Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

Tianze flashed, carrying Yan Lingji, and disappeared once again into the layers of shadowy streets and alleys, exuding a sense of composure.

After Tianze and the other person left, Wei Zhuang lifted the cloak at the back of his clothes to cover his appearance.

At the same time, he put away the Shark Tooth Sword and drew another sword.

Wei Zhuang knew Bai Yifei's terrifying and cunning nature. Directly revealing his identity to attack would likely bring disaster upon Zilan Pavilion. Therefore, in an instant, he concealed himself with a cloak, even hiding his signature Shark Tooth sword in its sheath. At this moment, with the "Heart Sword" in hand, he also intended to test the sword's effectiveness in restraining Bai Yifei's strange martial arts.

When Bai Yifei arrived, he saw Wei Zhuang charging towards him with his sword.

A fierce glint flashed in Bai Yifei's eyes, and his red and white swords hummed, exuding a chilling killing intent.

How dare this petty thief block my way? He decided to quickly deal with the person in front of him.

however--

That restless feeling of blood and qi surging within my body swept over me again, like a maggot clinging to my bone, and it was somewhat different from before.

The only thing that remained the same was that the circulation of his internal energy was once again sluggish and blocked.

Chapter 85 The Turmoil Caused by the Sword

The cold air seemed to freeze, and Bai Yifei's knuckles turned white as he forcefully suppressed the strange churning in his chest.

It was a restlessness that originated deep within the blood, a restlessness that shouldn't have arisen at this moment.

This isn't right.

It should be noted that last night, a young girl's blood was completely drained to quell her body's periodic thirst for blood.

But now, that familiar, nauseating hunger has returned, creeping up like a maggot clinging to a bone, all within a single day.

One instance occurred during his previous encounter with Tianze. At that time, he could still attribute it to external interference and believed that the sword in Tianze's hand was unusual.

At this moment, facing the cloaked, unpredictable swordsman who intercepted him, the stagnation of his internal energy and the surging of his blood were so real, as if they stemmed from the shaking of his own foundation.

"Could it be... that the cultivation technique has gone wrong?" This thought, like a venomous snake, coldly coiled around Bai Yifei's heart.

The forbidden martial arts technique left by his mother enabled him to bring his family, which had declined since her death, back to its peak. It was also a medal soaked in his blood.

Back then, his resolute decision to throw himself into the bloody grinder of the Baiyue region was not solely for military merit. It was the perfect hunting ground for him to cultivate this forbidden secret technique. The silent wails of countless Baiyue maidens became the "resources" that nourished his power.

From a noble descendant who initially gained attention on the battlefield solely due to his mother's legacy, to the "Bloodstained Marquis" whose name was known throughout Han, Chu, and Baiyue at the end of the war, the end of this blood-stained path was unparalleled strength, the illustrious achievement of capturing the deposed Crown Prince Tianze, and the foundation upon which he was able to be ennobled and appointed as a general, firmly holding the second position in the Han military.

One will be a million bones.

The price is an eternal bloodlust curse, a fragile balance between reason and madness.

However, at this moment, this balance upon which he depended for survival was beginning to crumble within him.

In that instant when his mind was slightly shaken.

"Buzz!"

Wei Zhuang's "Heart Sword" emitted a strange low hum. With the infusion of internal energy, the sword seemed to transform into an invisible vortex. An indescribable pulling force suddenly erupted, not acting on the skin and flesh, but directly targeting Bai Yifei's internal blood and qi.

Bai Yifei's pupils suddenly contracted. Although there were no wounds on his body, the blood in his body seemed to be gripped tightly by an invisible hand, surging wildly and almost bursting out of his body. The smooth flow of his internal energy was instantly torn apart, and each condensation of cold energy became sluggish and heavy, as if his meridians were filled with ice shards.

A fatal lag occurred at the point where his moves connected.

"It worked!" A glint flashed in Wei Zhuang's eyes.

The sword of the heart is like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, adding three more ruthless points to its offensive.

Xu Qing's assertion that this sword could counter the Bai family's martial arts was now brutally proven, and Xu Qing's importance in Wei Zhuang's mind was once again elevated.

However, he also knew that this place was not a place to stay for long. His agreement with Tianze was to delay, not to fight to the death.

This Heart Sword is not the Shark Tooth Sword he usually uses. If his identity is discovered by Bai Yifei after a long battle, or if his fighting style is exposed, the consequences will be unimaginable.

The Heart Sword clashed with the red and white twin swords.

The power within the sword was once again activated by Wei Zhuang, flowing into Bai Yifei's body along the sword.

Bai Yifei's cultivation technique has encountered problems again.

He finally managed to calm his restless blood and qi.

Wei Zhuang seized this fleeting opening, withdrew his sword, and his figure retreated like a ghost, disappearing into the shadows of the streets and alleys in a few leaps.

Bai Yifei did not pursue him.

His cold gaze swept over the direction where Wei Zhuang had disappeared, then turned to the path Tian Ze had fled. The two instances of his body going out of control had already caused the best opportunity to pursue him to pass.

He forcefully suppressed his surging bloodlust and overwhelming killing intent, resolutely turned around, and his figure transformed into a streak of blood-red light, heading in the other direction.

The destination was none other than Emerald Tiger's Lanxiu Villa.

When he arrived, all he saw was a raging inferno.

Yan Lingji's flames were extraordinary, burning away the former splendor and turning pavilions and towers into twisted, charred skeletons, with the air filled with the strange smell of burnt treasures.

At the edge of the villa, a disheveled, obese figure stumbled and pounced—it was Emerald Tiger, who had narrowly escaped.

His luxurious brocade robe was charred and tattered, his beard and hair were singed and curled and yellow, and his fat face bore several glaring burn marks.

"My lord, you must do justice for me!" Emerald Tiger cried, tears streaming down his face, his voice hoarse as if a fat duck had been choked. "That Baiyue demoness Yan Lingji, she burned down my Lanxiu Manor, my treasures... all gone!"

Bai Yifei's icy gaze was like a tangible ice spike, piercing the Emerald Tiger. "I'm also very curious, why did Tianze attack you?"

If Jade Tiger was in a bad mood, then Bai Yifei was also in a bad mood.

The repeated problems with his cultivation made him doubt himself, and he became increasingly irritable.

Who were the targets of Tianze's previous attacks?

The crown prince, the princess, and even sent people to the palace to intimidate King Han.

You, Jade Tiger, what merit or ability do you possess to deserve such care from Tianze?

"I……"

The jade tiger shuddered at the gaze, its fat jiggling, and suddenly remembered the key point.

"sword!"

"That Baiyue demoness came to my manor for a sword!"

……

In the city, Xu Qing took Situ Wanli to see a play at the theater.

During the performance, Situ Wanli was somewhat distracted.

He was particularly concerned about the jade tiger.

Deep down, he desperately hoped that the Baiyue people could kill Jade Tiger, and then he could escape calmly without leaving any trace.

As a result, bad news came knocking.

He received the news shortly after the play ended and he left the theater.

"Jade Tiger...isn't dead?" His voice was hoarse as he looked at the composed Xu Qing beside him, his eyes filled with panic and resentment. "Brother, what...what should we do?"

Xu Qing sighed inwardly, realizing that the Baiyue people were indeed unreliable, but he remained calm on the surface. He reassured Situ Wanli, "Brother, please calm down. It's true that Jade Tiger is alive, but didn't those Baiyue people also escape unscathed? Jade Tiger may not be able to find us."

"That makes sense, but I'm really worried!" Situ Wanli couldn't help but sigh.

Seeing Situ Wanli looking troubled, Xu Qing pondered for a while and then offered him some advice.

"If that doesn't work, let's go see Tianze again and demand an explanation from him!"

Upon hearing this, Situ Wanli immediately reacted like a startled cat with its fur standing on end.

"Dude, are you out of your mind?!"

“Of course I want to die, but letting Emerald Tiger live isn’t a good idea either!” Xu Qing explained to Situ Wanli, “Tianze’s attack on Emerald Tiger’s manor this time clearly shows that he believed what we said before. Although Emerald Tiger is not dead, there is no doubt that Tianze has verified some things.”

"This actually gives us an opportunity to further cooperate with Tianze."

Chapter 86 Opening the Furnace to Forge a New Sword

In the end, Xu Qing changed his mind.

If not today, I will go see Tianze.

Aside from the fact that Tianze and his subordinate Yan Lingji caused some commotion in the city and attacked Emerald Tiger's Lanxiu Manor, they might not be able to return to their stronghold outside the city so quickly.

Also, because he needed to make some preparations.

As a swordsmith, his purpose was never to stir up trouble in the city.

Instead, he wanted to forge better swords.

Of course, if the sword in his hand becomes something that stirs up trouble, that would be good too, meaning he would gain a huge amount of prestige.

For Xu Qing, the way to gain prestige was never through his fame as a swordsmith, but by what the swords he forged could do.

This is why, after he forged many swords and sent them out, he never deliberately publicized his name.

Even if Situ Wanli were to hold an auction, it would only be under the name of the "Xu family".

On the one hand, he wanted to gain prestige.

On the other hand, he didn't really want to become famous.

After all, once you've made a name for yourself, it's difficult to protect yourself without sufficient power.

Characters like Kuang Xiu and Xue Nu from the original work are examples.

What good is fame? Faced with the oppression of those in power, one is still powerless.

Although Situ Wanli was slightly surprised by Xu Qing's sudden change of heart, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Today he really didn't want to face Tianze and his vicious nature directly. Every extra night he could catch his breath would give him more room to plan.

The wheels rolled over the dirt road in the countryside, and the two returned to Qianlong Hall outside the city in the carriage.

As soon as he stepped into this place, Situ Wanli's tense shoulders and back relaxed.

Beneath the glitz and glamour of Xinzheng lurks a deadly undercurrent; only here can he find a moment of peace in a life intertwined with the stench of money and the clash of swords.

"Brother Xu, you wouldn't be thinking of starting the forging process right now, would you?" Situ Wanli stared at Xu Qing's retreating figure as he walked straight towards the sword-making workshop, and couldn't help but click his tongue. "With such a short time, how can you possibly forge a top-grade sword?"

He simply saw it as a unique way for young people to relieve stress.