"Lin Zhao, how do you intend to examine my state of mind?"
Chi Zhongyu crossed his arms, a smile playing on his lips. Though he could sense that Lin Zhao had certainly approached his level, his realm far exceeding the six-realm sword cultivator he appeared to be, he reasoned that Lin Zhao couldn't possibly be stronger than the apex Yuan Ying realm cultivators of Bai Hua Tian Xia. Since he was also a Yuan Ying realm cultivator, he wondered how Lin Zhao could so easily probe his mind.
"You only need to agree,"
Lin Zhao smiled. "Are you ready? Then I shall look."
Chi Zhongyu frowned and nodded.
The next moment, a flying sword shot out from Lin Zhao's Sword Reservoir, instantly conjuring a small world imbued with the profound essence of Confucianism, engulfing Chi Zhongyu. The instant Chi Zhongyu entered the vast and elegant small world, he felt his state of mind shatter, all his past memories no longer a secret.
Lin Zhao narrowed his eyes, finding himself amidst a dense river of golden starlight. This river was Chi Zhongyu's river of memories, and the brighter lights were his unforgettable recollections. Among them, a memory star the size of a fist shone with unparalleled brilliance, clearly representing Chi Zhongyu's peak moment in life. Lin Zhao casually reached out and entered a memory scroll.
Within the scroll, a small boat drifted on a river of green mountains and clear water. Two people sat in the boat: Liu Liying, the fan-wielding goddess, knelt at the stern, while the other was Chi Zhongyu, clad in a blue robe, exuding elegance and distinguished bearing.
"Liying,"
Chi Zhongyu's gaze was fervent and earnest. "I am about to enter seclusion to break through to the Yuan Ying realm. Once I reach the Yuan Ying realm, my father will hand over the reins of our family's business to me. At that time, I will be second only to the Sect Master in the Lingnan Sword Sect, and a cultivator standing at the pinnacle of the sword cultivation world. I will then be worthy of your status, Liying."
Liu Liying smiled, her dimples deepening, and gazed at the shimmering moonlight on the river. "If you can reach the Yuan Ying realm, Young Master, you will undoubtedly be an ultimate sword immortal of this era. At that time... which of the noble daughters from princely households, or the heavenly prodigies from renowned sects, wouldn't be yours to choose from? Will you still look upon someone like me, a mere painted goddess born of heaven and earth, with favor?"
"Naturally!"
Chi Zhongyu earnestly declared, "In my heart, Chi Zhongyu, all the women in the world combined cannot compare to you, Liying!"
"Hmph~~~"
Liu Liying showed a charmingly innocent expression and laughed. "Since that is the case, Liying will await your breakthrough to the Yuan Ying realm."
"Alright, wait for me!"
In the scroll, Chi Zhongyu's face was filled with joy, as if he were the happiest man in the world.
...
Lin Zhao frowned. Clearly, Liu Liying had lied to him. She wasn't unrelated to Chi Zhongyu; on the contrary, in this fragment of memory, Liu Liying had given Chi Zhongyu a sincere answer: as long as Chi Zhongyu reached the Yuan Ying realm, Liu Liying was willing to marry him and become his Dao companion.
He gently raised his head, looking at the countless fragments of light in the air. He reached out and touched another shimmering fragment – another memory of Chi Zhongyu. Instantly, Lin Zhao entered a second memory scroll.
Within the scroll, Chi Zhongyu, clad in a blue robe, appeared almost ethereal, already a great sword immortal of the Yuan Ying realm. Not far away, on a mountaintop, a gentle rain was falling. Liu Liying, in a red dress and holding a fan, was breathtakingly beautiful. Behind Liu Liying stood a middle-aged painter. The painter narrowed his eyes, holding an oiled paper umbrella to shield himself and Liu Liying from the rain. This painter was none other than the Painting Sage Wu Yuanzi.
"Liying, I've advanced to Yuan Ying!"
Chi Zhongyu was exhilarated but did not forget his manners. He clasped his fists and smiled at Wu Yuanzi. "Mr. Wu!"
After all, Wu Yuanzi was the creator of the painted beauty on Lingze Mountain, and more like a father figure to Liu Liying. Thus, even after becoming a Yuan Ying realm cultivator, Chi Zhongyu remained extremely respectful towards Wu Yuanzi.
Wu Yuanzi nodded slightly.
Chi Zhongyu continued to look at Liu Liying, his gaze fervent. "Liying, I have obtained my father's permission to marry you. Soon, you will be a daughter-in-law of our Lingnan Sword Sect."
"Oh?"
Liu Liying frowned slightly. "Young Master Chi, I congratulate you on reaching the Yuan Ying realm, but... what do you mean by marriage? I am naturally carefree and unwilling to join any renowned sword sect, nor do I desire any romantic entanglements. Young Master Chi and I are merely chance acquaintances. I certainly dare not presume to match your status. I believe you must have misunderstood something."
"Ah!?"
Chi Zhongyu's body trembled. "Liying, you..."
Liu Liying's lips curled, and she sneered. "Men in this world are very hypocritical. When interacting with women, it is ultimately for the pleasure of the bedchamber. I had thought Young Master Chi was different, but it turns out you are no exception. Young Master Chi, you have deeply disappointed me. Please leave. I will not see you again."
"Liying!"
Chi Zhongyu's voice echoed through the heavens and earth. "Liu Liying!"
However, the woman in the red dress, holding a fan and leading a white horse, had already returned near the mural. She glanced back at Chi Zhongyu, her eyes devoid of emotion, then transformed into a golden light and merged into the mural, once again becoming the fan-wielding goddess of the painting. She remained there for decades, until Lin Zhao appeared.
...
"Shua!"
Lin Zhao's consciousness withdrew from the vast and elegant small world and then recalled the flying sword Haoran back to the Sword Reservoir. He sat upright in front of Chi Zhongyu, feeling a pang of sympathy for this prodigy of Bai Hua Tian Xia.
Chi Zhongyu, what a fitting name. What if he was a peak sword immortal? He was merely a fish in a pond, nurtured by others.
"..."
Chi Zhongyu knew Lin Zhao had seen through everything and said with shame, "I am ashamed. To think that such a pathetic state of mind has been seen by you, Lin Zhao. Please, do not speak of it..."
Lin Zhao smiled. "I will not. Young Master Chi, you can trust Lin Zhao."
"Mm."
Chi Zhongyu frowned and asked, "Shall we continue our game of Go?"
"No, it's no fun."
"Indeed."
Both had lost interest. A battle between weaklings was truly tedious.
However, as promised, Lin Zhao did not return to his Heavenly Room. Instead, under the moonlight, he stood in Chi Zhongyu's courtyard and began to practice the Nine Farmer's Fists. Instantly, fist energy surged around him, and fist intent flowed. The move "Uprooting Green Onions from Dry Land" was formidable. Then, his body sank, executing the move "Qi Chong Dou Niu" (Qi Rushing to the Ox Star). The fist intent within these two moves was extremely concentrated and the most powerful. But by the third move, "Zhen Ma Feng Qiang" (Forming a Formation Like a Galloping Horse), the fist intent plummeted, as if this move could never be practiced with its true essence.
Lin Zhao, however, was unconcerned. He would practice slowly, not rushing for results.
Chi Zhongyu crossed his legs, took a handful of sunflower seeds from a maid, and cracked them open while watching Lin Zhao practice his fists with interest. He hadn't expected that besides being a swordsman, Lin Zhao was also a martial artist. Although only a second-realm martial artist, his stance when he opened it was full of momentum, possessing the aura of a master martial artist. One might mistake him for an ultimate Yun You realm martial artist.
He continued practicing his fists until dawn, his progress bar significantly increased. Lin Zhao wiped his sweat and sat down, unceremoniously helping himself to Chi Zhongyu's snacks and pastries.
"What are your plans now?" Chi Zhongyu asked.
Lin Zhao thought for a moment. "I have finished viewing the Hundred Beauties Painting of Lingze Mountain. Next, I plan to continue eastward and travel within the Xu Dynasty to see how its customs compare to those of the ancient Shu Kingdom."
Chi Zhongyu couldn't help but chuckle. "You will likely be disappointed. Perhaps you shouldn't go."
"Are the customs truly that bad?"
"Indeed, very bad."
Chi Zhongyu grinned. "I am a cultivator from the Xu Dynasty, and it is inconvenient for me to say too much. You should go and see for yourself. However, eastward from here is the territory of Jiang Prefecture. If you are unwilling to travel by sword, traveling by water is the most convenient. Following the Lingze River to Jiang Prefecture City would be a direct and smooth journey, allowing you to enjoy the river scenery along the way."
"Understood. Then I'll travel by water."
"Our Chi family has operated the waterways of the southern two prefectures of the Xu Dynasty for many years. Currently, a Fuyu Dragon Boat is docked at Lingze Mountain and will set sail tomorrow. If you are willing, young hero, I will reserve two VIP tickets for the Fuyu Dragon Boat for you. I happen to be going to Jiang Prefecture City as well. Perhaps we could travel together."
"Sigh."
Lin Zhao sighed. "You still want to see her one more time?"
"No choice."
Chi Zhongyu smiled bitterly. "I can't forget her. I just like her. What can I do?"
"Ultimately, you're still pathetic."
"Indeed..."
...
In the early morning, Lin Zhao returned to his Heavenly Room.
"Young Master, you're back?"
Liu Liying stepped forward, holding a bowl of steaming soup. She said respectfully, "You've been drinking all night, you must be tired. This is the hangover soup Liying prepared for you. Drink it and get some good rest. You haven't had a proper rest in a long time."
Lin Zhao glanced at her, mocking himself inwardly. 'How can I afford to rest? Your Young Master Chi has been watching me all day, afraid that I might do something to you in my sleep. My sword heart is already shattered. If that time truly came, wouldn't Chi Zhongyu self-destruct his sword heart?'
"I won't rest."
Lin Zhao shook his head. "I plan to travel to the southern Jiang Prefecture by Dragon Boat, so I'll be taking one of the Chi family's Fuyu Dragon Boats. Pack your things, we'll set off immediately and board the ship."
"Yes!"
Shortly after, Lin Zhao led his donkey, accompanied by Liu Liying, out of the small town at the foot of Lingze Mountain. At the ferry crossing, a magnificent, gigantic boat was indeed docked. Unlike official vessels, this Fuyu Dragon Boat was inlaid with many buoyancy gems on both sides, and its hull was densely covered with formations, giving it strong resistance to attacks. Ordinary official vessels would likely be lost if they encountered malicious water dragons at the bottom of the river, but this Fuyu Dragon Boat would not. On the contrary, water dragons at the riverbed would retreat from such a colossal vessel.
"Lin Zhao!"
At the ferry crossing, Chi Zhongyu was already waiting. His gaze lingered on Lin Zhao for a second before settling entirely on Liu Liying. It wasn't until an elder at the Golden Core stage reminded him that Chi Zhongyu produced two golden keys and said, "These are the keys to the only two VIP suites on the second floor of the Fuyu Dragon Boat. I've reserved them for you."
"Thank you, Young Master Chi."
Liu Liying stepped forward and took only one key. "I am staying with my Young Master. One key is sufficient."
Chi Zhongyu's heart let out another sound of heartbreak.
Lin Zhao remained unfazed, leading his donkey. "Crack, crack. You get used to the cracking. Which great fool in this world hasn't gone through this?"