Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 133 - 128: The Price - Part 2

Chapter 133: Chapter 128: The Price - Part 2

White steam slowly wafted from the wooden tub.

Behind the white curtain, Lin Xin shed his bath towel and slowly stepped into the wooden tub filled with white petals. He sat down in the tub, gradually sinking until the aromatic water gently soaked up to his neck.

Besides the white petals, the water in the tub also contained many tiny black specks—upon closer inspection, they were numerous dead insect bodies.

In addition, the water faintly glowed with a light green hue, occasionally churning up many remnants of herbal residue.

Lin Xinyuan stood outside quietly waiting for Lin Xin to finish his bath. Next to her, Huang Puyang stood together with her, facing the bathing chamber behind the curtain.

"The villa master specifically requested the addition of ’human-face fruit.’ Could it be that he has suffered internal injuries or a deficiency in his Essence Qi?" Huang Puyang whispered, frowning.

Lin Xinyuan was also frowning, puzzled. Lin Xin was never one to indulge in needless extravagance. He spared no expense in adding rare materials such as thousand-man ’human-face fruit,’ ’Silver Liquid,’ ’Soul Soil,’ and ’Essence Condensing Insects’ just for a bath. There must be a reason for it.

"Xinyuan, did you come here for something?" Lin Xin’s voice came from behind the curtain.

Lin Xinyuan straightened up and spoke loudly.

"Recently, the amount of ’Soul Soil’ and ’sun-iron’ on the black market has been decreasing. It might be that someone is buying them up in large quantities,... affecting our own acquisitions significantly. I suggest we select new materials for the manor’s ’Talisman Stones’ and ’Talisman Swords.’

"Sun-iron is not a big issue, but it’s impossible for someone to hoard all the ’Soul Soil,’" Lin Xin said indifferently. "Don’t worry about it."

"But big brother, what if..."

"No ’what ifs.’ The nature of ’Soul Soil’ is the same as that of ’human-face fruit.’ On the surface, it’s crafted by demon cultivators from the border black markets, but in reality..." Lin Xin didn’t finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.

Lin Xinyuan felt a sudden chill in her heart.

The production of ’Soul Soil’ required burying a living person in a patch of soil and using ’Corpse-Decomposing Water’ to completely dissolve the body into liquid, merging with the soil. Then, a plant called ’Poisonous Bird Flower’ would be cultivated on top. Afterwards, twenty people would be buried alive in the soil each year, and after three years, a large piece of ’Soul Soil’ would be ready.

This method had always been used by demon cultivators without considering the consequences, but if what Lin Xin said was true...

Then it meant that ’Soul Soil’ was likely to be involved in the same high-level of the Sword Sects just like ’human-face fruit.’ The business of these taboo goods brought huge profits. Many collected them in large quantities to replenish their consumed Essence Qi or to refine special magical artifacts and treasures, thus the demand was tremendous. The only place nearby with the conditions to produce them was likely people from the Pine Forest Sword Sect.

"It’s none of our business, do not pay attention to it," Lin Xin said calmly. "Do what you have to do."

Lin Xinyuan and Huang Puyang both understood and nodded slightly in agreement.

"By the way, Xinyuan, you’re not getting any younger. As for the matter of marriage..." Lin Xin didn’t finish speaking.

"Big brother, I’ll take my leave first," Lin Xinyuan abruptly interrupted him, her expression turning slightly cold as she turned to leave.

Huang Puyang’s honest face also showed a hint of helplessness. He apologized to Lin Xin and followed Lin Xinyuan out.

A few maids and guards nearby exchanged strange glances. Although they dared not speak out loud, they all understood well who Lin Xinyuan remained single for.

Lin Xin lay in the medicinal water, slightly propping up his torso, touching the slowly healing wound on his chest. He closed his eyes, not knowing what to say.

After finishing his bath, he changed into fresh clothes and carried his sword, lit incense for meditation, and knelt in the center of the curtained pavilion.

In front of the incense burner was a Buddhist Scripture. He was attempting to use the scripture to calm the killing intent within him.

Murmuring the verses of scripture for a long time, whether effective or not, he rose calmly and walked out of the pavilion.

Outside, the bright moon hung high, stars twinkled, and a hint of coolness lingered in the autumn breeze.

"Villa master, there’s news," a voice whispered from the shadows beside him, soft as a mosquito.

"Speak."

Lin Xin’s face was expressionless.

"Pigeon message, two hundred seventy-eight miles away, at Qi River. Master Huang has been injured and is fleeing. The condition of his injuries is ominous, as is his pursuer."

"Pursuer?"

Lin Xin’s eyes narrowed.

"Have Sword One take people to assist. No..." he suddenly changed his mind. "What’s the exact location?"

"Qi River, Eight House Village. After Master Huang entered, he left no trace; it’s suspected that the villagers rescued him and hid him away."

Lin Xin pondered for a moment.

"Have old man Li come over."

"Yes."

The shadow receded.

Soon after, in the courtyard, Gongsun Li’s silhouette slowly descended.

"Villa master," Gongsun Li greeted.

"What’s the name of that minor sect?" Lin Xin asked directly.

"Radiant Sun Sect," Gongsun Li was startled at first, but then immediately understood.

"Have they arrived near our manor yet?"

"They have."

Lin Xin drew his Longsword and flicked it lightly.

"Many things in life require effort to be obtained. Have their Sect Master come and meet with me," Lin Xin stated.

"I’ll arrange it right away," Gongsun Li responded.

The sound of sword hum resonated in the courtyard, lingering long after.

But Lin Xin appeared as calm as if he hadn’t heard the sword’s sound at all.

****************

Two days later, at Qi River.

In the afternoon, as the setting sun sank in the west, the orange-red glow tinted the river’s surface a fiery scale pattern.

In the small fishing village by the river, within a humble fisherman’s home,

"Shh... Don’t make a sound. Just hide in here, and my father and I will cover for you," A-Li whispered to the man in the yellow shirt who was concealed inside the large water jar.

Several days earlier, she had found the man in the yellow shirt among a pile of rocks on a small hillside, unconscious and bleeding profusely. She had rescued him and brought him back to her home where, after some treatment and care, his life was saved. However, with injuries too severe and blood loss too great, he was completely unable to use any spiritual energy or Inner Qi. He could only hide in her home because they had used up all the medicinal herbs along the way, and A-Li had to go out and find some herbs to boil for him to take.

"Thank you, A-Li." The man in the yellow shirt never imagined that he would speak with such a gentle attitude to a mere mortal. But he was indeed doing so right now. A-Li was a good girl; although she was just a mortal, but...

"It’s nothing, Big Brother Huang," said A-Li, her face flushed red. She hurriedly and clumsily found the lid for the jar. "You are going to do big things, you are an important person. You risk your life to slay demons and vanquish evil, all for us..."

"Enough, A-Li, they’re here! Quick, cover the lid. Master Huang is about to do great things. How could he be willing to chat with you, a little girl? Don’t disturb him while he rests and heals," an anxious voice of an old man came from outside.

"Got it," A-Li quickly and softly responded. "Big Brother Huang, rest assured, it will be over soon, just like the last few times—it’ll be easy." She smiled, trying to comfort him.

The man in the yellow shirt felt somewhat ashamed, and his tense mood eased slightly.

"Little A-Li, once I’ve recovered from my injuries, I will make sure you have a good life," he said with a frail smile. "Don’t you want to buy beautiful silk clothes? I’ll take you shopping for all you want. And for your father and mother, I’ll make sure you live in a big house and move to a large city."

"There’s no need for that..." A-Li turned her head away and giggled shyly, "I’m covering it up now, Big Brother Huang."

"Hmm," nodded the man in the yellow shirt. "Rest assured, if there is any danger, I will protect you."

A-Li muttered an acknowledgment, her voice low yet filled with trust.

Once the lid was secured, the man in the yellow shirt curled up inside the jar, faintly hearing noises from outside.

Soon, some arrogant shouting came from outside.

"Over here, over here, open up!"

There was a loud bang as the door of the small house was kicked open.

A few men dressed like bandits strode in, casually surveying the room.

"There’s no one here!"

"Search carefully; if we find the person, we’ll get a thousand taels of gold!" another bandit chuckled.

"Heroes, sirs, I really don’t have anyone else here," the old father, wrapped in a white headscarf, came forward with a fawning smile, offering the little silver they had in the house.

"This is our entire savings... Please, have mercy..."

One of the thieves snatched the silver and stuffed it into his bosom, yet his eyes continued to roam around the room.

Suddenly, they settled on A-Li, who was shrinking in a corner.

"Well, well, we also have a young lady here~~"

A lewd smile crept across his face as he walked toward A-Li.

"Please, sir, please have mercy! She’s my daughter A-Li; she’s still young and doesn’t know any better..." pleaded the old father, hurrying forward.

Inside the jar, the man in the yellow shirt began to feel agitated, his hand slowly gripping the Silver Heart Sword he held in his embrace.

The previous times they had been looking for people, it was the official government officers who came, but this time, it was bandits, indicating that the opposition had mobilized forces from both the legal and criminal worlds.

He thought to himself that if they dared to make a move, he would burst out, kill a few of them, and flee the place, to avoid implicating A-Li.

The noise outside was getting more urgent, as the man seemed to be approaching A-Li.

The man in the yellow shirt sensed the condition of his body; his spiritual energy was depleted, Inner Qi was a mere trace, barely enough to support the strength of the Inner Sect’s Fourth Layer.

Moreover, using it was bound to aggravate his injuries; he was already on the brink of exhaustion. Forcing himself into action now, he risked compounding his wounds and faced the danger of dropping dead at any moment.

The laughs of the man grew louder, and there was a clatter as if something had been knocked over.

"Sir!" The voice of the old father came through.

"Get away!"

"Father!"

"A-Li..."

Amidst the sounds of scuffling, the grip of the man in the yellow shirt tightened on the sword hilt, desperately hoping for a turning point, his attention riveted on the sounds from outside.

***********************

Outside the fishing village, on the riverbank of the Qi Water River.

Around a dozen figures in black, agile clothes raced to an area several hundred meters away from the village and abruptly halted, their footsteps so quiet on the sandy beach that not a single sound disrupted the silence.

Whoosh!

With a soft sound, a figure suddenly dropped in front of the men in black, clad in white with his black hair tied back, two longswords hanging parallel at his left side—a rather unique arrangement.

Turning around, his expression was composed and even serene. He looked somewhat scholarly, a middle-aged man in his thirties. It was Lin Xin, the Villa Master from the Spirit Heart Villa, who had hurried over.

"Villa Master Lin, can we confirm that our agreement still stands?" the leader of the men in black, with a masked face, asked in a deep tone.

"Of course," Lin Xin replied indifferently. "Whether we succeed or not, we are all in the same boat; no one will go back on our previous agreement."

"Good, I hope that from now on, I can address you as Sect Master Lin," said the man in black solemnly, drawing his slender sword from his waist.

The rest of the men in black also drew their swords.

These swords were peculiar, with patterns on the blade resembling the sun—not formations, but more like some sort of symbol.

"Let’s go!"

All the men in black leaped into action, their movement techniques erupting in force that hinted at Inner Sect, perhaps even Innate levels. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes at Qidian.com; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)