“You really think highly of him.”
On the Sword Pavilion's plank road, Zuo Mingqiu walked alongside Xu Mu, speaking calmly.
Sun Tong might take a while to understand Xu Mu’s well-intentioned efforts, but having traveled with Xu Mu for half a year and considering him his greatest rival, Zuo Mingqiu understood immediately that Xu Mu's words were meant to motivate Sun Tong.
Yes, motivate.
By age or seniority, Sun Tong was their elder, but in terms of strength, Xu Mu could indeed guide him.
But why would he do that? Zuo Mingqiu didn't understand. In the past half-year, he and Xu Mu had encountered many exceptionally talented cultivation prodigies, yet neither of them had offered a single word of guidance.
Why should Sun Tong be any different?
Xu Mu smiled slightly and said,
“Although our time together has been brief, I can confidently say that this Sun Tong is the purest swordsman I have ever met.”
“Compared to talents like Chen Changkong, Yan Yu, or Zhao Qingdong, Sun Tong's talent and strength might not rank high, but his sword heart is the most pure, untainted by anything else.”
“The look in his eyes when he spoke of that sword was like a traveler dying of thirst in the desert spotting an oasis. Sun Tong's affection for the white fish, or rather, his love for the sword, stems from the very essence of a swordsman.”
“He is unlike any sword cultivator, or indeed any cultivator or esper, that I have encountered. That is why I decided to lend him a hand.”
Zuo Mingqiu nodded slightly and said calmly, “Most people in their lives seek only wealth, power, and pleasure. Whether they come from humble beginnings in the martial world or possess noble bloodlines, they all chase these four things.”
“After cultivating for so many years, I truly don't know where my own Dao heart lies. I can't be a sword fanatic like Sun Tong.”
Zuo Mingqiu's tone suddenly turned serious, “But even so, I don't believe my Dao heart is any less resilient than Sun Tong’s. Even if I don't know what I'm truly pursuing, I won't lose to him. Therefore, I cannot understand why you value him so highly.”
“In my eyes, he is just another ordinary swordsman in this vast world.”
Xu Mu heard this and smiled,
“I merely spoke casually, and helping him was just a small gesture. Good deeds forge good karma, and good karma yields good fruit.”
“If you insist on being so serious and ask if Sun Tong will become a first-rate swordsman in the future, or if he will surpass you, then that's pointless.”
Zuo Mingqiu fell silent.
He didn’t mean anything malicious; he simply felt Sun Tong wasn't capable.
Coming from humble beginnings, how could he possess such a pure Dao heart for the sword? Wasn't he human, susceptible to temptations of emotions, desires, and worldly wealth? It was simply impossible!
Therefore, he didn't want to help Sun Tong, believing he wasn't worthy. Yet, Xu Mu held a contrary opinion, which annoyed him.
“Brother Zuo, perhaps you haven't realized it yourself, but you're quite competitive?” Xu Mu said, suddenly stopping his steps. He looked at Zuo Mingqiu seriously. “ Whether intentionally or not, you always compare yourself to others.”
“It was like that during the Earth Spirit City incident, and again during the Li Ziyu incident, and it’s even more so now. Whenever our opinions diverge, you strongly refute or correct me.”
Zuo Mingqiu raised an eyebrow.
“I don't think that's a bad thing. A competitive spirit makes one stronger. As the Celestial Master Mountain… no, I am no longer the Dao child of Celestial Master Mountain.”
“As the most talented genius of the Daoist sect in this generation, I want to surpass Ji Chang of the past and become the unparalleled number one. I believe that is not wrong.”
“As for what you said later, perhaps I speak too directly at times, but I believe it's completely understandable. After all, I have only lost to you.”
“Until I win back, you are stronger than me. Strength commands respect, and your views should be more correct than mine. But I don't agree, so I must speak my mind.”
Xu Mu clicked his tongue. “I didn't expect you to think that way. It's true that strength commands respect in the cultivation world, but not everything said by a strong person is necessarily correct…”
“And Brother Zuo, you place so much importance on winning and losing, on right and wrong. Haven't you realized that this might be the very Dao heart you have yet to find?”
Zuo Mingqiu paused slightly, then shook his head. “I don’t care about that.”
Xu Mu was puzzled. If he didn't care about his Dao heart, what did he care about?
Zuo Mingqiu looked at Xu Mu, their eyes meeting. Then, a fierce fighting spirit suddenly appeared in his gaze.
Over the past half-year, he had roamed the martial world with Xu Mu, experiencing for the first time what Chen Changkong had described as the vastness of heaven and earth and the freedom of the four seas. He had also experienced what the martial world truly was.
And his cultivation had not lagged. He had thoroughly mastered the Innate Eight Trigrams and was proficient in the application of the Three Thousand Daoist Laws. In terms of Bagua alone, the gap between him and Xu Mu had narrowed to an infinitesimal degree; surpassing him was only a matter of time.
Furthermore, he had absorbed all the cultivation insights left by the Old Celestial Master. For the past half-year, Zuo Mingqiu felt he was constantly improving, and the improvements were immense!
Zuo Mingqiu licked his lips and looked at Xu Mu.
“I’ve decided. Before you return to Great Xia, we will have a fight.”
“I don't want to fight you halfway to death and then go back,” Xu Mu said, shaking his head and refusing.
Although he still believed he could win, he had witnessed Zuo Mingqiu's progress over the past half-year. Without using sacred relics, Zuo Mingqiu's strength was now incredibly close to his own, a fifty-fifty match.
If they fought all out, regardless of the outcome, they would both be seriously injured. How would he then return to Great Xia? What if he encountered enemies?
Zuo Mingqiu seemed to realize this as well, frowning and asking, “It is indeed not very suitable. Then when do you suggest we fight?”
Xu Mu gave a wry smile and said, “There's no need to rush such things. We'll definitely have opportunities in the future.”
“If you're really itching for a fight, isn't the Great Zhou Dynasty's Xuan Ranking highly respected? Na Lan Mu Cuo, ranked third, is also there. Go spar with him.”
Zuo Mingqiu snorted and loosened his grip on his sword hilt. “Those on the Xuan Ranking aren't worthy of my effort.”
“If Zhou Yuan came, I might be interested.”
Xu Mu was startled. Just as he was about to remind Zuo Mingqiu that they were at the Sword Pavilion and not Celestial Master Mountain, several dark figures suddenly appeared, surrounding them.
“Audacious wretch! How dare you speak so disrespectfully of His Highness the Third Prince!” a burly man wearing a red headscarf brandished a golden ring saber and roared at Zuo Mingqiu, gesturing towards his head. The other four large men did the same.
Xu Mu sighed helplessly.
These five men were all in the Third Realm, and their strength seemed considerable. Defeating them wouldn't be difficult, but they were here to use the teleportation array, and there was no need to escalate things!
“Gentlemen, I believe this matter might still have room for discussion. Please put down your weapons and don’t act impulsively.”
Xu Mu took a deep breath, stepped in front of Zuo Mingqiu, and forced a smile as he spoke to the five men.
The five burly men glared angrily. The leader waved his saber, pointing at Xu Mu and shouting, “Get out of the way, you brat!”
“ in the Great Zhou Dynasty, who dares disrespect Prince Zhou Yuan? He spoke wildly, and he must pay the price today!”
Xu Mu’s smile stiffened.
Meanwhile, others on the mountain plank road had also gathered. After a brief understanding of the situation, these cultivators from various sects and forces of the Great Zhou Dynasty watched the unfolding drama with mockery.
“These two clearly aren't from Zhou. The Hundred Races Alliance wouldn't be this stupid. I suspect they're from Great Xia,” a young man in a water-blue robe said to his companion, looking down at Xu Mu and his companion with disdain.
“His Highness Prince Zhou Yuan is benevolent and his talent is unprecedented. How can you two ignorant fools dare to compare yourselves to him!”
Another woman, dressed in luxurious robes with a six-petaled pink plum blossom imprinted between her brows, also said coldly.
Zuo Mingqiu narrowed his eyes and looked up. He immediately recognized the woman as a disciple of a top martial sect in the Great Zhou Dynasty, Plum Blossom Valley.
“Plum Blossom Valley only recruits disciples every four years, taking in only twelve each time. Each disciple inherits the legacy of a previous strong expert from the valley, and some may even be directly groomed as heirs to the Valley Master, achieving immediate success!”
On the plank road, other cultivators recognized the woman’s identity and began to whisper among themselves.
“Of the twelve female disciples recruited by Plum Blossom Valley this year, six are said to have entered the Xuan Ranking. The third disciple is the strongest, ranked seventh on the Xuan Ranking. I wonder who the person in front of us is?”
“I don't know, but I heard that Plum Blossom Valley has been getting very close to the imperial court recently, possibly seeking a royal marriage. Her age and seniority seem suitable, so it's no wonder this disciple of Plum Blossom Valley is so enraged.”
“Please, Fourth Young Lady, do not be angry. They will receive their just punishment,” a handsome and distinguished swordsman in luxurious attire said with a gentle smile, stepping forward and addressing her as Fourth Young Lady.
Clearly, the woman who spoke was the fourth among the twelve new disciples of Plum Blossom Valley.
“Prince Zhou Yuan benefits the common people, and to have someone like you speak of him with such disdain is disgusting to me.” Fourth Young Lady Plum Blossom glanced at Xu Mu with disgust, then at the fierce guards surrounding him, and casually tossed her handkerchief.
“You are guards of His Highness the Seventh Prince, are you not? Then this matter does not require my intervention.”
“Fourth Young Lady Plum Blossom is right. We are indeed guards of His Highness the Seventh Prince,” a burly man with a scarred face said with a sinister grin. “We will teach this brat a lesson, and make him regret ever being born!”
“Wait!”
Just as the men were about to make a move, Xu Mu suddenly shouted in a deep voice, startling everyone.
The burly man paused, then asked menacingly, “What are you waiting for, brat? Are you begging for mercy?”
Xu Mu shook his head and asked the man with a knowing look, “Are you a guard of His Highness the Seventh Prince?”
The man paused, then nodded. “What of it? Are you scared, brat?”
Xu Mu’s expression turned odd. He turned to Zuo Mingqiu and asked, “Is the Seventh Prince he mentioned the one who fought us for the inn in Peach City?”
Zuo Mingqiu looked at Xu Mu and nodded seriously. “Yes.”
“Fought for the inn?” The man blinked, then frowned and muttered, “I seem to recall His Highness having a dispute with two brats in Peach City, almost resulting in Commander An making a move. So it was you two?”
“Heh heh, then it’s perfect. Old and new scores will be settled together. Brat, do you have any last words!”
The five burly men sneered, their auras surging, their saber intent engulfing them, rustling Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu’s black cloaks.
Upon seeing this, the others merely watched the spectacle with amusement, no one stepping forward to intervene.
In the Great Zhou, if one had merely offended the Seventh Prince, there might still be room for negotiation, as the Seventh Prince was a concubine's son and held little real power in court, relying on the mighty First Prince. But even then, he wasn't someone to be trifled with.
As for the Third Prince, Zhou Yuan, despite being a rising star, he was considered a paragon in the military, the court, and among the common people and martial artists.
Even though the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince were not in the same faction, they were both of royal blood. If Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu offended both, it would be compounding their sins, leading them to their deaths!
“I apologize. I take back what I said earlier.”
Xu Mu said expressionlessly, then suddenly threw a punch forward.
“Dong!”
The burly man with the scarred face grunted, his eyes instantly bloodshot, and he was sent flying back tens of meters like a cannonball, smashing through a large rock.
“Bang!”
The rock shattered, and the man’s body was bent and embedded within it, only his head able to turn.
In the last moments of his life, he lowered his head, looking at the bloody hole in his abdomen, then looked up at Xu Mu, who stood calmly, his eyes filled with terror.
Under the shocked gazes of everyone present, he opened his mouth, seemingly trying to call for help, but blood gushed out, washing over his tongue, rendering him speechless.
Then, he died.
Xu Mu’s expression remained calm as he said,
“There is no room for negotiation in this matter.”
The other four burly men reacted, turning to flee, while the onlookers were utterly stunned.
Killing one man with a single punch, it was clear that Xu Mu's strength was on a different level from theirs. Their only option was to run.
But then, all four of them died.
Two black shadows flashed, and four bloody holes appeared in the chests of these four men. Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu simultaneously retracted their left and right hands.
To kill one man, it took one punch; for four men, it took four punches.
But ultimately, it only took the time of a single punch.
Having done all this, Xu Mu looked up expressionlessly at the woman with the pink plum blossom marking between her brows, who was originally proud but now filled with terror, and asked earnestly in a calm voice,
“Young lady, may I ask if you wish to die?”