Chapter 71: No Free Advantages

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 71: No Free Advantages

He Zhaoxi did not say another word.

Regardless of an opponent's strength and cultivation, some opponents deserved respect.

He looked at Ding Ning, then raised his sword again and solemnly said, “Please!”

Ding Ning also raised the Last Flower Remnant Sword and with a slight smile, said, “Please!”

He Zhaoxi looked at Ding Ning, who was initially reluctant to attack, then at his short remnant sword. He could not help but frown.

But a moment later, he nodded and said, “Alright.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he began to move. He charged straight towards Ding Ning. His body was like a stone launched from a catapult. He roared through space and once again created a terrifying wind.

The fallen yellow leaves flew back to form a wall in front of him. He followed the wall that was flying toward Ding Ning and swung his sword. He had used all his vital energy, so when he swung his sword, not a single streak of fire erupted from the blade. However, due to the speed of his swing, his blow still possessed terrifying power.

The straight sword in his hand curved due to his speed. As the curved sword straightened again, there was a loud bang. Power was released from the sword and struck the withered leaves in front of him.

The previously fluttering withered leaves suddenly became heavy. In the next moment, they hissed as they shot towards Ding Ning like arrows.

He Zhaoxi took a deep breath. His movements suddenly became gentle. His longsword changed from a swinging motion to a stabbing motion, its tip hidden among the flying withered leaves.

Many of the disciples on the observation platform had complicated emotions as they watched the withered leaves form a wall and then turn into arrows by the sword strike, while the tip of He Zhaoxi's sword hid among the leaves.

All they could think was that they might not be able to withstand He Zhaoxi's attack, had it been aimed at them.

Ding Ning continued to retreat, his remnant sword in his hand raised to his brow, to protect his eyes. He ignored the leaves flying towards him. He let the leaves hit his body, even scratching his face, leaving a bloody scar on it.

However, when the tip of He Zhaoxi's sword approached his left shoulder, he struck hard with his sword.

There was a loud bang.

The blow of his sword deflected the flexible yellow longsword, sparks flying from where the two swords met.

Several pairs of eyes lit up on the observation platform. They had not expected Ding Ning to be able to block this sword strike so accurately, despite the numerous flying leaves obstructing his view.

He Zhaoxi’s breathing paused slightly.

Feeling the impact of his own sword's returning power, he frowned slightly. Without hesitation, his body moved once more as if he were about to leap forward. He exerted his strength once more, pressing his entire body weight forward.

At this moment, the edges of his yellow longsword and Ding Ning’s remnant sword were only half an inch apart. So, there was no room to stop or dodge. The two swords clashed again, emitting a loud bang.

Ding Ning let out a muffled groan. He was clearly unable to withstand this kind of force. His entire right arm suddenly swung violently. His entire body was pushed back several steps, as if struck by a charging horse. In an instant, he had retreated five or six steps.

He Zhaoxi took a step.

With just one step, he had covered the distance Ding Ning had retreated, five or six steps. His hand remained remarkably steady as the yellow longsword swung again.

When he swung, the edges of his sword tore through the air, and the sword was able to move swiftly. But as it approached Ding Ning's body, the sword spun, and its blade once again curved in the air as he exerted force.

With a single flick, He Zhaoxi swung his sword like he was swinging a hammer to hit Ding Ning's body.

Numerous white flowers immediately bloomed on Ding Ning’s inky green sword. He frowned and maintained his physical energy output as he parried the sword in front of him.

An ear-piercing metallic clang was heard.

His sword accurately deflected He Zhaoxi's sword, but the immense force still caused his remnant sword to bounce back and land directly on his own chest.

Ding Ning, who was retreating backwards, looked to the people watching on the observation platform as if he had been hit by a large rock. His feet were now lifted off the ground, and he was thrown backward in a miserable state.

When his feet landed on the ground once again, blood flowed from his lips and dripped down his pale skin.

“There are no free advantages in this world!” Watching the scene below, Xie Changsheng could not help but shout angrily from the observation platform.

He Zhaoxi was no ordinary disciple. He clearly possessed more techniques and a wealth of combat experience. No matter how good Ding Ning's understanding of the Wildfire Sword Manual was, it became completely ineffective against He Zhaoxi's tactics of using pure strength.

He Zhaoxi could easily attack before Ding Ning even recovered from his shock. Ding Ning had no time to react or use more refined sword techniques.

Xie Changsheng could imagine Ding Ning's wrists aching every time he parried He Zhaoxi's sword. His arms must be numb and sore.. He would not be able to recover quickly.

 

“There are no free advantages in this world.”

As Xie Changsheng expressed his thoughts, in an alley in Cangling, there was another person with the same thoughts. A middle-aged man was sitting on a bench at a stall along the alley. He was drinking noodle soup as he spoke disdainfully to a young man next to him.

This middle-aged man with a dignified appearance and slightly reddish skin had a thick yellow bamboo stick that a porter usually used at his feet. His attire was also that of a regular porter, even his straw sandals were dirty and worn. However, his true identity was that of the Hunting Commissioner Qin Xuan. In the Bureau of Divinity, his rank was slightly lower than that of evil dogs like Mo Qinggong; but his experience was on par with Mo Qinggong and the others. As a result, in the Bureau of Divinity, he could command most people's obedience, and he did not have to worry about most others.

The young man sitting next to him, Meng Tianfang, was a "fresh meat" who had just arrived at the Bureau of Divinity. He came from a relatively well-established sect in Changling. However, after entering the Bureau of Divinity, this young man had to obediently address him as Master and follow his orders and teachings.

The young men who managed to enter the Bureau of Divinity, except for those with special backgrounds, were truly hardworking, quick learners, intelligent, and highly observant. Hearing Qin Xuan's brief words, Meng Tianfang immediately understood his meaning.

The alley where they were sitting was called Lion Alley. It was an exceptionally bustling and prosperous area in Changling. At one end of the alley was the Jiujiang Commandery Assembly Hall and at the other was the Shangdang Commandery Assembly Hall. Between them were shops selling antiques and works of art.

The Qin Dynasty had created forty-three commanderies and presided over an unprecedented number of officials. Changling was also unprecedented in size, vast and majestic. When people from outer commanderies came to Changling to conduct various business, they often felt unsure where to begin and were misled by the locals in this unfamiliar place. Some merchants engaged in business pioneered the construction of these meeting halls.

This meeting halls were not only places to rest, but also for people from those outer commanderies to meet other people in Changling to do business with, and an opportunity to make friends. As a result, these places were often bustling with carriages and horses.

Since Emperor Yuanwu's accession to the throne, the Qin Dynasty had been peaceful for over a decade, with no wars, and everyone was well-dressed and well-fed. Some noble families began to pay attention to the food they ate and the things they used. The prices of calligraphy, paintings, antiques, and furniture had increased.

What triggered Qin Xuan's words was a transaction.

A foreign merchant from the outer commandery had purchased a jade scepter for one hundred taels of silver from a street vendor who claimed that the scepter was from the You Dynasty If this were truly a scepter left behind by the You Dynasty, it would be worth at least one thousand taels of silver. These street vendors in Changling had been in business for many years. They would not sell at such a low price. But from the joyous face of the foreign merchant from the outer commandery, it was clear that he was not buying these fake goods and would sell them again when he returned. His obvious excitement was because he thought he had a sharp eye and managed to get a great deal at a very low price.

Even though Qin Xuan did not know much about antiques, he was certain that something like this could not happen. This person from the outer commandery was clearly driven and blinded by greed.

Qin Xuan finished his noodle soup and looked disdainfully at the cheerful foreign merchants from the outer commandery. Suddenly, his attitude changed strangely.

The young official from the Bureau of Divinity next to him sensed something and became nervous. He whispered, “Master, what's wrong?”

“The Changling Guards.” Qin Xuan glanced curiously at the other end of the alley, as if answering but also as if talking to himself. “Why are the Changling Guards here?”

Meng Tianfang, a young official from the Bureau of Divinity, was puzzled and followed Qin Xuan's gaze. He saw dozens of Changling Guards clad in armor passing through another alley and heading towards the carriage procession. The carriage procession had just left the gate of the Jiujiang Commandery Assembly Hall.

A strange feeling immediately arose in Meng Tianfang's mind. He assumed the Changling Guards were going to inspect the carriage procession. But the investigation of Changling was carried out by the Bureau of Divinity and the Bureau of Astrology. If they needed to seal off the area and set up inspection points, they would rely on the Tiger-Wolf Army stationed in Changling.

The Changling Guards belonged to the Warden's Office, just like the Tiger-Wolf Army, but their duties were usually limited to guarding and patrolling specific locations such as the offices of several bureaus, some marquessate establishments, the perimeter of the imperial palace, and the tombs of past emperors.

Of course, they could randomly inspect suspicious individuals and take action when encountering specific criminals. But on the chessboard of Changling, the Changling Guards were relatively useless pieces. For example, dogs could go catch mice at home, but it was the cats who were responsible for catching mice. It would seem odd if the dog guarding the door went elsewhere to catch mice.

More importantly, Meng Tianfang and Qin Xuan were watching this place because they knew there was a cultivator, a great rebel, hiding in this Jiujiang Commandery Assembly Hall.

 

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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