Chapter 920 - 418: Peerless Elegance, Threefold Broken Sword Sect, Walking My Own Path Alone, Archery Great Self! (Part 2)

Chapter 920: Chapter 418: Peerless Elegance, Threefold Broken Sword Sect, Walking My Own Path Alone, Archery Great Self! (Part 2)

Han Niannian said, "This lady has very high skills, whether it’s Ke Jianan’s search or the old sword master’s personal visit, she is in control. Such a person is truly...truly exceptional!"

Li Xian thought, "Under the heavens, I should be the one who understands the lady’s temperament the most. Although most of the time, I find it hard to guess what she is thinking. But in this situation, the lady is by no means magnanimous, but rather, her methods to win hearts are extremely skillful. It leaves the old sword master feeling embarrassed, unable to maintain his dignity." He found it amusing.

Huang A-Xia said, "Later on, the old sword master took the jade liquid, embarrassed. But since he had already spoken, he couldn’t take it back, so he left in a huff."

Li Xian asked, "The lady said that after some time, she would ring the sword bell and obtain the Sword Collection. What does that mean?"

Huang A-Xia said, "I was curious at the time, so I asked my friend. I found out that the Li Mountain Sword Sect has a rule: whenever outsiders borrow the manual, they must ring the sword bell, ring it nine times, so the sword sect knows about it, and only then can it be taken."

Fang Ming asked, "And after that? Did the lady go to get the manual? Did the sword sect dare to make things difficult for her? Making things difficult would be petty."

Everyone listened intently, and Huang A-Xia continued, "The lady did not go up the mountain."

Bai Caiwei said, "Was she delayed by something? Or is she scared?" Han Niannian said, "It’s quite normal; this lady should be a wise and shrewd person. Previously, she handled the sword alliance with ease, but after all, that was outside the mountain gate. To retrieve the Sword Collection Manual, she would need to set foot inside the mountain gate. No matter how capable she is, it remains a precarious situation! If surrounded and attacked, it would be hard to gain any advantage. Her reservations are understandable."

Huang A-Xia said, "Gentlemen, don’t be impatient. Allow me to explain in detail. Having obtained the jade liquid, the old sword master and my friend returned to the sect. The old sword master, feeling ashamed, returned to the sect and went into seclusion to recover from his illness. However, the elders of the Li Mountain Sword Sect questioned my friend about what he saw along the way."

"My friend dared not conceal anything and told everything truthfully. The elders, upon learning that although the jade dragon was not retrieved, the jade liquid was obtained, felt mixed emotions of joy and worry. Furthermore, when they heard that the revered sword alliance master had his face shamed by the lady, they were extremely angry but had no recourse. An elder of the Li Mountain Sword Sect asked, ’Fellow elders, how should we regard this matter?’ Another elder replied, ’Alas, since the old master has agreed, we cannot possibly retract this acknowledgment.’ Yet another elder said, ’Since our Five Mountains Sword Alliance’s formation, we’ve been toyed with by this woman time and time again. Having engaged in several confrontations, we haven’t gained a single advantage. On top of that... no enmity was formed, and there’s no excuse to vent our frustration.’"

"Another elder said, ’This can’t go on forever. This time when she comes to take the manual, we must restore our face.’ The previous elder said, ’Not appropriate, not appropriate. If we use this opportunity to create a scene, it would not be the righteous way. Furthermore, wouldn’t it result in bullying a woman and engaging in forceful buying?’ Another elder added, ’Indeed, if it tarnishes the old master’s reputation, leaving a blemish, what then? These elders couldn’t reach a consensus over their differing viewpoints."

"To let it go, they were ultimately unwilling. But if it ended up damaging the sect’s reputation through ruthless actions, they were even more reluctant. After much deliberation, they finally devised a method. As the appointed day for requesting the manual approached, they decided along the mountain path, they would instruct disciples to obstruct her using a Sword Array."

"They did not intend to forbid her from ascending but rather to cut her down a peg. Once she was exhausted, they would then hand over the Sword Collection. Though not entirely appropriate, it would vent the frustrations of the sword sect. As long as the lady set foot on the mountain gate, her actions would be at their mercy. Furthermore, for martial artists, contesting and engaging in martial exchange is inevitable. Since she’s coming to the mountain gate to borrow the manual, why shouldn’t we test her skills with our swords?"

Li Xian thought, "In the end, the Five Mountains Sword Alliance is extremely concerned about face. Though a prominent sect, they are calculative about dignity. Even a small loss must be recovered. But how will the lady respond?"

Huang A-Xia continued, "The appointed day was several months later, and there was no significant affair in the interim. Time passed swiftly, and soon the appointed day arrived. On Li Mountain Sword Sect, secretly assembled were experts, elite disciples, and outstanding disciples from the Five Mountains Sword Alliance. Along the mountain path, a few miles of Sword Dragon Formation was set up! This formation was a true grand formation, immensely vast and astonishing! Two elders waited at the mountain gate, specifically to explain the situation to the lady to prevent her from catching a glimpse from afar and retreating, turning the Five Mountains Sword Alliance into a bandit."

Everyone, upon hearing this, conjured up the grand spectacle of that day in their minds. On the ascending mountain path, the Sword Dragon coiled, the Sword Qi was awe-inspiring, and the sword bodies reflected a cold gleam, illuminating the entire mountain like a mirror and sharpening it, making the crossing exceedingly arduous.

Huang A-Xia said, "At noon, the two elders saw a young child approaching. The child, adorable and with a bun hairstyle, was the lady’s maidservant. The child approached with a letter, mimicking an adult, cupping her hands, and said, ’Greetings elders.’ Though the two elders didn’t quite understand, they returned the greeting, ’Greetings...’ The maidservant said, ’My Lady asks me to extend her regards to the elders of the sword alliance.’ The two elders said, ’The matter of the Sword Collection Manual is of great importance. If your Lady intends for you to take it on her behalf, please return and have her come personally to retrieve it.’ The two elders mistakenly thought the lady was afraid of the alliance’s power and thus sent her non-martial maidservant to take it on her behalf. Thus, the sword alliance, having such an array, how could they exert it upon a girl?"

Huang A-Xia said, "But the elders were mistaken! The child said with a smile, ’Elders, you have it wrong.’ As soon as she spoke, suddenly from the mountain top, the sword bell rang abruptly!"

"This resounding toll was truly extraordinary. The two elders were flustered, wondering if they had encountered a ghost. Members of the Five Mountains Sword Alliance immediately headed towards the sword bell. Along the way, they heard the continuous reverberations of the bell."