Book 7: Chapter 23: All Sided Ambush

Lin Xi also noticed that the grim sword master faced the masked zither master, realizing that one of these two cultivators was here to help him.

However, his steps didn’t stop in the slightest. It was because he knew that these cultivators who showed up to help him right now only had a single objective, which was to help him rush out of this already spread net.

His figure quickly disappeared into the bamboo forest.

The grim swordsman in the moon white gown, sword scabbard in hand similarly moon white, was thirty steps away from the peony embroidered red-clothed female zither master.

The sword master’s sword-like long eyebrows moved upwards in an inclined manner, calmly looking at this incoming red-clothed woman. “Your Green Luan Academy has broken the rules.”

The red-clothed woman shook her head, voice like silver bells. “That is not the case… because I am not one of Green Luan Academy’s people.”

The sword master’s sharp brows furrowed slightly, as if he didn’t believe the red-clothed woman’s words.

“You can investigate it if you wish.” The red-clothed woman said with a light chuckle. “If one wishes to stop the River Water Severing Sword Ye Wangqing, no one can hide their true cultivation and martial skill, not even Green Luan Academy’s people. That is why you yourself are clear proof… in the following investigations, you and those people who investigate can be sure that I am not a member of Green Luan Academy’s experts.”

The grim sword master looked at this woman, saying, “If you aren’t from Green Luan Academy, then who are you?”

The red-clothed middle-aged woman shook her head. “I cannot say.”

The grim sword master also shook his head, instead not saying any more. His right hand moved to the moon white longsword in his left hand.

Sword winds swept about.

The moon white sword scabbard separated from the sword itself, flying across the air with a wave of unimaginably powerful aura, shattering all of the green bamboo between the sword master and this red-clothed woman.

The shattered bamboo were also swept about by the sword wind, turned into countless small green bamboo swords, all of them shooting towards this red-clothed woman who held a zither case.

Every single small bamboo sword could easily tear through flesh, the moon white sword scabbard flying within even more so able to smash through heavy armor.

However, the red-clothed woman instead calmly took a step forward. When the moon white sword scabbard and endless small green bamboo swords were five feet from her chest, the zither case in her hands opened, splitting to pieces. The pieces fluttered about, becoming an expanse of scattering snow before her.

The snow and the small green swords smashed together. The small green swords all split apart as well, turning into bamboo shreds that fluttered about in the air.

Inside the zither case was a scarlet red zither. The zither didn’t have any strings, but instead had a few zither string-like runes that were deeply embedded into the stone-like zither body.

The red-clothed woman’s fine fingers moved across the ancient zither. This zither instead floated before her, standing up.

The snow-white sword scabbard stopped in the air, stopping in front of this zither. It was as if it had life, frantically moving forward, but in the end, it couldn’t advance an inch, finally falling in ruin. It was completely suppressed by the power permeating from this ancient zither, flying backwards.

However, this was only the sword scabbard.

The real sword was white-colored, sparkling white and translucent like jade, lacking even a trace of impurity. There were only sculpted runes that winded about the sword body, forming a vivid and lifelike true dragon diagram.

The dragon runed fine jade made up the sword body, while fine ivory made up the hilt, the sword tassels brilliant gold. This sword was in the grim faced swordsman’s hands, while he himself already rushed past the fluttering bamboo threads and snow dust, a blade piercing at the red-clothed woman’s throat.

The bamboo forest suddenly released a miserable and sad cry, as if a child was screaming in the night.

A barbed deep blue steel arrow arrived from an unknown location, flying towards the back of this swordsman’s head.

The grim faced swordsman’s expression was still silent, not changing his movements in the slightest, his sword form not stopping at all.

His left hand’s long sleeves moved slightly, seizing the snow-white sword scabbard that flew back, and then thrusted it backwards.

The sword scabbard released a wu noise, smashing into that screaming barbed blue arrow with incredible precision. The two both fell onto the ground. Then, borrowing this thrusting motion, he moved forward even more swiftly.

Astonishing sword energy poured out from the longsword in his hands. The air in front of him was cut apart, becoming two visible streams of energy that spun at his sides.

The red-clothed woman’s hands began to move across the scarlet red stone zither.

Waves of majestic aura flew out from the stone zither’s string-like runes like scarlet multicolored light wisps. The entire bamboo forest became suffused with beautiful zither sounds.

The grim faced sword master frowned slightly, the longsword in his hands trembling a bit. However, everything that stood in his path was still completely cut through by his sword.

All of the powerful vital energy, multicolored brilliance and beautiful zither sounds were cut in half by this sword.

The longsword landed on this scarlet red stone zither.

The scarlet red stone zither standing upright in front of the red-clothed woman was immediately filled with spider web-like cracks, and then it broke apart piece by piece.

The black cloth in front of the red-clothed woman’s face was also attacked by sword energy, splitting apart, revealing a beautiful face. There was a small mole on her left cheek, as if it was an extremely fine teardrop.

The swordsman’s sword form came to a pause.

At this moment, this sword of his actually couldn’t continue forward, his entire body also starting to continuously tremble.

The scarlet red stone zither before him completely shattered like his memories, like countless fine meteors as they smashed into his body.

The moon white long gown covering his body was instantly covered in holes, blood gushing out from his mouth, his body flying backwards.

The wind sounds, sword energy noises, sounds of bamboo exploding and beautiful zither sounds all completely came to a stop.

The grim faced swordsman landed on the ground, coughing lightly. With each cough, there was a bit of red blood that appeared.

“You all indeed aren’t Green Luan Academy’s people… Because Green Luan Academy’s people are more arrogant than you all, moreover wouldn’t use such shameless methods.” The grim faced swordsman lowered his head, looking at the specks of red at his feet.

“It isn’t that we are shameless, but rather that it is you yourself who isn’t able to move past your own mental state.” The red-clothed woman looked at him calmly, quietly saying, “This is precisely why you don’t even dare to look at me, all because I can take on the same appearance as her… Ye Wangqing, three years ago, you should have had hope of breaking through into the Sacred Expert level. Even if you retained your cultivation from three years ago, no matter what kind of methods we used today, even if I could disturb your mind, it definitely wouldn’t be able to stop your blade, let alone seriously injure you. However, during these three years, your cultivation not only didn’t advance, it instead declined. Perhaps after just another year, Gao Gongyue who has to step aside when he sees you might even be able to defeat you.”

“What is the use in forgetting emotions? The true emotions, how can they be something that can be forgotten? If it was switched around, you who died and she who was here, could it be that you would want to see her in such a state, suffering for an entire life? Since you haven’t died yet, since you couldn’t prevent this separation by death, why do you change such sweet and happy memories into this kind of suffering?” The red-clothed woman looked at this head hung swordmaster, at this individual who was previously known to be able to sever rivers with a blade, someone who no cultivators in East Forest Province dared make their enemy, yet because of the death of his wife, he was unable to recover after this stumble, quietly saying this.

After saying this, a hint of a sincere smile appeared on her face. She looked at Ye Wangqing warmly and full of pity, waving her hand and saying, “Goodbye.”

Ye Wangqing suddenly raised his head, saw her smile, and then slowly withdrew into the bamboo forest, disappearing from her line of sight.

The true hidden attack from the other side wasn’t the powerful hidden archer, but rather the face identical to his wife’s underneath that black mask.

However, it was precisely because of this face that was so deeply engraved in his mind, something he couldn’t forget no matter what, preventing him from even entering meditation cultivation that when this woman left, being defeated by this type of method didn’t leave him with much hatred, instead only tears.

A kacha sounded. The longsword in his hands suddenly snapped.

All of the green bamboo within a few dozen steps around him exploded with a loud noise. Countless bamboo leaves fluttered down.

He didn’t leave, instead sitting down, closing his eyes.

The bamboo leaves scattered down on his body, seemingly enveloping him within.

He recalled all of the happy things, the blockage of the things in his heart loosening. He saw her smiling face… she seemed to be right at his side, never left all this time, just that he never noticed her during these past few years.

…

Ye Wangqing was the heir of the state founding general Ye Ningzhi. Even though he didn’t join the royal court, he had received the emperor’s grace, and that was why all of his basic necessities were taken care of, hidden within East Forest Province’s mountains and rivers.

That was why today, he also had to take action, stop Lin Xi from leaving.

Only Gao Gongyue and a few others knew about his arrival. That was why the interweaving sword energy between this bamboo forest was momentarily unknown to anyone.

However, Gao Gongyue leaping into the air, reaching a height he had never reached before, the expanse of white tree leaves that blossomed in the skies above the large residence and the endless silver snakes that rushed into the sky were seen by many people, leaving them shaken.

The iron faced Xiao Tieleng who stood before a high building’s window felt his face become even more cold.

He would endure the judgment he carried out on Lin Xi alone, but he never expected his judgment to actually still have been wrong.

…

Lin Xi made his way out of the bamboo forest. In front of him was a dark expanse of village houses.

It seemed like all of this village’s residents were poor, all some earthen walled bungalows.

He prepared to first rush into this village, but right at this time, he heard the sounds of thunderous hooves.

The quiet village’s peace was also shattered, some rooms lighting their oil lamps.

On a distant street leading into this provincial capital, rows of black cavalry appeared in Lin Xi’s line of sight.

Lin Xi released a sigh.

Even the garrisoned army was moved on a large scale, it seemed like all of the return paths from Mu Chenyun’s residence to the provincial capital had already been completely blocked by the army.

From the way things were looking, they might even start a carpet search after.

This game completely became one of whether they could or couldn’t capture Lin Xi.

Lin Xi looked around him, his eyes stopping over the mountain range to the east.

East Forest provincial capital’s surroundings were plains, there were only a few mountain ranges to the southeast of the city, these mountains named Three Reeds Peak.

There was a daoist temple that carried out trigram divinations there, still rather well-known, named White Cloud Monastery.

Lin Xi bent his body slightly, rushing into a desolate forest, quickly heading towards the mountains.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, several fire arrows wrapped in flame cloth were shot out, indicating his position from the distance.

The horse hooves were like thunder, a light cavalry troop immediately chasing in his direction.

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