Chapter 143: Shixiong Deserves the Best in the World
The four of them hesitated, not moving forward. In the distance, the sounds of battle escalated; it seemed that disciples from other sects had joined the fray.
Feng Shi released his divine sense to investigate and discovered that members from roughly four or five different sects were present.
The Yushui Immortal Sect, the Taichu Sect, the Tianshui Sect, a minor sect, and a handful of disciples from the Chongshan Sect were all there.
He hadn’t expected so many people to beat them to it.
Feng Shi retracted his divine sense.
Well, the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. With so many people ahead of them, all the hidden traps had already been triggered by others.
“Let’s go join the fun.”
He didn’t care about anything else, but the Yanluo sword was pre-ordered goods. No one else was laying a finger on it.
“But, with them fighting so ruthlessly, won’t they just drag us into the crossfire…” Ruan Ping voiced his concern.
Hearing this, Quan Xinghe slapped him hard on the shoulder, laughing mockingly, “You little idiot, you really are a coward. Don’t worry, this young master will protect you!”
Ruan Ping swatted his hand away, irritated. “You’re the idiot!”
Quan Xinghe wasn’t angered in the slightest; instead, he added, “Besides, my brother is here! Do you think those people would dare attack my group?”
A faint blush crept onto Ruan Ping’s face, and he turned his body away, ignoring him.
Watching the brimming-with-confidence Quan Xinghe, Feng Shi thought to himself: This kid was definitely PUA’d by his brother from a young age.
That Quan Xinghai was a seasoned fox through and through. He hardly seemed like a man who valued loyalty and affection. For this kid to trust him so blindly, he’d be lucky if he didn’t get sold down the river one day.
“Alright, if you guys don’t want to cause trouble, just wait here. I’m going in to grab something and then I’ll be right back.”
With so many people inside, having them tag along would only give him more to worry about and restrict his movements.
“No!”
“Absolutely not!”
“I’m going to find my brother!”
The three of them shot back simultaneously, without a second of hesitation.
Feng Shi: “…”
Well, what was the point of even asking?
A moment later, the four of them emerged together in front of the crowd.
Without the obstructions blocking their view, they finally got a clear look. The chamber was actually a colossal burial tomb.
The cavernous space featured a circular, elevated platform right in the center, intricately carved with lifelike dragons and phoenixes. Resting atop this platform was the jade coffin housing the tomb’s master, tightly encased within layer upon layer of formidable sealing arrays and barriers.
Hovering directly above the jade coffin was a longsword, its hilt inlaid with vibrant green jade.
It was Yanluo!
At present, Yanluo was sealed in a deep slumber, securely trapped within the barrier’s confines, making it incredibly difficult to obtain.
Feng Shi didn’t immediately launch into action. Instead, he cast a glance at Shen Songhe, gave his palm a gentle squeeze, and murmured, “Do you see that sword?”
Shen Songhe nodded, clearly confused.
“I’m going to make sure it’s yours.” Feng Shi’s tone was completely flat, entirely oblivious to the monumental weight of his words.
Shen Songhe’s head snapped toward him, unabashed shock flooding his eyes.
Meeting Feng Shi’s dark, gleaming eyes, Shen Songhe’s heart skipped a beat. Within those eyes, he saw absolute sincerity, and… a pristine reflection of himself.
Legend had it that Venerable Yuguang’s former weapon was named Yanluo. It reigned supreme as the foremost of the cultivation world’s Five Great Swords. Aside from the mythical Wucheng Sword—whose very existence was still debated—Yanluo was unequivocally the strongest.
Following Venerable Yuguang’s fall, countless cultivators had scoured the earth in vain, leading many to believe that Yanluo had been destroyed.
That was until the exposure of this secret realm once again drew the eyes of the world.
The old monsters from the various sects coveted it, yet, bound by their pride and an unwillingness to spark a sectarian war, they resorted to dispatching their younger generation under the guise of “training” to snatch it for them.
For years, everyone assumed the sword lay hidden within the immortal mansion above. Who could have guessed it was buried deep underground? If not for this unexpected accident, who knows how long Yanluo would have waited before seeing the light of day again.
Countless people had flocked here, fighting tooth and nail, all for the ultimate prize of claiming this sword.
And now, his Shixiong was casually saying he would give the sword to him…
But what right did he have to deserve it?
Shen Songhe parted his lips, but before a word could escape, Feng Shi’s warm, soft palm gently covered his mouth.
“When the time comes, I’ll figure out a way to break the barrier. You watch for the right moment and immediately offer a drop of blood to claim ownership. Do not hesitate for even a second, understand?”
Yanluo was fiercely loyal to its master. Once claimed, no one could take it away.
Hearing this, Shen Songhe instinctively glanced down at the completely unremarkable standard-issue sword hanging at Feng Shi’s waist.
During the last sword selection at the Hidden Sword Pavilion, his Shixiong had yielded his choice to him, and now…
Shen Songhe shook his head, his resolve hardening. He pulled Feng Shi’s hand away and gripped it tightly. “It should be Shixiong‘s.”
Feng Shi, currently trying to calculate the fastest way to snatch the sword, was taken aback. “You don’t like it?”
A faint trace of anger flickered across Shen Songhe’s cold features, and he tightened his grip on Feng Shi’s hand. “Why does Shixiong always think of others?”
Feng Shi was momentarily stunned before he grasped the meaning. Touched, yet feeling a bit awkward, he eventually settled for ruffling the boy’s hair. “Good boy, what if Shixiong told you he was waiting for something better? Would you be angry?”
Shen Songhe froze. His attention initially snagged on the word “good boy,” before his brain slowly processed the rest of the sentence.
“Is Shixiong telling the truth?” Naturally, he wouldn’t be angry; his Shixiong deserved the absolute best the world had to offer.
But… other than Yanluo, did a truly superior sword even exist?
Feng Shi replied with absolute certainty, “Of course it’s the truth. Who is your Shixiong?” He leaned in close to Shen Songhe’s ear, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper: “I’ll let you in on a secret. The sword your Shixiong will wield in the future is Wucheng.”
After dropping the bombshell, Feng Shi pulled back to observe his reaction.
To say Shen Songhe wasn’t shocked would be a lie.
If anyone else had uttered those words, even someone as averse to gossip as him would have mocked them for living in a fantasy world.
But the one who said it was Feng Shi.
Shen Songhe believed him.
However…
Seeing him still hesitating, Feng Shi offered a compromise. “If you still don’t believe me, you can always just give Yanluo to me later if you want to.”
Though he said it, he knew it was impossible. Even if Wucheng didn’t exist, Yanluo belonged solely to Shen Songhe.
Shen Songhe lowered his eyes. After a long silence, he took a sudden step forward and wrapped his arms lightly around Feng Shi’s narrow waist.
He buried his face in the crook of Feng Shi’s neck, his voice muffled. “Shixiong, be careful.” “You must keep your word.”
Feng Shi’s eyes curved into a smile as he stroked the youth’s long, raven hair. “Good boy~ I’ll keep my word.”
He needed to cherish this moment—fifteen-year-old Shen Songhe with his raven-black hair wouldn’t be around to pet forever.
A quiet joy bloomed on Shen Songhe’s face, bringing a healthy flush to his cheeks. He offered a soft “Mm.”
Only after they separated did they realize the other two companions had been staring at them the entire time, their faces a mix of disgust and sheer curiosity.
Feng Shi cleared his throat awkwardly, gently pushing the boy out of his embrace. “Alright, Shixiong is heading in.”
The moment the four of them made their presence known, the combatants had noticed them.
However, caught in the heat of a ferocious battle, no one could spare the attention to deal with them. Only a few Chongshan Sect disciples managed to break away from the skirmish and rush over to Feng Shi’s side.
Above the platform, the fighting was at its most brutal between Quan Xinghai, Elder Lin, and the others.
It went without saying they were brawling over Yanluo. Yet, to start slaughtering each other before the barrier was even breached truly laid bare the ugliness of human nature.
Feng Shi chuckled.
Well, now that he was here, they had no choice but to break this barrier, whether they liked it or not.
With that thought, he vanished in a flash, rocketing straight toward the jade coffin.
The combatants battling fiercely in mid-air were drenched in sweat. Elder Lin and two others were locked in a desperate, evenly matched assault against Quan Xinghai.
But the moment Feng Shi entered the fray, their rhythm was instantly shattered.
“Liu Yi, you little brat! You dare steal this old master’s prize!” Catching Feng Shi’s attempt from the corner of his eye, Elder Lin’s bushy eyebrows shot up, his beard trembling with rage.
Feng Shi rolled his eyes, refusing to waste breath on him, opting for a dismissive response instead. “Sure, sure, it’s yours. It’s all yours.”
Despite his words, his actions didn’t falter for a second. He drew his sword and slashed down with immense force against the barrier.
Seeing this, Quan Xinghai’s expression tightened considerably.
The four men, who had been locked in a bloody stalemate mere moments ago, immediately shifted their collective focus onto Feng Shi.
“Young friend Liu, surely you understand the principle of ‘first come, first served.’ What you are doing is hardly the conduct of a gentleman.” Quan Xinghai smoothly snapped his folding fan shut, flicking it in an attempt to deflect Feng Shi’s wrist.
Feng Shi dodged with a laugh, ensuring Quan Xinghai didn’t land a hit. His grip tightened on his own sword as he fired back a mocking retort. “Oh? So the lot of us gathering here today to rob a tomb, excavate a grave, and steal someone’s magical artifact—that’s the conduct of gentlemen?”
Quan Xinghai choked on his words, speechless.
“Kid Liu, quit putting on airs! You’re only butting in because you want the sword for yourself!” Elder Lin, utterly missing the biting sarcasm in Feng Shi’s words, roared blindly.
Feng Shi raised an eyebrow, shooting him a condescending look. “Exactly. And if you’ve got a problem with that, come over here and hit me~”
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