Why do I have so many masters?

Chapter 1533: Extra Story 2

The longsword is in the scabbard.

Though it is within the scabbard, the sharpness within makes all the swordsmen present feel a spine-chilling cold, as if pricked by thorns. Several swordsmen who have recently made a name in Jianghu feel uncomfortable and shift slightly, or reach up to loosen their collars.

Perspiration dampens their temples, yet their eyes remain fixed on the swordsman standing in the center of the martial arts arena.

The swordsman is dressed in white, a girl in her early twenties, at the height of her prime. Her gaze carries a quiet coldness, her hand holding the sword is fair and slender, her attire completely white, even the hairpin is of white jade.

Apart from that simple hairpin, there is no other decoration on her entirely white person.

She stands there, with her sword and the chill, just like wind-blown snow from the Heavenly Mountain.

Many young disciples have secretly fallen into a daze, their steady footsteps echoing as a middle-aged man stands before the woman. Dressed in green, his eyes are bright, with five strands of beard, his demeanor steady as a mountain, astonishing those who have come to observe the contest.

Since the last year of the Great Yuan Era and the battle of heaven's wrath, the Jianghu suffered greatly. Many sects fell into decline, yet some unknown martial artists rose to fame instantly, founding sects. Gongliang Shao, with his dual swordsmanship spread across several provinces, established the lineage of Purple Frost Peak and within a few years, it became a notable sword sect in the Jianghu.

Gongliang Shao also became a renowned swordsmanship expert in the fifteen southern counties.

For several years, he hasn't personally acted.

Today, however, he has come out for merely a young woman, leading people to speculate on this woman's identity, considering the respect she commands.

Gongliang Shao holds the sword hilts with both hands, as two disciples step forward to unfasten the sword scabbards, and respectfully retreat.

The left hand wields a three-foot-three-inch longsword, emitting a cold, blue glow. The right holds a short sword, just over two-foot-six, its blade wider than the longsword by a finger, entirely scarlet, like holding a burning flame.

Gongliang Shao crosses the two swords, their sound clear and high, with the blades pointing to the ground, solemnly saying:

"Qianshan girl..."

"Please instruct me."

The woman in white slightly nodded, placing her right hand on the sword hilt. After a brief pause, the sword rang out with a clang, a cluster of swordlight, like snow, slashing forth. At that moment, the autumn mood stretched, and the whole Purple Frost Peak seemed plunged into deep winter, the chill oppressive. Sword Qi pierced through the winter, many feeling icy to the bone, shivering incessantly.

The battle lasted the duration of an incense stick.

The woman's Sword Intent was pure, yet her sword moves were slightly inferior to Gongliang Shao's. After dozens of exchanges, she gradually fell into a disadvantage, as Gongliang Shao was about to make the winning move, Qianshan Jin's longsword suddenly howled, its chillness and Sword Intent surging, catching Gongliang Shao unprepared, slicing his palm, making it bleed profusely.

And this seemed only to be the beginning of the Sword Intent, intensifying afterwards, like a Heavenly Mountain snowstorm.

Alarmed, Gongliang Shao instinctively retreated two steps, voluntarily withdrawing his sword, and the woman also withdrew her move, the fierce, cold Sword Intent slowly fading away, disappearing.

Gongliang Shao relaxed slightly, sheathing his swords, he bowed and said:

"Your Sword Intent is pure, among the Heavenly Mountain lineage, only two could exceed your Sword Intent."

"This time, shall we call it a draw?"

Qianshan Jin paused in silence, nodded, and returned her sword to the scabbard, saying:

"Thank you for your guidance."

Gongliang Shao replied with a smile: "I dare not." His gaze fell on the longsword held by Qianshan Jin, pausing slightly, lamenting: "It is said that when the Thousand Mountain Sword Saint fell in the Heavenly Realm, his matched sword was stained with the Immortal's heart blood, falling from the clouds, acquired by someone, it roared all night like a fierce tiger until it was by the girl's side that it calmed."

"Is this the Sword Saint's matched sword?"

Qianshan Jin simply said: "He is not the Sword Saint."

Gongliang Shao smiled, shaking his head, changing the subject: "There is still something I do not understand."

"What is the status of the Qianshan girl in Jianghu? Why suddenly choose to visit my sect, seeking to exchange swordsmanship?"

Qianshan Jin raised the sword in her hand, saying: "Master Gongliang's swordsmanship has its own charm. If the gentleman were alive, wherever in the world, he would surely seek you out. I think, since he can't see it, at least through his sword, it must be witnessed so no regret remains."

"So that's how it is."

Gongliang Shao realized, nodding, smiling:

"Then, is the girl satisfied with Gongliang's swordsmanship?"

Qianshan Jin replied:

"Yin and yang flow, smooth and as desired, it is excellent swordsmanship."

Soon after, Gongliang Shao stood beneath the mountain gate, watching the white-clad woman leave, a curious disciple approached:

"Master, you haven't taken action for many years, why break the rule for her?"

Gongliang Shao sighed, affixing the twin swords to his waist, saying:

"It's not about competing with her, but rather trying to compete with that sword."

"That sword?"

The young man froze for a moment, suddenly realizing the implication in the words, his expression changed drastically, and he said:

"Master, are you saying that sword has become a Divine Weapon?!"

"But, but according to the rumors, Qianshan Si's matched sword is just a standard issue sword from the Heavenly Mountain, slightly better than the hundred-refined weapons found in Jianghu, hardly a Famous Sword. How could it become a Divine Weapon?"

Gongliang Shao looked at his own hand, still trembling slightly, and sighed:

"With a piece of Common Iron, it has battled with all swordsmen in the mortal world, and fallen all immortals from the heavens."

"How could it not become a Divine Weapon?"

"Sadly, it seems it hasn't yet awakened."

He watched Qianshan Jin's figure, already disappearing from sight, and regretfully said:

"The legendary sword that could slay heavenly Sword Immortals and Martial Gods, I wished to see it."

The sound of thunder rumbled in the sky, flashing deep within the clouds. The weather changed quickly in the autumn day; it was clear and cloudless during the daytime, but by evening, it had turned gloomy. Qianshan Jin looked up at the sky, hastened his pace, and managed to find an abandoned Taoist temple as a resting place before the rain started.

The clouds pressed down lower and lower.

Qianshan Jin gathered some dry grass and lit a fire. With a loud rumble, the outside rain pounded heavily on the ground, filling the air with an earthy scent mingling with the sound of rain. Qianshan Jin placed the sword beside her, quietly roasting by the fire, staring at the flames, and suddenly laughed:

"Such heavy rain, it's easy to get one's clothes dirty by accident. If it were in the past, the young master would certainly get all flustered."

"Who told him to always wear white clothes?"

The laughter was abruptly cut off, and silence deepened, as Qianshan Jin stared at the fire, her eyes blank and lifeless. Finally, she wrapped her arms around her knees, curling up with her forehead resting on her knees, quietly listening to the rain falling and the crackling of the fire burning the wood.

If it were in the past, she could snatch clothes from the young master to wrap around herself.

And even ask the young master to fetch something to roast and eat.

She closed her eyes, recalling the first meeting, in the nicest building on the longest street, her father had pulled her along, bowing and scraping before the colorfully dressed woman, constantly nudging her shoulder to say more, it felt like a dream where she had fallen into a chasm.

The young master always said, back then her shoulders trembled like a leaf in the wind.

She couldn't forget that day, when the white-clad swordsman actually took her hand and led her away.

That was the swordsman's matched sword.

For the first time in her life, she realized she wasn't merely a burden at home. She didn't have to sacrifice everything for her younger brother; for the first time, she realized someone could effortlessly offer her the swordsman's matched sword, seeing it as their own name.

Back then, the white-clad swordsman boldly took her hand and walked out, she stumbled and followed behind, looking at the young master's back, feeling if she could follow behind the young master for this lifetime, even the gods and buddhas of the heavens would favor her.

She said she didn't like her current name, so the young master said, then simply share his surname, Qianshan, and then muttered with a smile.

He said Qianshan Si, Qianshan Jin, now it truly seems like they are living dependently, very good, very good, but later she learned that "Jin" means beautiful jade, and Qianshan Jin means Qianshan Beautiful Jade, turns out the young master also secretly plays these word games.

But even later, she realized that Qianshan Si must traverse the Thousand Mountain Sword Sect, and Qianshan dies.

Qianshan Jin curled up on the dry grass, gradually falling asleep.

The sword lay beside her, in the past she cautiously roamed Jianghu, but with the young master's sword, she slept soundly at night, without encountering danger, as if as long as the sword remained, the young master was still present.

After falling asleep, her expression wasn't as indifferent as these years, with tears at the corners of her eyes, unconsciously murmuring:

"Young master..."

The longsword slightly moved, a spiritual aura emerged from its blade, gathering beside the woman, finally transforming into a white-clad youth, who reached out intending to straighten Qianshan Jin's clothes, but his palm merely passed through her like an ethereal reflection.

The youth's movement halted, silence stretched.

Qianshan Jin murmured: "Young master..."

In the autumn rain-soaked Taoist temple, the youth leaned back against the stone platform under The Three Pure Ones, stretching out his hand to rest above the woman's hair.

He looked at the boundless rainy night and softly responded:

"I'm here..."

PS: Hmm, the new book will likely be released around the tenth...