends to wipe out these thirteen bandits single-handedly?" Xu Qing was slightly surprised upon hearing this.

"What? Is it impossible?" The Six-Fingered Black Knight's gaze fell on him again.

“It’s not that I can’t,” Xu Qing shook his head, “but I’m amazed by your magnanimous spirit and breadth of vision, which is something that ordinary people can hardly match.”

After a slight pause, Xu Qing's tone suddenly changed, and he said casually, "I have long heard that the sword 'Mo Mei' carried by the leader of the Mohist school is like a sword but not for attack, and is not known for its killing power. Senior's purpose on this trip is to eliminate bandits and demons, so carrying this benevolent sword, I'm afraid... is somewhat inappropriate?"

He looked up at the other person, his expression perfectly inquiring: "I wonder if you, senior, have any plans to choose another suitable weapon?"

Six-Fingered Black Knight's eyebrows twitched slightly, and for the first time, a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.

A slightly embarrassed smile appeared on Xu Qing's face at the right moment: "To be honest, I am... a swordsmith."

……

Xu Qing is a professional at selling swords.

Even though it was their first encounter.

However, after learning of Six-Fingered Black Knight's purpose, Xu Qing still managed to hand over a high-quality sword to him through skillful words.

Even the Six-Fingered Black Knight didn't know where Xu Qing had hidden the sword.

But in this world, there are always some extraordinary people who possess abilities that ordinary people cannot achieve.

He may not seem to be carrying a sword, but he always manages to pull one out at crucial moments.

That's right, I'm talking about Tianming.

In the original novel, he, Xiang Shaoyu, and Shi Lan ventured into the mirage.

Even though he had nowhere to hide anything on his body, he was able to pull out his sword at the crucial moment.

It's not that it's non-aggressive, since it can fold and shrink and isn't very big.

But he also brought Mo Mei to the mirage.

Xu Qing was certain that there was nowhere on his body to hide a longsword like Mo Mei's.

Perhaps because of this setting, Six-Fingered Black Knight readily accepted Xu Qing's sudden offer to hand him a long sword.

The blade flashed coldly, its frosty edge gleaming.

"A fine sword!"

As a renowned swordsman, Six-Fingered Black Knight possesses exceptional swordsmanship skills.

"It was originally a fine sword."

"This sword...was made by you?" The six-fingered black swordsman examined the sword, his fingertips brushing against the cold blade.

"It was just something I did casually in my spare time," Xu Qing said modestly, without any hint of pride or arrogance.

However, this gesture, when seen by Six-Fingered Black Knight, carries a different meaning.

Humility? No.

It's clearly an arrogance ingrained in one's bones.

Such quality is merely a "casual creation"; what would it be like if it were forged with utmost care?

"Within the Mo Sect, there is also a lineage specializing in forging," the Six-Fingered Black Knight said calmly as he sheathed his sword. "If there is an opportunity, I would like to exchange ideas with you."

This sword was indeed quite to his liking. Mo Mei was a sword of universal love and non-aggression; not only was its sharpness slightly inferior, but he also couldn't bear to let it be stained too much with the blood and gore of battle.

"I have long heard of the Xu family's reputation as a sword-making family." Xu Qing seemed to know the origins of the Mo family's sword-making masters, and his words carried a subtle connection. "Upon closer examination, I also have quite a history with them."

"Oh?" Six-Fingered Black Knight's gaze narrowed slightly.

"My name is Xu Qing."

The Six-Fingered Black Knight's eyes sharpened instantly.

The name is irrelevant; the key is the character "Xu".

This surname was enough to remind him of the Xu family, a deeply rooted sword-making clan within the Mo Sect.

The Xu family inherited the ancient Yue Kingdom's divine sword-forging techniques. Several generations ago, they joined the Mohist school and have been forging weapons for the Mohists ever since.

Xu Qing then said, "Senior Six Fingers previously said that he would guide me to exchange and learn from the Xu clan?"

Six-Fingered Black Knight understood Xu Qing's purpose, but did not deny it. Even without that "Xu," he was still happy to make friends with heroes from all walks of life.

"Yes."

Six-Fingered Black Knight nodded.

Xu Qing's eyes immediately lit up.