Chapter 118: A Man’s Sword
“What does Young Master want to eat tomorrow morning?”
“Hmm… Nothing in particular.”
“Then how about Luo Luo tries making stir-fried rice cakes for you?”
Chen Yin looked at her with surprise. “Since when did you learn how to cook?”
“I-I taught myself…”
Luo Luo lowered her head shyly, her ears twitching adorably.
“If Luo Luo can cook delicious food for Young Master, then you won’t abandon Luo Luo because you can’t afford to feed her anymore.”
Chen Yin gently pinched her nose. “Silly girl. You really think I can’t afford to feed you?”
“I know Young Master is just teasing Luo Luo… but I’m still worried.”
She nuzzled her cheek against his, her voice soft and sweet. “And Luo Luo also wants to cook for Young Master.”
…The books said that to be a good wife and mother, you have to learn how to cook. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.
Luo Luo wouldn’t be a freeloader anymore!
Chen Yin looked into her clear, bright eyes and felt a warmth spread through his heart. He gently stroked her hair.
Luo Luo’s cheeks flushed, her eyes shimmering, her lips moving silently.
“Young Master…”
The atmosphere was perfect. Luo Luo closed her eyes, her face tilted up expectantly.
Chen Yin cupped her soft face in his hands and was about to kiss her—
“BOOM!!”
They stared in shock at the gaping hole that had appeared in the wall.
And at Qingying, who was lying on the floor, covered in dust.
“Cough, cough…”
Qingying coughed, brushing the dust off her clothes. She looked at the two of them, their eyes meeting in an awkward silence.
Qingying: “…”
“I swear I didn’t mean to interrupt. Do you believe me?”
Chen Yin nodded seriously. “It’s okay even if you did.”
“But next time, could you please use the door?”
Repairing the wall would cost the innkeeper money. Was she going to pay for it?
As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp sword energy whizzed towards them. Qingying was about to dodge when a milky white sword light intercepted the attack.
Chen Yin held the Eternal Light sword in one hand, his eyebrows raised in amusement.
A rugged-looking man with a scruffy beard, holding a sword, emerged from the dust cloud and said with a curious expression:
“Oh? There’s another one?”
Chen Yin turned to Qingying. “Is this your friend?”
“…Do your friends usually greet each other with swords?”
Qingying’s face flushed, then paled. Finally, she said with a hint of humiliation, “Help me. I’ll owe you one.”
“You already owe me several favors.”
“Then add another one to the list.” Qingying mumbled softly. It didn’t matter anymore. She was already in too deep.
The man scanned the room, muttering to himself, “A man, a little fox demon girl… three of them.”
“I apologize. I’ll have to repay this debt in my next life.”
With that, he slowly raised his sword.
Chen Yin’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he said calmly, “Let’s take this outside. There are innocent mortals here.”
The man hesitated, his sword raised, then nodded silently after a moment.
Under the dark, cloud-covered sky, the wilderness outside the inn was pitch black.
“Before we begin, can I ask a couple of questions?”
Chen Yin looked at the man intently. “Why are you trying to kill her? What did she do?”
The man was silent for a long time, then said in a deep, magnetic voice:
“…She offended someone she shouldn’t have.”
Chen Yin turned to Qingying, who frowned and whispered, “I’ll explain after we’re done.”
“Young man, you seem to be a disciple of a righteous sect.”
“Don’t blame me. I’m just following orders.” With that, the man slowly drew his sword and pointed it at Chen Yin.
Chen Yin looked at his sword curiously.
Its shape was quite different from ordinary swords. It wasn’t straight and sharp, but one side was flat like a cliff face, while the other was jagged and uneven, like a swamp.
It was a strange and unsettling weapon, yet it possessed a unique charm.
…Is this man also a sword cultivator? He looked at the man calmly.
“I apologize.”
The next moment, the man lunged, his movements as swift and unpredictable as a gust of wind.
As he attacked, Chen Yin’s eyes lit up. Instead of using his usual aggressive First Sword, he switched to a defensive stance, effortlessly deflecting the attack.
The man gasped in surprise.
…This guy’s swordsmanship… is interesting.
They both thought the same thing.
In an instant, the man’s swordsmanship transformed into a raging tornado, its power overwhelming and inescapable, like a storm pulling its victims into its depths.
But Chen Yin remained calm and composed, his sword moving with his heart, each strike precisely targeting the weakest point in his opponent’s attack, effortlessly neutralizing his offense.
…Thank goodness he had mastered his First Sword. Otherwise, he would have had a hard time dealing with an opponent he didn’t want to kill.
They exchanged blows, their skills seemingly evenly matched.
Having mastered the First Sword, Chen Yin had also grasped the essence of the Dao, his every move imbued with the power of the sword.
However, this man, relying solely on his swordsmanship, was able to hold his own against him. It was clear that his skills with the sword were exceptional.
The man also seemed to have noticed the profound nature of Chen Yin’s swordsmanship, so he deliberately suppressed his cultivation, choosing to duel with him solely on the basis of swordsmanship.
Gradually, they seemed to forget that they were fighting a life-or-death battle, both of them completely immersed in the exchange of sword techniques.
“So powerful… I’ve never seen Young Master fight for so long.” Luo Luo whispered, her tail swaying nervously.
Qingying was also anxious. She couldn’t help but ask the System:
“What’s going on? Can he handle this guy?”
“Of course he can.” The System said matter-of-factly. “But Chen Yin is clearly holding back.”
“It seems they’re actually enjoying this.”
Qingying continued to watch intently.
Blades clashed in a flurry of sparks, Chen Yin and the man exchanging blows with increasing speed and intensity. After a few rounds, the man burst into laughter.
“Excellent! I haven’t had such an exhilarating fight in years!”
“To think a young man like you possesses such profound swordsmanship.”
“Just lucky.” Chen Yin smiled faintly. “You’re not bad yourself.”
“In terms of pure swordsmanship, I’m indeed inferior. I concede defeat.”
A flicker of regret and longing appeared in the man’s eyes. “It’s a pity… if I had the chance, I would love to become friends with you and spar more often.”
“…But I guess I’m not worthy of such a life.”
The next moment, Chen Yin’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
A fierce and menacing aura surged from the man’s sword. His swordsmanship transformed, becoming as ferocious and savage as a roaring dragon.
“Imprisoning Dragon Annihilation!”
A powerful surge of sword energy erupted. Chen Yin’s expression turned serious.
This attack was different from before.
It was a killing blow.
He was trying to take his life.
Chen Yin no longer held back. He swung his sword, unleashing his First Sword.
A blinding light engulfed them, so bright that it was impossible to see.
“Mmm!” Luo Luo and Qingying shielded their eyes, taking a while to recover from the intense light.
As their vision cleared, two figures slowly emerged.
Chen Yin stood there calmly, his sword in hand, its tip resting against the man’s throat.
The man lowered his gaze, lost in thought.
“Now, can we talk properly?”
The man was silent for a long time, then said softly, “…Who are you?”
“Just an unknown cultivator.”
Chen Yin shrugged.
“An unknown cultivator wouldn’t be able to use such a terrifying sword technique.”
“Who knows? Maybe I’m just a natural talent.”
Seeing that he wasn’t going to reveal anything, the man didn’t press further. He closed his eyes slowly.
“I lost. Kill me.”
“…I never said I was going to kill you.” Chen Yin chuckled awkwardly.
“I just want to ask what happened, is that too much to ask?”
The man lowered his gaze, his expression calm. “There’s nothing to say.”
“If you’re willing to spare my life and let me go, I’ll owe you a favor. I’ll repay you in the future.”
…If he had the chance. The man smiled wryly.
“I can spare your life, but are you really unwilling to tell me why you tried to kill her?”
The man hesitated for a long time, then finally said:
“Your friend wants to kill someone.”
“And that person, although he appears to be a mere mortal, has connections far beyond your imagination.”
“A word of advice, don’t provoke him any further.” The man said calmly, then turned and left, his sword in hand.
Chen Yin scratched his head, baffled, then turned to Qingying.
“…Did you sneak out in the middle of the night to kill someone for fun?”
“Of course not!”
Qingying glared at him, then softened her voice slightly, a hint of embarrassment in her tone. “I just… saw someone harassing a woman and decided to intervene.”
Chen Yin looked at her with a newfound respect.
“I didn’t know you had such a strong sense of justice.”
Feeling guilty, Qingying didn’t retort, enduring his teasing silently.
“But now I’m curious. What kind of mortal could have a Supreme Clarity Realm sword cultivator as a bodyguard?”
He pulled Luo Luo closer and stroked her fur gently, his eyes fixed on Qingying with a playful smile. “Tell me. What exactly happened?”
Qingying’s expression turned awkward.
“…System, what should I do?”
“How would I know?” The System replied grumpily. “Just make something up! You can’t seriously be thinking of telling him about me, can you?”
“B-but I can’t come up with a believable excuse!”
“Are you stupid? Just act cute and spoiled, and he’ll fall for it.”
Act cute? And spoiled?
Qingying’s eye twitched.
“I…” She hesitated for a moment, then blinked at him timidly. “Can I not tell you?”
“Sure.” To her surprise, Chen Yin agreed readily.
But then he added,
“In that case, you’ll have to repay the favor in a different way~”
Seeing his mischievous grin, Qingying had a bad feeling about this.
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