Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

Chapter 166: Chapter 140: People from the Sword Sect

Xie Yuan nodded upon receiving the reply. He decided that in two days, he would take the Lin siblings to Chunjiang Building to seek an audience with the people from the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect.

According to Boss Wu, the man was an Outer Sect deacon of the Sword Sect, responsible for traveling around and scouting for disciples. He was the perfect person for the job.

As for Xie Yuan himself... he hadn’t decided whether he wanted to join the Sword Sect yet. He figured he would wait and see, letting the Lin siblings test the waters for him.

Having made up his mind, Xie Yuan glanced at the sky, ran to the canteen to get a large food container full of dishes, and leisurely strolled back to his small courtyard.

CREAK.

The courtyard gate was pushed open gently. Xie Yuan poked his head in, saw no one by the window, and then quietly stepped inside.

In the inner room, Mu Chaoyun, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation, twitched her brow. Her nose flared slightly as she opened her eyes. After a brief flicker of movement in her gaze, she closed them again.

Xie Yuan walked into the room and saw Mu Chaoyun sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed, as still as a statue. He paid her no mind, opened the food container, and began setting the dishes on the table.

"Miss Mu, it’s time for dinner."

Xie Yuan called out. Seeing that Mu Chaoyun was ignoring him, completely motionless, he chuckled, broke apart his chopsticks, and began eating with loud slurps.

Listening to the sounds of Xie Yuan eating, Mu Chaoyun’s delicate nose twitched twice, and her brows furrowed ever more tightly.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and opened her eyes. "What are you eating so loudly for?" she asked coldly.

"Because it’s delicious! The chef made his signature dishes today: pig’s blood stew and roasted squab. The taste is out of this world."

Xie Yuan wiped his mouth and said with a smile,

"Come and eat, Miss Mu. These dishes are good for replenishing blood, which will help with your injuries."

Upon hearing his last sentence, the tension in Mu Chaoyun’s brow quietly eased, and her expression softened slightly.

She gave a soft "mm," moved to the table, sat down, and began to eat.

Xie Yuan smiled faintly and said no more, quietly tackling the dishes before him.

After the meal, Xie Yuan efficiently cleared everything away. He brewed a pot of tea to soothe his throat and slowly said,

"In two days, I’m going to Chunjiang Building to meet with the people from the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect and see if I can get the Lin siblings accepted. As for me, I’ll just watch for now. I haven’t made up my mind yet."

"Do as you wish."

Mu Chaoyun was noncommittal.

Xie Yuan glanced at her and added,

"Besides Lu the Third, the two siblings also hold a grudge against you, even though they don’t know who you are. I tried to talk some sense into them, but they’re not really listening... They even said they’d seek revenge on you."

"Let them,"

Mu Chaoyun said flatly.

"But if they do come looking for me, I won’t just sit here and wait to be killed."

Xie Yuan looked at her and suddenly started laughing.

Mu Chaoyun’s brow furrowed. "What are you laughing at?" she asked, confused.

"It seems you also don’t think it’s completely unreasonable for them to seek revenge against you."

Xie Yuan nodded in satisfaction, feeling inexplicably happy.

’If Mu Chaoyun were a truly cold-blooded and heartless person, she wouldn’t have reacted that way just now, nor would she show such tolerance for their desire for revenge.’

’As long as Mu Chaoyun’s values aren’t completely opposite to his own, he felt they could still share a courtyard. The frustration in his heart vanished.’

’As for what happened at the Lin family’s estate, if he had been in Mu Chaoyun’s position, he would have made the same choice. But afterward, even if it was the only choice, Xie Yuan would have felt some guilt for implicating others, even if he didn’t regret his decision.’

Mu Chaoyun seemed to understand what Xie Yuan was thinking. She let out a soft hmph but still said,

"I’ve said it before. If it happened again, I would make the same choice."

Xie Yuan didn’t respond. The knot of tension between them seemed to have suddenly unraveled, replaced by a petty sulk.

Mu Chaoyun watched Xie Yuan busying himself with making tea and wiping the table. She blinked and suddenly asked,

"You know they want to take revenge on me, yet you’re still sending them to the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect?"

Xie Yuan froze for a moment. He turned his head and saw Mu Chaoyun staring at him, her gaze dark and penetrating. He hissed through his teeth.

"They don’t know who you are..."

"What if they find out someday? If they master their skills and come for revenge, what will you do? The Cloud Mountain Sword Sect is not weak,"

Mu Chaoyun said coolly.

Xie Yuan gave an embarrassed laugh.

"That’s not very likely, is it? They have no skills at all right now. Even if they trained their whole lives, they could never catch up to a magnificent Grandmaster like you."

"Nothing in this world is absolute. What if they are geniuses and achieve enlightenment overnight?"

Mu Chaoyun posed the hypothetical, gazing intently at Xie Yuan.

"I’m only asking, when that time comes, who will you help?"

Xie Yuan blinked his eyes.

He silently shook his head, trying to banish the unwelcome scene from his mind, and muttered,

"It would be best if you two didn’t fight..."

Seeing that Mu Chaoyun was still looking at him calmly, he could only sigh.

"But no matter what, I could never stand by and watch Miss Mu get bullied."

Hearing this, Mu Chaoyun leaned back slightly in her chair and gave a soft "mm."

She turned her head away slightly and said coldly,

"They could never beat me. You’re underestimating me. There’s no need to put yourself in such a difficult position."

...?

’Are you even listening to yourself?’

Xie Yuan’s face darkened. ’Weren’t you the one who just said that?’

Mu Chaoyun also seemed to realize she was being unreasonable. She uncomfortably smoothed her hair, turned back to stare at Xie Yuan, and said ambiguously,

"But having them learn the sword... I suppose they’re on the right path."

Hearing this, Xie Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Mu Chaoyun didn’t elaborate. With a flick of her slender hand, she took out the Eight Trigrams Lotus and handed it to Xie Yuan.

"Take it."

Xie Yuan smiled faintly, accepted the Black Celestial Book, and looked at Mu Chaoyun. "I was starting to think I wouldn’t get to see it today," he said.

Mu Chaoyun glanced at him and said flatly,

"So it seems that food container and everything you just said... it was all for this?"

"What do you think?"

Xie Yuan smiled slightly and promptly handed the Eight Trigrams Lotus back to her.

"Playing hard to get."

Despite her words, Mu Chaoyun waved her pale hand, and the black and white lotus drifted back to him.

For a moment, the Black Celestial Book—a supreme treasure of the Martial Dao that had stirred up countless storms—seemed like an unwanted piece of junk, drifting back and forth in the room.

Xie Yuan chuckled and snatched the lotus from the air.

"It seems Miss Mu has fallen into my trap."

He carried the Eight Trigrams Lotus to one side and began to study it closely.

Before immersing himself in the lotus’s world of creation and destruction, Xie Yuan’s thoughts drifted for a moment.

’It felt like after having a small conflict and making up, the two of them had grown a little closer. Although they had developed a certain rapport from living together, this was the first time they had joked with each other like this—especially joking about something as important to Mu Chaoyun as the Black Celestial Book.’

[Black Celestial Book: (29/100)]

「Two days later. Chunjiang Building, evening.」

The setting sun was the color of blood, dyeing the river water crimson.

In a private room on the second floor, two swordsmen were leaning against the railing, gazing into the distance. They poured their own drinks, looking perfectly at ease.

One swordsman was middle-aged, the other young. The middle-aged one had a serene disposition, while the younger one was like a drawn sword. Both looked extraordinary.

Even while sitting, they kept their swords strapped to their backs, as if unwilling to part with them.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

A soft knock sounded at the door. The middle-aged swordsman called out in a clear voice,

"Come in."

CREAK. Boss Wu pushed the door open and entered, bowing with a brilliant smile on his face.

"Great heroes, was the meal to your satisfaction today?"

The middle-aged swordsman chuckled.

"Boss Wu, enough with the ’great hero’ this and ’great hero’ that. You say it every time. Ahem. Today’s food was to my liking, as always. Otherwise, I wouldn’t make a special trip here every time. Zifeng, what did you think?"

The young swordsman nodded slightly, his words as precious as gold.

"Not bad."

Hearing this, Boss Wu’s old face bloomed into a smile like an open chrysanthemum.

"To have earned the approval of you two is truly an honor for Chunjiang Building! Mr. Cui, everyone in Yunzhou knows that the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect is the number one sect in Yunzhou. The swordsmen on the mountain are all top-tier heroes who defend the righteous path, eliminate evil, and protect the peace. You are more than worthy of the title ’great hero’!"

The young swordsman puffed out his chest slightly. The swordsman named Cui shook his head with a wry smile. Before he could say anything else, Boss Wu leaned in and said,

"Here in our Yunzhao County, we also have a young prodigy. At such a young age, his cultivation is unmatched in Yunzhao—with the exception of Chief Shen, of course. He has long admired the prestigious reputation of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect and wishes to ascend the mountain to seek the Dao, but he has no way in. Upon learning that Mr. Cui is here today, he has been waiting outside, hoping only for a glimpse of an expert. I wonder if Mr. Cui would be willing to grant him this opportunity?"

The young swordsman’s brow furrowed instantly. He shot a glance at Boss Wu, which sent a chill through the man, as if he’d been pierced by a sharp blade. The color drained from his face.

Mr. Cui raised his hand and shook his head.

"Zifeng, don’t be rude," he said.

"He revealed our whereabouts without permission,"

Zifeng said icily.

Mr. Cui sighed.

"My very purpose is to travel and inspect outstanding prospects for the Sect. I mentioned this to Boss Wu, so you can’t blame him for this. Zifeng, you came out on this journey to temper your personality. You mustn’t be so quick to show your edge."

He turned to Boss Wu with a pleasant expression and said,

"My apologies, Boss Wu. Zifeng is the top disciple of Elder Lu, the master of Bamboo Sword Peak. His Sword Heart is pure and his temperament is sharp, but he means no harm, so please don’t take it to heart. Hmm, this young man you speak of... I believe I’ve heard of him. Lately, as I’ve passed through the streets and alleys of Yunzhao, everyone is talking about that Young Leader Xie who single-handedly defeated the Vajra Sect. Is it him?"

Zifeng looked away, and only then did Boss Wu seem to be able to breathe again. His color returned, and he forced a smile.

"It’s no matter, no matter at all. Yes! It is indeed Master Xie. He has admired the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect for a long time and is waiting downstairs as we speak."

Mr. Cui stroked his beard and nodded.

"He sounds like a remarkable individual. In that case, have him come up."

"Excellent! I’ll go get them right away."

A short while later, Boss Wu opened the door to the private room again, leading in Xie Yuan and the siblings, Lin Cheng and Lin Zhen.

When Mr. Cui saw there was more than one person, he raised an eyebrow. Zifeng’s expression changed, and he let out a cold snort.

’This is bad,’ Boss Wu thought. He had been so frightened by the young swordsman that he’d forgotten to explain there were more people. ’Now they’ll probably think I’ve acted presumptuously and hidden something, which will create a bad impression.’

The swordsman named Cui was already traveling through Yunzhou and the surrounding prefectures to select prospects. Wherever he went, if his identity was revealed, countless people would flock to him, trying to push their own children into the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect. He had long since grown weary of it. Therefore, they always acted in a low-key manner, not revealing their names and investigating in secret to avoid trouble.

The only reason Boss Wu had been brazen enough to recommend Xie Yuan was because he had become familiar with Mr. Cui, who not only liked the food here but was also pleased by Boss Wu’s slick flattery and willing to give him face. But it seemed he had inadvertently messed things up.

Just as Boss Wu was about to try and smooth things over, Xie Yuan stepped forward, cupped his hands in a salute, and announced in a clear voice,

"Xie Yuan, Master of the Longteng Escort Agency of Yunzhao County, greets the two experts from the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect."

SWISH. Two gazes, sharp enough to pierce a man through, shot toward him, and Xie Yuan’s heart stirred.

’Such a piercing gaze.’

’Their eyes were like two streams of Sword Qi. The younger one’s was manageable; though sharp, it lacked depth and couldn’t affect Xie Yuan. The middle-aged swordsman’s gaze, however, seemed placid but felt as if it would pierce straight through Xie Yuan’s entire body, scanning him for every weakness.’

Faced with such a stare, Xie Yuan met it calmly, his expression serene.

But as sharp as this gaze was, it was nothing compared to Mu Chaoyun’s eyes, especially that cold, dark glare she gave him when he displeased her. That was like comparing a novice to a master.

That was the kind of look that could send a chill down Xie Yuan’s spine and make his whole body tense up—an experience he had to go through once or twice almost every other day.

A soft sound of surprise was heard. Mr. Cui retracted his gaze and studied Xie Yuan with a look of astonishment and admiration. Zifeng also seemed somewhat surprised, giving Xie Yuan a second look.

"Truly a prodigy of Yunzhao,"

Mr. Cui praised, saying nothing about the extra people Xie Yuan had brought.

Just like that, upon their very first meeting, he had silently passed the first test.

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