novelraw Chapter 19 : Chapter 19
Chapter 19 : Chapter 19
Chapter 19
A blade has a single edge.
A sword has two.
This sword had been mistaken for a blade because one side of it was a straight edge, while the other side was a curved edge, making it look like a straight saber.
The body of the weapon was also wrapped in a thick layer of dark, blood-red rust.
Not only was the edge impossible to make out, even its thickness and thinness could no longer be seen.
“A sword?” the farming system could not help chiming in.
“Then is it called the Blood-Rust Sword?”
Shuang Wenlü glanced at it.
“It has no name.”
“Blood-Rust Blade” was most likely a name later generations fabricated after seeing its appearance.
The sword itself did not have a name.
It was a vicious weapon.
In the lifetime when he had first entered the Dao, he had once used this sword.
…
The name of his sword had been Frostflight, because delicate frost patterns ran along the blade.
His swordsmanship had also been like Frostflight—light and ethereal.
When he drew and sheathed his sword, the cold gleam at the tip was as swift as a frost flower melting away.
It flashed once, and everything was already over.
But later, his Frostflight Sword broke.
He switched to another sword—one side a straight edge, the other a curved edge; one side heavy, the other slender.
It could be wielded like a blade, and it could also be wielded like a sword.
The strangest thing about it was that it contained sword techniques within itself.
It was a vicious weapon with a spirit. It taught every wielder how to kill.
If Shuang Wenlü wanted to find the lost lifetime of his past, he still needed an anchor point.
And that anchor point had to fall upon Lang Qingyun.
Shuang Wenlü looked at the farming system waiting obediently to the side and suddenly asked, “What do you plan to do next?”
The farming system froze, then hurriedly said, “Boss, you saved me from that person, so you are my lifesaving benefactor! I might not be very useful to you, but I still have some abilities.
Look, from now on I will follow you, all right? If you tell me to go east, I will not go west. If you tell me to chase dogs, I will not—”
It peeked at Shuang Wenlü’s expression and sensibly shut its mouth, forcing an awkward laugh.
“I am not completely useless…”
But Shuang Wenlü clearly did not intend to keep it.
Shuang Wenlü said unhurriedly, “I happen to know two suitable places for you to go. One is with a mortal—the newly appointed Prefect of Suizhou. The disturbance in the earth’s qi delayed spring plowing in eighteen counties. The Prefect is worrying about this year’s autumn harvest. If you go, he will be delighted. All of Suizhou will be your stage.”
The farming system asked, “And the other?”
Shuang Wenlü said, “The other suits you very well, but you may not be able to remain.”
“Who is it?” the farming system asked, unconvinced.
Do not be fooled by the fact that Madam Seedborn had controlled it.
That had been an accident. Among Rule Fragments, it was rare.
Rule Fragments all possessed an instinct to perfect themselves, and the hardest part of perfecting themselves lay in two points: first, constructing a world framework, and second, life and souls.
The Infrastructure System in the hands of the Demon General Luo Mi and Cai Suhong’s Mystic Realm System followed the path of first opening the first point, while it had chosen the path of first perfecting the second point.
It was rare, too. Anyone with even a little knowledge would have their eyes light up at the sight of it.
Shuang Wenlü, however, was an exception.
Shuang Wenlü said, “Dang Kang.”
The farming system’s eyes lit up.
Dang Kang—when it appeared, the world would have abundant harvests.
A auspicious beast that signified prosperity and plenty.
It was a perfect match.
“I choose Dang Kang! I choose Dang Kang!” the farming system said excitedly.
If it could choose a cultivator, why would it choose a mortal?
Rule Fragments chose hosts because hosts were living beings within a world, and only through them could Rule Fragments analyze the Dao of that world.
The deeper a being understood the Dao of the world, the more it could help a Rule Fragment.
Just like that unlucky “Invisible Man.” If it had not latched onto the Huntian Old Demon, could it have grown that fast?
Shuang Wenlü laughed softly and flicked a finger.
The farming system turned into a streak of light and flew toward the Dang Kang it longed for.
The farming system went eagerly—
And then was seized while crying its eyes out.
“Speak! How did you know I was Dang Kang?!” Cai Suhong demanded fiercely.
The farming system looked utterly miserable.
Only after arriving did it discover that Cai Suhong already had a Rule Fragment on her.
And it could not beat that one.
Proper Rule Fragments and their hosts generally cared about mutual consent.
It had tried to start from Cai Suhong’s side, but its mouth slipped and it blurted out that it knew Cai Suhong was Dang Kang.
Cai Suhong did not care at all about how compatible they were.
She immediately began an intense interrogation.
The farming system did not dare to sell out Shuang Wenlü.
It said bluntly, “I cannot say. You only need to know I have no ill intent toward you.”
There were not many beings in this world capable of crushing Rule Fragments with their bare hands.
In any case, Cai Suhong did not have that ability, and neither did that Mystic Realm System with the ridiculously awkward name on her.
“Get lost, get lost! If you will not talk, then get lost!” the Mystic Realm System tried to drive it away.
The farming system refused to leave.
It truly coveted Cai Suhong’s innate divine ability.
“Do not be like that. I really cannot say that part, but everything else is negotiable! Look at how well our abilities match. Keeping me brings benefits!”
Then it turned to persuade the Mystic Realm System.
“If she gets me, her cultivation will rise extremely fast. If her cultivation becomes higher, that benefits you as well, does it not? Make some room?”
The Mystic Realm System spat at it.
“Do you think I am stupid? If she spends all her effort studying your rules, how much attention will she still have for me? Get lost!”
Yet Cai Suhong put away her earlier ferocity and said with a smile, “I think making some room is not impossible.”
The farming system was overjoyed.
“Exactly, exactly! I do not take up much space!”
The Mystic Realm System bristled.
“How long have we been together? How many times have I helped you? And you treat me like this?!”
Cai Suhong kept smiling.
“Listen to yourself. I remember how good you have been to me. It is just that the profits from the Mystic Realms we have been shaping recently are truly not very high. I have poured in quite a bit of my own resources. If this continues, I will not be able to hold on. Look—this farming system does not consume much, yet it produces a lot. We can use this chance to recover a little. It is also for sustainable development.”
The Mystic Realm System understood.
Before the farming system appeared, it had been arguing with Cai Suhong over the distribution of gains after each Mystic Realm was arranged.
Cai Suhong was using the farming system as leverage to raise her price.
“I really did not skim your gains!” the Mystic Realm System insisted.
“If your gains are worse than the first time, that is because the first time was a special situation.
If you still do not believe me, then we can break up. I will find another host!”
It understood why Cai Suhong had always been suspicious.
That first Mystic Realm had been shaped by Shuang Wenlü.
But Cai Suhong did not know that.
The Mystic Realm System had been forced to take the blame.
The returns from the later attempts were far too different.
So in Cai Suhong’s eyes, the Mystic Realm System had power but refused to use it, repeatedly cheating her.
But the Mystic Realm System could not explain it.
There was still a strand of sword aura parked inside its space to this day.
Seeing that the Mystic Realm System’s attitude was firm and it would not yield, Cai Suhong soothed it.
“Do not be angry, do not be angry. I am only talking. When did I ever say I would leave you? I believe you.”
The Mystic Realm System felt pleased inside but still hummed a few times in dissatisfaction.
The farming system whimpered to the side.
It finally understood.
It was being used as a bargaining chip.
The Mystic Realm System stuck its tail up and said smugly, “See? You have no chance. Hurry up and go!”
The farming system grew annoyed at its attitude and thought, So what if you got here first? What are you being proud about? I was sent here with guidance from this world’s Guardian of the Dao.
Sooner or later, I will surpass you!
It grumbled, “Since you at least used me to solve a problem, do not throw me away after you are done. Help me out, all right? Send me to the Prefect of Suizhou, Qiu Shufeng, okay? I do not know the way.”
The Mystic Realm System said warily, “I can point you the way. After that, you go by yourself!”
The farming system continued grumbling.
“The Prefect of Suizhou issued a Prefect’s order to deal with the earth’s qi of eighteen counties. Even though the matter is solved now, spring plowing has already been delayed, and autumn harvest will definitely suffer. You are Dang Kang. Solving that will be effortless. The bounty on that Prefect’s order is very high. Why not go earn a fortune?”
Cai Suhong was tempted.
Before leaving, she secretly asked the Mystic Realm System whether the farming system truly could not be kept.
The Mystic Realm System screamed, “If he stays, I go! If I stay, he goes!”
Cai Suhong could only give up with regret.
Although the farming system suited her innate talent better, the path she had chosen was not this one.
The Mystic Realm System grew angry just looking at the farming system.
It thought, So what if you happen to match the talent of the person I chose? What is so impressive about that? I have already connected with this world’s Guardian of the Dao.
Sooner or later, I will leave you in the dust!
On the other side, Shuang Wenlü was listening to a message from Luo Pinglan.
This time, Luo Pinglan contacted him about the Blood-Rust Blade.
After Shuang Wenlü had asked about it last time, Luo Pinglan had instructed her disciples to investigate further.
Shuang Wenlü had also obtained some information from the farming system.
“It was ‘Baixiaosheng’?” The news of the Blood-Rust Blade had originally spread from his mouth.
Luo Pinglan said, “Yes. Grand Martial Uncle, you already know?”
Shuang Wenlü said, “Continue.”
The farming system’s knowledge was limited.
Luo Pinglan might have uncovered something more complete.
“‘Baixiaosheng’ is a figure whose fame rose suddenly in recent times. He first sold information in the Black Market…”
Shuang Wenlü listened to Luo Pinglan’s account, his mind aligning with the Dao as he traced the source.
Another Rule Fragment.