Beside the man in green, there was another in white, his expression languid. Strapped to his back was a long sword wreathed in fiery red energy. Though sheathed, strands of combative energy still pulsed from between the scabbard and hilt. This man was clearly no ordinary person, his brows radiating a heroic aura of looking down upon the world.
"Third Senior Brother!"
Lin Zhao, a mixture of surprise and joy, rushed over, holding Xiao Jiu'er's hand. Zhu Zhi also lifted the hem of her skirt and followed, her flight swift.
"You've gotten much sturdier!"
The man in green lightly patted Lin Zhao's shoulder and chuckled, "An eighth-realm martial artist now... Not bad, not bad. I told Senior Sister, didn't I? Little Junior Brother practices his fists diligently and needs no urging. Look at this, an eighth-realm martial artist and a fourth-realm sword cultivator. If Master knew, he'd surely be very pleased."
Lin Zhao looked a bit sheepish, "Senior Brother, you're praising me too much... How could Master possibly think highly of my cultivation?"
The man in green burst into laughter.
Lin Zhao then took Xiao Jiu'er's hand and said, "Xiao Jiu'er, this is my Third Senior Brother. You decide how to address him..."
"Since he's Brother Lin Zhao's Senior Brother, he's an elder... Greetings, Third Senior Uncle!"
Xiao Jiu'er immediately bowed.
The man in green pressed his hand to his forehead, "The seniority is all mixed up..."
Lin Zhao then said, "Zhu Zhi, this is my Senior Brother!"
"Mm!"
Zhu Zhi was dignified and poised. She cupped her hand in a fist and smiled, "Greetings, esteemed Senior Brother of my esteemed master!"
The man in green nodded with a smile and asked in a low voice, "Junior Brother, is this... your future sister-in-law?"
"Huh!?"
Lin Zhao blinked in surprise.
Zhu Zhi's cheeks instantly flushed, but she offered no explanation.
"Ahem..."
Beside the man in green, the swordsman in white smiled slightly and said, "Are you not going to introduce me?"
"Oh, I almost forgot!"
The man in green pointed his thumb at the white-clad swordsman beside him and said, "Little Junior Brother, come and meet him. This is... a seated immortal from the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs. His mastery of formations, strategic warfare, and military strategy is unmatched in the world!"
"Ah!?"
Lin Zhao didn't know who he was, but since his Senior Brother called him an "immortal," he was undoubtedly extraordinary. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Lin Zhao pays his respects to the Immortal of the School of Military Affairs!"
The white-clad swordsman nodded and smiled, "No need for formalities."
Lin Zhao then asked, "Senior Brother, what brings you here this time..."
"To see!"
The man in green's lips curved slightly, "The Snow Domain Heavenly Pond is so lively, it would be rather remiss of me not to come back and have a look. Moreover, this is also Master's decree, ordering me to come back and provide some oversight. We can't just do nothing."
"Mm!"
Lin Zhao said, "I've already moved from the ancestral home to the Mountain Peak Villa. There are still quite a few vacant guest rooms at the Villa. How about... Senior Brother and this Immortal of the School of Military Affairs stay at the Mountain Peak Villa? It's very convenient for food, accommodation, and travel."
"Good!"
The man in green agreed readily, not refusing, "Then please lead the way, Little Junior Brother!"
"Mm, alright!"
...
The group returned to the Mountain Peak Villa. Lin Zhao instructed the kitchen to prepare a table of good food and then sat with them. The man in green and the white-clad swordsman, however, engaged in hearty drinking. After they had eaten and drunk their fill, they both retired to their rooms to sleep. Lin Zhao, on the other hand, walked into the courtyard, dispelling the wine from his system. He stood with his hands behind his back under the moonlight, a slight frown on his brow.
Third Senior Brother had descended to the mortal realm again, which undoubtedly meant something significant was afoot.
"My Lord."
Beside him, Zhu Zhi, bent low, poked her head out from her doorway and said, "Come to my room!"
"Mm?"
Lin Zhao furrowed his brow, "What is it?"
"Just come over first!"
"Oh!"
Lin Zhao strode over. As soon as he stepped into Zhu Zhi's room, she immediately closed the door and set up a restrictive enchantment. She turned to face Lin Zhao, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.
"What's really going on?" Lin Zhao asked with a smile.
"My Lord, that man in white is definitely not simple."
Zhu Zhi's expression was grave. "Do you know the origin of the sword he carries on his back?"
"I don't."
Lin Zhao shook his head, "I don't know much about swords, and even now I'm not sure of the origin of the sword behind me."
"You..."
Zhu Zhi frowned, "I took a careful look just now. The sword on his back, both its appearance and the sword intent it emanates, matches a legendary renowned sword."
"Which renowned sword?"
"One of the Ten Great Renowned Swords of the world, ranked sixth, the Gan Cheng Sword. This Gan Cheng Sword is an ancient renowned sword, symbolizing the 'pillar of the state' and a sword that guards the nation. According to the records in the Secret Annals of Renowned Swords, this Gan Cheng Sword is enshrined within the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs. For it to be brought out now, it indicates that the man in white is extraordinary, possibly even one of the top figures from the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs."
Lin Zhao was a little speechless, "My Senior Brother already said it. That man in white is an immortal from the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs. If he's the owner of the Gan Cheng Sword, it's not surprising."
"But, My Lord..."
Zhu Zhi pouted, "I originally thought your Senior Brother was bragging... An immortal from the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs, at least a thirteenth-realm, or even a fourteenth-realm. That person doesn't look like it. He looks like a rogue from the marketplace..."
"You're overthinking it..."
Lin Zhao smiled slightly, "I trust my Senior Brother. The person he brings will certainly not be detrimental to us."
"Mm!"
Zhu Zhi smiled and nodded, "If you put it that way, it makes sense."
"Alright."
Lin Zhao sat down by the windowsill and said, "Now I'm more interested in the matter of the Ten Great Renowned Swords. Tell me about it. I really haven't read any books on this topic."
"Mm."
Zhu Zhi also sat beside him and said, "The Ten Great Renowned Swords. The first ranked is the legendary Dragon Slaying Sword, once the personal sword of the immortal Ming Yuechi. It is a sword that defends the world, with immense killing power. It is said to be buried within our Snow Domain Heavenly Pond, but it has not appeared for many years. The second ranked is the Confucian scholar's Han Niu Sword, symbolizing 'a vast collection of books,' a renowned sword imbued with Confucian essence, said to have been wielded by successive Confucian Sages. The third ranked is the Yuan Yu Sword, 'observing fish in the abyss,' its sword intent unfathomable. The whereabouts of this sword are unknown. The fourth ranked is the Zhi Xue Sword, 'cicadas unaware of snow,' nurtured in the depths of the sea of snow, with extremely heavy killing power. Its whereabouts are also unknown. The fifth ranked is the Cun Yang Sword, a sword that can shorten and lengthen time, possessing vast divine abilities, but its whereabouts are also lost."
She pursed her red lips and continued with a smile, "The sixth is the Gan Cheng Sword we saw tonight. Its offensive power is exceptionally sharp, a renowned sword guarding the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs. The seventh ranked is the Fu Su Sword, the personal sword of the current Military Sage Ding Muchan. It is said that Ding Muchan had a close friend named Fu Su. After this dear friend passed away, Ding Muchan, filled with regret, spent a hundred years personally forging the Fu Su Sword. The Fu Su Sword is a sword of obsession, with an extremely heavy killing aura. It is said that when it is unsheathed, all living beings in the world will tremble in fear.
She smiled, "But who knows? It's just a secret from the 'Annals of Renowned Swords.' No one has actually seen this Fu Su Sword. Then, there is the eighth ranked Gui Yan Sword, symbolizing 'tortoise and dragon do not announce,' a sword that despises the world. It is said to be in the hands of a reclusive sage. After that is the ninth ranked Yun Shu Sword, 'thoughts of clouds and trees,' a sword of camaraderie. The last sword is the Xun Lu Sword, 'searching for deer in the leaves,' a sword that kills without a trace. Its whereabouts are also currently unknown."
Lin Zhao sat in the moonlight and smiled, "The Ten Great Renowned Swords, each with its own origin. What do you say, can someone like me possess one?"
"Difficult..."
Zhu Zhi pouted and smiled, "A renowned sword matches a sword immortal. My Lord, you must first become a sword immortal before you can rightfully wield a renowned sword. Otherwise, it would be 'possessing a treasure that brings ruin.' Those without sufficient strength cannot keep a renowned sword of the world."
"That makes a lot of sense!"
Lin Zhao grinned, "Let's go, back to sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow to practice my fists and my sword!"
"Mm, I'm going to sleep too."
Zhu Zhi stood by the window, watching him leave. A faint helplessness flickered in her beautiful eyes. Why was this person so proper? Couldn't he learn from those rascals in the marketplace and say something like, "Why don't we go together?" If he had, and she had agreed, she wondered what he would do. Thinking of this, Zhu Zhi couldn't help but show a smile. It would surely be interesting to see this young eighth-realm martial artist and fourth-realm sword cultivator, the strategist and general of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond, make a fool of himself.
...
Returning to his room.
Xiao Jiu'er was still diligently writing. Lin Zhao patted her head and said, "That's enough, stop pretending to be diligent. Go back to sleep. I'll take you to eat meat buns early tomorrow morning!"
"Okay!"
Xiao Jiu'er immediately put away her brush and ink and looked at Lin Zhao like a little adult, smiling, "Brother Lin Zhao, many fifteen-year-old boys in the town are already married. Brother Lin Zhao is now a general of the Heavenly Pond Army, with a different status. Have you considered finding a woman to marry?"
"Marry?"
Lin Zhao looked astonished, "Let's forget about that. What kind of woman would fancy me? I don't have any luck with women..."
"Oh!"
Xiao Jiu'er hugged her books and went back to her room to sleep.
...
Late at night, the entire small town was serene.
"Swish swish~~~"
Two figures appeared in the sky above the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond – the man in green and the white-clad swordsman. They stood side by side in the cold wind, wreathed in strands of military intent, so much so that though they were in the air, no one could detect them. Not even Qin Yushan, the thirteenth-realm great cultivator stationed at the Jade Bamboo Garden guarding the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond, noticed their presence.
"What do you want now?" the white-clad swordsman said.
"Since we've descended to the mortal realm, shouldn't we do something for the world?"
The man in green frowned, "The Snow Domain Heavenly Pond should be the final battlefield. The northern four tribes are advancing south. Whether humanity will crumble or find a path to survival is still uncertain. But we must do something. Shouldn't you, the military immortal who wields military formations and military might, do something for the human world?"
The white-clad swordsman said faintly, "You want me to set up a formation?"
"Mm."
The man in green said, "A 'Formation of the Perishing Military Immortal' to boost the morale of human soldiers and suppress the military might of the demon and devil races. That should be acceptable, right? You only need to set up the formation, you don't need to make a move."
"To use an immortal formation in the mortal realm is equivalent to borrowing the energy of the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs to crush the major trend of the mortal realm. This is a significant matter. If the Military Ancestor, the quasi-Sage, as well as the Imperial Tutor, the Strategist Sage, and even the Human Butcher from the Ancestral Court, were to investigate, who would be responsible?"
"I am now in charge of all major affairs of the Ancestral Court of the School of Military Affairs, so I will naturally take responsibility."
"With you saying that, I'll go and set up the formation."