Eternal Saber

Chapter 417 - 23: Riverside Preface

Chen Tang peered around the gate of the courtyard.

The courtyard was quite spacious, with a rectangular desk in the center holding brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone.

To the side, there was a rather grand octagonal pavilion.

The courtyard was surrounded by rows of houses with white walls and black tiles.

This place was located at the back mountains of Langya Pavilion, secluded and quiet. Judging by the surroundings, the resident here must be of some status.

"Is anyone here?"

Chen Tang cautiously asked.

The courtyard was empty, with no response.

After pondering briefly, Chen Tang entered and strolled around, but did not rashly enter any of the surrounding rooms.

Finally, the four of them gathered in front of the desk in the center of the courtyard.

On it lay a white sheet of paper with a few lines of writing, seemingly unfinished, hastily abandoned by the writer.

A gentle breeze swept across, lifting the page’s corner.

Yet, the paper seemed anchored to the desk, with only its borders fluttering, leaving the inscribed part unmoved!

Mei Zhenyu saw this and seemed to think of something, exclaiming: "Penetration!"

"What?"

Chen Tang asked.

Mei Zhenyu explained: "The founder of Book and Sword Hall, the senior Young Master Shen Yi, was originally a scholar with no martial arts knowledge. It’s said that he once wandered around Shanyin County in Huiji with friends from Sword Sect and Drunken Elder, expressing his sentiments in the mountains and water, lamenting the brevity of life, and wrote a timeless piece—’Riverside Preface’!"

"Among his companions were many martial arts masters. After Young Master Shen Yi wrote the ’Riverside Preface’, he suddenly realized and created a unique ’Ink Rhythm Martial Arts’."

"Ordinary martial artists first refine the body, undergo Rebirth, and cleanse the marrow. However, the martial arts of Book and Sword Hall cultivate inner qi first, which tempers the flesh and bones."

Speaking of this, the admiration in Mei Zhenyu’s eyes was evident, "They say that the principles of Book and Sword Hall’s martial arts all reside within that ’Riverside Preface’. And the senior Young Master Shen Yi’s vigorous strokes could penetrate three tenths of the wood, as if carved or axed!"

Chen Tang suddenly understood.

He approached the desk and took a close look; it was indeed so.

The inscription on the white paper had seeped into the desk, as if rooted, immobile in the breeze.

Of course, the inscription on this paper hadn’t penetrated to such a degree.

It was likely a note left by a disciple of the Book and Sword Hall.

As he glanced over it, Chen Tang couldn’t help uttering softly and instinctively: "In the ninth year of Yonghe, the year of the Guichou, at the beginning of late spring, we gathered at the Orchid Pavilion in Shanyin of Huiji..."

"Is this the Riverside Preface?"

Chen Tang turned and asked.

"Indeed."

Mei Zhenyu nodded.

Chen Tang began to feel puzzled.

This ’Riverside Preface’ felt familiar!

He had memorized the entire piece many times back in Chinese class, and even after all these years, he could recall most of it.

The world’s wonders lay in these parallels; some affairs and people seemed to have counterparts in a past life.

Yet, upon closer inspection, many differences revealed themselves, akin to parallel worlds.

Chen Tang read on, but after just two lines, he felt a slight sting in his eyes.

"Strange."

Chen Tang directly entered into a state of Divine Illumination, sensing the inscription on the white paper.

The words were initially still.

Yet, under the perception of Divine Illumination, these words seemed to come alive, transforming into tiny figures, executing different sword techniques, thrusting toward Chen Tang!

Among them, the changes of the first character ’Yong’ were the most numerous, and its sword qi the most vigorous!

Ah, so that’s how it was.

No wonder his eyes felt uncomfortable.

The author had infused the essence of swordsmanship within the characters.

His attentive observation naturally drew an influence.

Chen Tang withdrew from the Divine Illumination State, suddenly feeling an itch of eagerness.

On one hand, the charm exuded by the writing stirred his competitive spirit.

On the other, it was the memory from a previous life urging him to finish this incomplete ’Riverside Preface’ and test his own recall.

Feeling inspired, Chen Tang picked up a brush nearby.

Though he hadn’t practiced calligraphy much, he knew how to hold a brush.

Following the unfinished portion, Chen Tang continued writing.

"Human interactions, skimming through life, are held either in the bosom... The ancients said: Life and death are grand matters, is it not sorrowful!"

"Every time as I trace the source of ancient sentiments, it seems to blend together..."

Not knowing this character, he used pinyin instead; having not written for long, he felt a tad rusty.

"Future viewers will have feelings about this writing as well."

Chen Tang’s writing was bumpy, with some incorrect characters and slightly incoherent sentences, but he managed to pen a substantial portion based on memory.

After finishing, Chen Tang felt a surge of release, invigorated and elated!

He gently picked up the paper, compared the texts up and down, nodding with satisfaction.

Mei Zhenyu, watching from the side, was flabbergasted, face full of bewilderment.

Seeing Chen Tang’s eager posture earlier, rolling up his sleeves, Mei Zhenyu thought Chen Tang was an expert calligrapher hidden in plain sight.

After all, Chen Tang had already delivered him a substantial shock in the past days.

But when he looked expectantly, he saw that Chen Tang’s continuation was scrawled, as messy as ghostly scribbles, almost frantic and incomprehensible!

Even if the king of heaven were to come, they might fail to recognize those characters.

To write the characters to such a level was indeed ’world-shaking’.

Zhu Lingxue, seeing her senior’s expression, was curious and went closer to take a look.

That look nearly dropped her jaw to the ground.

"Brother Chen, are you painting?"

Zhu Lingxue asked blankly.

"You don’t understand!"

Chen Tang huffed lightly, placing it before Ah Li, and asked: "Ah Li, take a look, how does my writing compare?"

Ah Li glanced at it and turned away.

Chen Tang: "..."

"Brother Chen, we should leave, someone’s coming."

Mei Zhenyu quickly reminded him.

Outside the courtyard came the sound of footsteps, accompanied by faint laughter.

Chen Tang, engrossed in writing earlier, hadn’t noticed.

As he put down the paper and ink, about to leave the desk, a shadow flickered at the courtyard gate, and someone stepped inside.

The newcomer was young, not yet of age, dignified looking, dressed in a simple scholar’s gown, exuding elegance with a hint of an indistinct sharpness.

The scholarly youth entered the courtyard, glancing around. Finding nothing unusual, his eyes finally landed on the four present.

"Um..."

Chen Tang felt as if caught in the act, slightly guilty.

His gaze landed on the white paper on the desk, and upon seeing the subsequent writing, his expression became complex, seemingly wanting to laugh yet thinking it inappropriate.

To get angry seemed unnecessary.

After a long endurance, he finally shook his head helplessly.

"I am Shen Zhiyuan. How should I address you all?"

The scholarly youth clasped his hands in greeting.

"So you are the ’Sword-Hiding Scholar’, I am Mei Zhenyu of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect, I’ve long admired your name."

Mei Zhenyu returned the greeting and introduced each, "This is my junior sister Zhu Lingxue, this is Brother Chen Tang, and that is his cousin Miss Ali."

"Ah, the Cyan Plum Sword Hero, I’ve long admired you."

Shen Zhiyuan nodded with a smile; young, yet possessing a certain demeanor.

"Who penned the latter part?"

Shen Zhiyuan asked, his expression a mix of humor and curiosity.