47 swords
◎You should just go home and inherit the family fortune.◎
Separated by only a wall, Ying Jianhua could hear the conversation outside clearly. When he heard footsteps approaching, he immediately straightened his posture and pretended to be reading attentively.
Du Zhijin: "Amo, you're holding the book upside down."
Ying Jianhua: "...Ahem, just now, did Jiangwei specifically say something to you?"
Du Zhijin didn't hide anything and told him about Jiangwei's intention to leave. He pursed his lips, feeling a little heavy in his chest: "What I said didn't mean to send him away."
Although he had indeed threatened Jiangwei, demanding that she leave, that was when they were not very familiar with each other. After the incident with the Illusion Demon, his opinion of Jiangwei had changed.
Seeing his dejected expression, Du Zhijin comforted him, "I know, and Jiangwei knows too. He was the one who volunteered to stay in Wanze City. If you miss him in the future, we can come back and visit."
"Who...who would miss him?" Ying Jianhua hurriedly turned a page, only to find that the book was still upside down.
He completely abandoned using the book as a disguise, his eyelashes drooping slightly to conceal the emotions in his eyes, his voice very soft: "You... let him leave because he was a demon?"
Du Zhijin was taken aback.
She thought for a moment, then, thinking that her words might have been ambiguous, she changed to a more direct way of saying it: "Amo, did you hear me wrong? Leaving was Jiangwei's own decision, it has nothing to do with you or me."
“There are good and bad demons. I should have told you before that I only kill evil demons. As for those demons who can live peacefully with ordinary people, since they treat people as people, I also treat them as people.”
"Then, in your mind, what kind of demon qualifies as an evil demon?" he pressed.
Du Zhijin looked at him with a puzzled expression, seemingly not understanding why he was suddenly interested in this question, but still told him the truth: "A person who is eloquent and flattering, who kills and commits arson, and who acts violently and tyrannically."
"Evil people are punished by law. Evil demons, however, transcend human laws because they possess extraordinary abilities. All cultivators in the world should take it upon themselves to subdue demons, eliminate evil, and uphold righteousness. As a disciple of Dengxian Mountain, I have an inescapable duty to do so."
She believed there was nothing wrong with her explanation, after all, it was part of the sect rules she had memorized hundreds of times, and anyone who heard it would praise her as "a righteous fellow Daoist."
However, the painting was not seen. Not only did the artist not praise it, but their expression worsened.
She attributed it to the fright she had suffered the previous night and the fact that he hadn't recovered yet, so she decided not to disturb him any longer and prepared to let him rest properly. Seeing that she was about to leave, Ying Jianhua spoke up again in a daze: "Wait, you said you had something to tell me, what is it?"
“Ah, it’s nothing serious,” she said. “I just wanted to remind you that the words of the Illusion Demon cannot be trusted. It is best at spreading rumors and using illusions to unsettle people. When its days are numbered, it will hate you and me, so it will naturally say some ambiguous things to sow discord between us. In short, you don’t need to take its words to heart.”
Ying Jianhua silently clenched her fist, then slowly released it: "...I understand. So you killed it back then because..." "Because I don't like listening to nonsense."
She paused, then said, "Besides, I have my own eyes to see what kind of people are around me. I understand the principle that seeing is believing."
He opened his mouth, wanting to speak but unable to utter a word. Du Zhijin waited patiently for a moment, and seeing that he remained silent, closed the door and left.
After she left, Ying Jianhua stared silently at the night outside the window.
After that night, the moon regained its bright and clear light, and the new night's radiance was like frost reflecting on water.
But why does the one in my chest feel a vague sense of loss?
————
After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, one no longer needs to eat or sleep; this is called Bigu (abstaining from grains) or Zuowang (sitting in oblivion). Du Zhijin has had a gluttonous habit since childhood, which her master has never addressed, so she still cannot give up her three meals a day. However, she truly does not need to sleep. In the past, in Wuling Village, she had to sleep to recuperate from her injuries, but since recovering, she meditates and regulates her breathing every night, and the bed is merely for show.
This meant that she would immediately notice any movement outside the door.
That footstep... Zhao Zhonggan?
The thought had barely crossed her mind when she heard someone outside the door calling softly, "Senior sister, senior sister, are you asleep?"
Du Zhijin opened the door: "No." Noticing the unusual flush on his face, she hesitated for a few seconds before inviting him in, "Please sit down."
"Oh, okay, senior sister." Zhao Zhonggan, feeling dizzy, took off his shoes and shuffled into the room in a pair of pure white gaiters. Du Zhijin pondered to herself.
He has a habit of taking off his shoes before entering a room... This junior brother must be rich and powerful.
"Did you need something?" She poured him a cup of tea, quite pleased with her increasingly refined tea-making skills.
Immediately following was Zhao Zhonggan's somewhat disdainful voice: "Pfft! This tea is so astringent, didn't it brew properly?"
Du Zhijin: "..."
Du Zhijin quietly threw the tea bag back.
She hated cheap junior brothers the most.
"No, I'm here on important business." He sat up straight, cleared his throat, and looked at her with hopeful eyes. "Senior Sister, do you accept disciples?"
Upon hearing this, Du Zhijin suddenly shifted her body, as if there were needles pricking her in the chair, perfectly embodying the phrase "sitting on pins and needles." Zhao Zhonggan asked, puzzled, "What's wrong, Senior Sister? Should we stand up and talk?"
"Uh—it has nothing to do with standing or sitting." She scratched her face and head, and after doing a thousand and one movements, she finally managed to say, "I...I'm not skilled enough to take on any apprentices for the time being."
Actually, there's someone else with limited skills. Who is it? It's hard to guess.
Zhao Zhonggan clearly didn't grasp her hidden meaning, and still looked at her with wide, sincere eyes: "Senior Sister, you shouldn't belittle yourself! We all witnessed your heroic bearing that day! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you were a celestial being descended to earth! Your sword dance was so exquisite and masterful, truly..."
The more he talked, the harder it became for Du Zhijin to refuse. He couldn't very well say, "You don't have the talent for cultivation, so you should just go home and inherit the family fortune!"
But then again, she was clearly not favored by everyone back then, so who would have thought that she would be destined for cultivation?
With a secret sense of sympathy, she decided to give Zhao Zhonggan a try.
Do you carry your sword with you?
"Huh?" He was stunned for a moment, then nodded frantically, "Yes! It's in the room, senior sister, wait for me to get it."
Du Zhijin nodded: "Okay, go back and get your sword first, and we'll meet downstairs at the inn later."
"yes!!"
Half an incense stick later, Du Zhijin and Zhao Zhonggan arrived.
And his jeweled...sword?
Forgive her poor eyesight, but if Zhao Zhonggan hadn't introduced himself as having a sword called "Hengqiu," she really wouldn't have been able to tell that it was a swordsman's sword.
The scabbard was inlaid with jewels, gleaming and dazzling. The moment Hengqiu appeared, she immediately sensed the dissatisfaction of her two natal swords.
...Our family's circumstances are what they are; we can't compare ourselves to others!
She silently put away the more unrestrained Xingyue and replaced it with Zuilan in her hand.
She hesitated, then asked, "Isn't this... heavy to carry around normally?"
Zhao Zhonggan: "It's heavy! I was wondering how you senior sisters managed to carry it with you all the time. Doesn't it feel heavy on your back?"
Du Zhijin: "After Foundation Establishment, the sword follows your will and is usually stored in your sea of consciousness, so you don't need to carry it with you. As for before Foundation Establishment, generally speaking, the simpler the scabbard, the better, and lightness is the priority."
Zhao Zhonggan suddenly realized, and was about to discard his gleaming golden scabbard on the spot: "Senior Sister, I understand! The great way is simple, so that's how it is!"
Stared at by him with eyes full of admiration, Du Zhijin couldn't help but ask, "Where did you study under before?"
She had been in Dengxian Mountain for ten years and had never heard of a swordsman setting gemstones on his sword sheath.
Zhao Zhonggan sounded confused and seemed somewhat at a loss: "My father invited the renowned Master Tianshui to enlighten me. Is there something wrong with that?"
Du Zhijin was speechless.
"Master Tianshui has not left seclusion for thirty years."
So, who was the Tianshui Master that Zhao's father invited? And did he know that he had invited a fake for his son?
Clearly, Zhao Zhonggan had also considered this. The boy's straight back instantly slumped; if he had a tail, it would surely be drooping listlessly on the ground by now.
After hesitating for a long time, he said, "I...I am the only son in my family. My father has always hoped that I would follow in his footsteps and inherit the family business."
“From childhood, he invited famous teachers from all over the world to teach me the Six Arts and the Five Classics. But I didn’t like those things. I didn’t like dealing with those hypocritical scoundrels, and I didn’t like their pedantic speech and etiquette! I longed for the martial world, for the freedom to settle scores and make friends through martial arts. Senior sister, do you understand what I mean? Learning those things can’t save the people or the world! Only martial arts, straightforward and violent martial arts, can punish evil and promote good and uphold justice!” When he got excited, he wanted to draw his sword to add to the excitement, but found that the sword was stuck halfway by its scabbard.
His inner fire died down instantly, and his voice involuntarily lowered as he said with a bitter smile, "Perhaps I am like this sword, forever unable to be drawn."
Du Zhijin shook his head. Her hand covered the back of his hand, warm and strong.
"No. As long as you are strong enough, no force can stop you from showing your brilliance."
To Zhao Zhonggan's astonishment, she guided his hand and easily drew her sword.
It went so smoothly without any hindrance; the sound of the blade cutting through the air was so pleasant and melodious.
It was as if the sword was an extension of her hand.
Du Zhijin stared at him, his eyes burning with fury.
Did Master see her that way back then?
It turns out that when you see a stubborn person who is destined to hit a wall and rush headlong into the fire like a moth, you really can't help but lend a helping hand.
Then Master, why did you leave behind the words "Because it was me"?
She didn't understand. But she thought that perhaps she could glean some of her master's good intentions from Zhao Zhonggan.
So she grasped Zhao Zhonggan's sword.
Ying Jianhua was awakened by strange noises in her head.
Phrases like "confessing one's innermost feelings," "having heart-to-heart talks all night," and "teaching step by step"... it's obvious they've hit the jackpot again.
At times like this, Ying Jianhua would wonder if this thing was truly a guidance from the Heavenly Dao. Was the Heavenly Dao just idly focusing on Du Zhijin all day? Could she be the daughter of the Heavenly Dao?
Before he knew it, he had once again confused the storybook with reality. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the jumbled thoughts, and pushed open the door to find Jiangwei lingering outside Du Zhijin's house.
"Why didn't you knock?" he asked.
Jiangwei opened her lips as if to speak but then stopped, her confusion growing. She strode over and knocked on the door: "Are you awake?"
There was no response from inside the door.
As her drowsiness subsided, and recalling what she had just heard about "all night long," Ying Jianhua squinted her eyes.
Could it be...?
"Hmm... Good morning, Young Master Amo, this is Xiao Hong."
With a creak, the door opened. Zhao Zhonggan emerged, still sleepy-eyed, his clothes loose, and wearing only a robe without shoes.
He rubbed his eyes and pointed into the room: "Senior Sister is still resting. Do you need to see her?"
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