When the group entered the city gate, the sky was already full of stars.
After Fang Fei's treatment, Yun Xian could have gotten up and walked around a long time ago, but she refused to do so. The reasons were obvious: first, she felt comfortable lying down with someone holding her, and second, Yun Xian also had a bit of a heroic streak.
If someone saw her, the world's number one swordsman, in such a miserable state, how would she survive in the martial arts world?
They couldn't live in the dilapidated courtyard that was there during the Four-Way War, so Xiao Yuan led his group into the inn and arranged rooms for each of them.
"Eh, what's going on?" Qiao Lingshan hesitated. "She was so happy to take out the spirit stones this time. Could it be that she's changed?"
"No." Yun Xian whispered, "Auntie might be leaving."
"Alright, since Xiaoyunxian is free, I'll be leaving now." Xiao Yuan waved his hand and exited through the window, flying away on his sword, instantly disappearing into the sky. "Take care! Remember to go to the Xuanbao Pavilion tomorrow to claim the golden bell!"
Sure enough, the saying that children are money-eating beasts was true. Plus, Yun Xian was a troublesome person, and she couldn't even imagine how much she would have to spend next! No, let's go now and leave Xue Lingxiu here.
Everyone silently watched her hurriedly fleeing back: "..."
Everyone knows Xiao Yuan's intentions, and the world is complete where only Xue Lingxiu is hurt.
"And that's it." Before entering the house with Yun Xian, Qiao Lingshan hesitated again and said, "Fellow Daoist Liu, I remember when I met you in Tangling Country, you seemed to say you were here to investigate the ore robbery."
Liu Xu exclaimed in surprise: "Ah! I forgot!!"
Qiao Lingshan continued, "Well, it's okay if I've forgotten about it. I just remembered it a little while ago. The main thing is, after leaving Tang Ling Country, didn't you say you were going to the Northern Territory to return to the Sword Sect? Why are you following me back to Zhongcheng now?"
She wanted to say it just now, but seeing Liu Xu sitting very naturally in the carriage, she felt that this person might have something important to tell her.
Liu Xu exclaimed in surprise: "Ah! I forgot again!!"
Judging from her expression, she seemed to be genuinely forgetting. Without a trace of exaggeration, Qiao Lingshan had a feeling that she simply didn't take the mission and the Sword Sect seriously. She thought they were unimportant, which was why she kept forgetting. Look at her in Tangling Country. When did she ever forget to carry the princess on her back?
"How could you forget everything?" Feng Ye took down his zither with great effort. "Forget it. I have to go to Qiankun City again later anyway."
Everyone had their own room, and Yun Xian had someone to take care of him because he had difficulty moving around.
It was the familiar inn again. When Qiao Lingshan came in with a bucket of water, she saw Yun Xian open the window again to look at the moon outside. She couldn't help but wonder, "Are you really not afraid of the cold?"
What season is it now? The wind is howling outside, and it's cold even with the doors and windows closed, but she still opens them so carelessly.
"Hmm? I'm going to trouble you again." Yun Xian looked at her and said, "Lingshan, if you feel like sleeping alone, you can go to the next room. I'm fine alone."
"Are you okay by yourself?" Qiao Lingshan put the cloth on her face and wiped it gently, saying unhappily, "You're like this now. You can't even get up from the bed if you roll off."
Yun Xian had a strange thought: "Then I won't have this trouble if I sleep on the floor?"
Qiao Lingshan: "...Sleep if you want, get out if you don't!!"
In the end, Qiao Lingshan slept outside and Yun Xian slept inside, and she was well protected.
The two of them were talking about the first time they slept on such a good bed, it was soft and warm. Yun Xian could notice that the girl next to him was trying her best to stay alert and awake at first, but after a while, about half an incense stick of time, her head tilted and she fell asleep instantly.
During the days when Tang Lingguo was in trouble, I could hardly sleep. The carriage was bumpy all the way, so I naturally couldn't rest well. Now I am lying here, the incident is over, and I am still in the familiar city. I am not afraid of any sneak attacks, so of course I sleep soundly.
Hot breath hit her ears. Yun Xian opened her eyes and looked at the soft bed curtains, but she didn't feel sleepy at all.
People tend to start thinking about all sorts of things at night, especially Yun Xian, who was in pain and couldn't sleep. His imagination ran wild, and he even thought about what to name the big goose in Jiange. In the end, he lay down with a sore back and waist, but he didn't dare to turn over for fear of waking up Qiao Lingshan.
Yun Xian sat up gently, tucked in the quilt, then got out of bed, put on his shoes, and walked out quietly.
Outside the terrace of the inn, the moonlight was like water, and it was slightly cool.
Yun Xian thought, if she couldn't sleep, she could go out for a walk. She didn't have to sleep anyway, so she could just think about life quietly. Then she turned around and saw Su Chi on the terrace next door, who seemed to be in deep thought.
Yun Xian: "..." What time is it now? The cockroaches are all asleep.
Could it be that what Senior Brother said about practicing sword for twelve hours a day wasn't a joke, but a record?!
Hearing footsteps, Su Chi opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Yun Xian looking at him with horror. Somehow, he immediately understood what was going on in her mind and said helplessly, "I just can't sleep."
Well, since no one can sleep, why not come and exchange some feelings?
Yun Xian squatted, took a run, and jumped! With a standard movement, he successfully landed next to Su Chi and sat down properly.
But as soon as Yun Xian sat down, he felt a little regretful.
Uh. But. What should I say? She racked her brains and finally brought up the first, safest topic: "Big Brother, the Tang Ling incident is over, and now the Dao Sect doesn't dare to do anything to me openly. You don't have to follow me anymore. Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here, and you've been wandering around for a long time. Do you have any plans to go back to see your parents?"
Su Chi said calmly: "I don't have any parents."
Yun Xian: "Ah! Is that so? No one has ever told me that. I'm sorry."
...What a bad start! Why did she specifically mention her parents? She should have just mentioned her family.
Su Chi: "No family either."
"..." Yun Xian said woodenly, "Big Brother, have you mastered some kind of mind-reading technique? Why can you guess what I'm thinking every time?"
Su Chi looked at her, his jade-like face softening slightly in the moonlight: "Most of the time you can't guess, right?"
Yun Xian used his various martial arts skills of reading facial expressions and found that Su Chi didn't seem very sad. Maybe he hadn't had it since birth... Wouldn't it be even more hellish to think about it this way? Forget it, let's not talk about this topic, let's change another one.
That’s right! How to improve one’s realm is the eternal topic for cultivators.
"Big Brother, you're about to advance, right?" Yun Xian asked, "Do you want to make some plans? Your cultivation is improving so quickly, is there some secret?"
"No need." Su Chi said, "I can be promoted when I want to be promoted."
Yun Xian stood up and left: "I have something else to talk about first."
Su Chi: “…It’s true.”
He seemed to see Yun Xian was about to leave, so he spoke in a strange voice, "What about you? What are you thinking about?"
Yun Xian waited for a long time until he finally asked this question. He immediately sat down, raised his head at a 45-degree angle to look at the starry sky, and sighed deeply: "Alas."
Su Chi looked at her silently.
"Although I've only just started out in the martial arts world, I've already experienced a wealth of things." Yun Xian gazed deeply into the distance and said, "Before my mother left, she asked me how to become a hero. I said that punishing evil and eliminating harm for the people is what makes a hero. But she told me that she didn't want me to be a hero at all."
Su Chi: “Yeah.”
"Now, I'm the leader of the four factions, a Tangling Warrior, and the holder of the Golden Bell. I'm sure my trip to the Xuanbao Pavilion tomorrow will cause another uproar." Yun Xian pondered this question all night. "But human power is ultimately limited. So I'm not going to be a human anymore... No, I mean, I'm alone, facing a vast sea of tasks. How should I choose? How can I help others to the best of my ability?"
Su Chi's thin lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
"Big Brother, there's no need to comfort me. I understand. Thinking about this now will only cause me more trouble." Yun Xian clenched his fist and said solemnly, "Now that I've entered the martial arts world and become a hero in everyone's heart, I will never regret it. All I have to do now is take it one step at a time. As long as I have a clear conscience, I'll be fine."
Su Chi: “…”
Yun Xian looked at him with rare innocent and kind eyes, hoping to get some encouragement.
"...Yeah." Su Chi nodded with some difficulty and said, "Okay."
But facts have proven that if you say you will never regret something, you will definitely regret it. For example, the next day, Yun Xian regretted countless times for saying those silly words on the terrace.
The group went to Xuanbao Pavilion with high spirits to collect the golden bell. The familiar Xuanbao Pavilion manager glanced at her from top to bottom and said, "Are you sure you are Yun Xian?"
"That's right! It's me." Yun Xian said proudly: "Eastern Realm, Jiange, Yun Xian!"
When the others heard the voice, they immediately paid attention:
"That's the leader! I have to say, this Four-way War is truly of exceptional quality."
"Look at Liu Shi before you say that."
"That's right. Liu Shi is responsible for the weird things, and she is responsible for the tall ones."
"Yeah. They have a bright future ahead of them. The younger generation these days is just so numerous."
Everyone's expressions relaxed after hearing this.
Yun Xian had originally thought that a Heavenly Grade Quest like this would have to have some kind of grand awarding ceremony, but unexpectedly, the steward just said, "Wait a moment," then hurried in, took out a small gadget, tossed it into Yun Xian's hand, and said, "Golden Bell, take it."
Yun Xian pinched the thumb-sized thing and said, "...You call this a golden bell?"
"It's symbolic. Do you really want to give me a golden bell?" The steward said in a calm tone, "Congratulations to this knight. He can lead the Sword Pavilion to participate in the martial arts competition in March."
Forget it. Considering how stingy my aunt is, it’s normal for her to only give this.
Yun Xian put the golden bell into his storage ring, cleared his throat, and said, "Do you have any tasks for me?"
"Yes." The manager pointed to the familiar mission board over there and said, "Go to the Earth Rank or Heaven Rank and have a look. I think you can find some leaks. Oh, and remember to bring your medical practitioner along. We at Xuanbao Pavilion are not responsible for anything that happens during the mission."
Yun Xian: “?”
Steward: "Okay, next one——"
"Wait." Yun Xian quickly pulled out a tabloid from his pocket and emphasized, "I'm now number one on the Rising Star List."
Feng Ye and Qiao Lingshan nodded heavily like rattles in the back.
The steward finally understood what she meant. He raised his eyebrows and said in a friendly manner, "Young man, I see you are a rookie and don't know much. Our current evaluation criteria are not based on the Rising Star List. Instead, we follow the Great Hero List!"
The Rising Stars List is published once a year, and the names in it are updated very quickly. The Heroes List is a list that has been sifted through the waves and remains fresh over time, so how can the value be the same?
Yun Xian frowned: "Heroes List?"
"While strength is an important criterion for judging people in the martial arts world, it's not everything." The steward handed her the long bamboo tube and said, "Life experience, background, sect affiliation, financial resources, connections, intelligence, mission experience, and even companions! Young man, what is your background?"
Yun Xian: "Young Master of the Sword Pavilion."
"Jian Ge didn't even qualify to participate in the martial arts competition before this. It's good enough that they didn't hold you back!" The manager asked, "How are your financial resources?"
Yun Xian: "It depends on how Brother Xue feels."
Xue Lingxiu: "Hello!"
Manager: "Connections?"
Yun Xian: "Alright, alright?"
Feng Ye: "You're very popular!"
Steward: "Intelligence!"
Yun Xian: "This is not possible."
Qiao Lingshan: "Yun Xian, you..."
The steward said, "Daoist companion... Alas, I see you look very immature, so you must remember this. Don't think that a sword cultivator can truly treat the sword as a Daoist companion. If you have a Daoist companion who is so beautiful that she can shame the moon and the flowers, your status in the martial arts world will rise significantly."
When everyone heard the phrase "so beautiful that she could overwhelm a country and shame the moon and flowers", they couldn't help but look at Su Chi behind them.
Su Chi: “…”
Why look at him.
"To sum up, you have nothing." The steward said proudly: "Open the bamboo slips and see what position you are in now."
Yun Xian flipped through the pages again and again, but couldn't find his own name. He almost jumped over the wall: "My nickname is the best swordsman in the world!"
"The best sword in the world? Too vulgar. So vulgar, nothing memorable at all!" The steward waved his right hand and said, "Please look at their nicknames!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.
[The only designated Sword Saint in the Four Realms]
【Sword World Astonishment】
[The person above me has a good sword]
【Bobo Taro Mud Sword】
Yun Xian almost dropped the thing in his hand: "?!!"
What the hell! It seems the nicknames the tabloids give people are all incredibly good, right? She's been coveting Qi Xingye's "Ni Lian" for a long time!
"How can you travel the world without a memorable nickname?" The steward said, "We can offer some suggestions. Please listen and see if you like it. If you are satisfied, then pay. It only costs half a tael of silver."
Yun Xian: "You say."
"Although the Dog Sword looks youthful and energetic, it's too frivolous and seems reckless. The World's Number One Sword is too heavy and vulgar. How about we combine the characteristics of the two..." The steward pondered for a moment and said, "How about the World's Number One Dog?"
Everyone behind him: "Hahahahaha!"
Yun Xian flipped the table and stood up: "Get out!!!!"
While she was angry, she suddenly heard a very light laugh behind her.
The voice was clear and pure. Yun Xian turned around and saw the smile on Su Chi's face that had not yet disappeared. He seemed to be really amused. He lowered his eyes and curled his lips, and his crow-feather-like eyelashes trembled slightly.
Yun Xian recalled her boasts from last night, and the slightly helpless look on her senior brother's face when she'd forced him to speak. Suddenly, not knowing whether to be embarrassed or angry, her face flushed red again like a little fire child. But her face was much thicker than her wealth, and she quickly recovered, saying nonchalantly, "Hmph. I'm going to Qiankun City!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
