Chapter 88: Discussing the Dao with the Sword
Ye Gucheng, who was suppressing his pure sword heart to carry out these dirty schemes and killings for the Southern Prince's Mansion that were not purely about the sword, could not help but be taken aback by the sudden question.
Has he not thought about this question these days? He has been thinking about it day and night.
But did he get an answer? No.
But he was Ye Gucheng after all, and he had to respond.
His voice was still cold and hard, but he knew in his heart that Xie Huailing wouldn't believe him. He could only say it to himself: "I draw my sword for what I have to do."
“That’s not a valid reason,” Xie Huailing retorted immediately. “Everyone in this world—butchers draw their knives to slaughter livestock, soldiers raise their spears for military orders, and assassins draw their swords for gold and silver rewards—they all draw their swords for what they have to do. But Lord Ye, how many of them deserve to be called ‘swordsmen’?”
Before Ye Gucheng could answer, she pressed closer, her gaze intense, and raised her voice: "Now, Lord Ye, you've drawn your sword for the Southern Prince's Mansion, willing to engage in such despicable acts. How is there any difference between you and a guard who draws his sword for three pecks of rice, or a thug who wipes out an entire family for a few strings of cash, in terms of 'why you drew your sword'? It's just that your sword is sharper and you get a higher price!"
Ye Gucheng frowned, having heard the words he least wanted to hear, the most offensive words to him. Without hesitation, he replied, "You are mistaken. The matter I drew my sword for is not related to such mundane things."
Xie Huailing raised an eyebrow and asked again, "Oh, then why? Isn't it still for power, for influence, to help your backers rise to the top, so that you, Lord Baiyun City, can one day hold the reins of power in the martial world and wield your sword against all? Lord Ye, what you say and what you do are completely unrelated. How are you any different from those who despise those who strive for fame and fortune? How is your sword any different from the swords they wield?"
Ye Gucheng's voice turned cold, as if he had been angered. He could have simply stopped replying and drawn his sword, but his pride wouldn't allow it, nor would his sword, so he couldn't leave this conversation initiated by Xie Huailing: "I draw my sword for Baiyun City."
"For Baiyun City?"
Xie Huailing seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. She scoffed, her gaze burning like fire on Ye Gucheng, stinging intensely in the chilly spring night. She said, "What a fine excuse for drawing your sword for Baiyun City! It sounds wonderful, but for Baiyun City, you recklessly took lives, you trampled on your own morality. In that case, the reason you drew your peerless sword is no different from those of all the feudal lords throughout history who, under the guise of noble names, harmed the people. Do you remember that in this world, actions speak louder than words?!"
"Ye Gucheng, is your sword built on such a thing? Not only does it fail to live up to the sword, but it also fails to live up to Baiyun City. There are so many paths in this world, do you truly have nowhere to go, or is all of this just an excuse you use to numb yourself and cover up the tarnishing of your sword heart?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Gucheng could no longer remain calm.
Xie Huailing flicked her sleeve, completely ignoring the sword that could take her life at any moment, and walked straight past the threat of the sword tip to Ye Gucheng's side.
Ye Gucheng did not move. She stood beside him but did not look at him. Instead, she gazed at the night sky, her voice suddenly becoming low and questioning Ye Gucheng's heart: "Lord Ye, I know you have studied swordsmanship since you were young and have worked hard for many years. But after saying so much, you still haven't told me why a swordsman draws his sword. So, let me tell you."
"For injustice? There are too many injustices in this world, how can a single sword possibly kill them all?"
"For justice? In both the imperial court and the common people, has there ever been true and lasting justice?"
"For love and hatred, for life and death? These might be enough to make an ordinary swordsman draw his sword, but Ye Gucheng, Lord Ye—you are a sword immortal, your sword moves are called Celestial Flying Immortal!"
Her gaze was like lightning, staring directly at Ye Gucheng's profile: "Your sword should not be bound by things, nor confined by emotions, nor enslaved by form. It should sing for your own Dao, and only for that. Where your sword heart is clear, there your sword will be true."
Then her voice rose slowly, following Ye Gucheng's broken thoughts, filled with grief and sorrow: "And your sword heart, you should know it better than anyone. Can these worldly hardships break it down? Can these riches and fame destroy it? But, but Lord Ye, if you draw your sword once for the reason you just mentioned, it will never come back."
"So please tell me again, what is the purpose of a swordsman, especially a swordsman like you, drawing his sword? Is it merely to serve as a filthy butcher's knife in this filthy quagmire of power?"
"Lord Ye, I regret your passing!"
The corridor was deathly silent.
Xie Huailing's words still resonated deeply, stirring up a tidal wave in Ye Gucheng's heart.
After a long silence, a very soft sigh escaped Ye Gucheng's lips. He struggled, he was bewildered, and he was exhausted.
He slowly withdrew the sword that had been pointing into the void, then admitted, "You're right."
He paused slightly before continuing, "If I had known Miss Xie before, perhaps we would have been friends. You have a sword in your heart, and that sword is sharper than mine."
But he gripped the sword hilt tightly again. Sometimes a person's resolve is so strong that even wavering seems inadequate: "Unfortunately, I have no choice but to kill you."
However, Xie Huailing showed no fear after hearing his words. She looked at Ye Gucheng, her goal already achieved, and it was too easy to see through him. She replied calmly, "I'm afraid Lord Ye isn't as resolute as he claims."
The casual assertion weighed heavily on Ye Gucheng's already wavering mind. He fell silent, for any further explanation would only seem weak and powerless, and he truly had nothing more to say. All he could offer her in return was killing intent—a killing intent that compelled him to sever the current turmoil and prove something through action.
The sword intent, though restrained, had already locked onto Xie Huailing.
He was also locked down.
Gong Jiu didn't observe Ye Gucheng for long; his attention was focused on Xie Huailing, but this subtle observation was enough. Since Ye Gucheng was no ordinary person, why hesitate?
His sword possessed the ultimate restraint and precision, a weapon for reaping lives. It was a sword meant for killing, often solely for the purpose of killing. The sword's wind arrived in an instant, without any superfluous elements. What Ye Gucheng sensed in this sword strike was an inhuman coldness. Who could possess such a sword, such swordsmanship?
Ye Gucheng loved swords and cherished talent, but now that he had witnessed such a sword strike, he could only conclude that this person's swordsmanship was no less than his own, and perhaps even on par with his.
Faced with Gong Jiu's sudden attack, he had no choice but to dodge. His white-clad figure transformed into a fleeting figure, swiftly retreating backward with agility and grace, avoiding the sword strike.
Gong Jiu had no intention of succeeding with a single sword strike. He leaped forward and landed steadily in the spot where Ye Gucheng had just stood.
With a single sword strike, offense and defense shifted, and positions were reversed.
All of this was thanks to Xie Huailing's direct questioning that struck at the heart of the matter; this was also her true purpose. She successfully shook Ye Gucheng's supposedly flawless state of mind, causing him to reveal his hesitation and weaknesses. And Gong Jiu, whose eyes were always on Xie Huailing, would not waste such a brilliant opportunity.
The two of them didn't discuss it; smart people don't need to discuss things.
And so, standing before the door that shone with warm light was no longer the sword immortal blocking her way, but Xie Huailing. She tilted her head, the two bright red moles under her eyes particularly striking, a sign of victory that her plan had succeeded. Her gaze passed over Gong Jiu's shoulder and fell upon Ye Gucheng, whose expression was complex and conflicted, not far away.
This woman, who knew absolutely no martial arts skills, not only did not become a burden in this confrontation, but also easily shifted the entire situation with just a few words, firmly grasping the power to dominate the story in her own hands.
She gazed at Ye Gucheng and asked, "Are there any more ambushes inside the house?"
Ye Gucheng's thin lips were pressed tightly together, his eyes dark and unfathomable. He naturally wouldn't answer.
But Xie Huailing didn't need his answer at all. He was already restless; she could simply read the answer from his face and answer her own question: "It seems there isn't any."
Ignoring Ye Gucheng's shock, she turned to face the half-open carved wooden door and politely knocked three times on it with her knuckles, signaling to the girl inside that she was coming. Then she pushed the door open, the hinges creaking hesitantly, and the brighter, warmer light from inside flowed out, engulfing half of her figure.
Ye Gucheng's face turned cold, and he subconsciously reached out to draw his sword to stop him, but another sword, exuding an ominous aura, was already positioned between him and the wooden door.
First came a glimpse of a sword's edge, then a whole, extremely cold sword, and then the face of a young man with features as white as jade and noble as precious gems. Gong Jiu remained silent, simply raising his sword, its tip pointing at Ye Gucheng. He wouldn't allow anyone to disturb Xie Huailing; tonight, he would be right here.
He didn't care why Ye Gucheng drew his sword; others were none of his concern. He only cared that he drew his sword for Xie Huailing.
With Gong Jiu in front, Ye Gucheng could no longer see Xie Huailing.
The door closed.
.
The room was very bright.
The girl lit quite a few lamps. This was understandable; people like them, who didn't practice martial arts and lacked the ability to see in the dark, inevitably needed to illuminate their rooms as if it were daytime when they needed to do something at night, as if only then could everything be clearly seen. It was precisely because of these lamps that Xie Huailing was able to spot the person she needed to see at a glance.
She was facing her, her head bowed deeply. She was still dressed in fine clothes, yet she seemed about to collapse under their weight. Xie Huailing couldn't see her face; she seemed to wish she could collapse under their weight.
Xie Huailing also noticed that she was trembling.
Her shadow trembled on the ground, and she herself trembled as well. The hairpin, which never swayed when she walked, betrayed its owner's usual good royal etiquette, swaying as if it had been blown by a strong wind, clashing together, gems hitting gems, gold and jade hitting gold and jade. She was afraid of her, Xie Huailing could tell at a glance.
She already knew all the shocking events of the night and had overheard her conversation with Ye Gucheng. She was afraid of her.
Her ruthlessness was real, her malice was real, and her cowardice, weakness, and fear were all real.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com