Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 150 - 143: Wild Intentions, Part One

Chapter 150: Chapter 143: Wild Intentions, Part One

Azure waters and blue skies, on the Ming Shui River, a black attic-style large ship slowly followed the current downstream, gently entering from the boundary of the music residency.

On the ship, a young Taoist stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching the river beneath him. The Taoist was dressed in white with a green crown, and carried a slightly curved golden longsword on his back. His gentle and pure complexion gave off an innocent, untainted feeling, like that of a newborn babe.

At this moment, a gentle and beautiful woman walked out from the attic on the ship. She looked up at the sky, dressed in a goose-yellow skirt draped with a white shawl, and gracefully approached the Taoist’s side.

The two embraced lightly without any words exchanged.

The Taoist lifted the woman’s chin, gently kissed her cherry lips, and said affectionately,

"Wan’er, weren’t you studying the pill prescription? How come you have time to come out?"

The woman pouted and said coquettishly,

"Grandpa, don’t you like that Wan’er came to see you?"

The Taoist immediately shook his head.

"How could grandpa not like Wan’er? It’s just that the journey is long and it’s windy on the ship; be careful not to catch a cold."

The woman lowered her head, her cheeks turning slightly red.

"If I catch cold, doesn’t grandpa have to warm Wan’er up?"

The two held each other tightly, engaging in another passionate kiss.

"We’re almost at Spirit Heart Villa. This time, by master’s command, if any abnormalities are discovered, we must completely cleanse the entire manor," the Taoist said solemnly.

"Did the Ancestral Master give any definitive criteria?" the woman asked.

"Of course not," the Taoist smiled, "It’s all about acting according to the situation."

"What do you mean by acting according to the situation?"

"If we really find that they’re harboring traitors, it goes without saying that the punishment will extend to all related clans, but if not, we can still get some nice clothes for my dear Wan’er. Either way, there’s no downside to this trip."

The Taoist began to laugh softly.

The woman, resigned, leaned on his chest and let him do as he pleased, her breaths becoming increasingly labored.

The attic-style large ship soon turned a bend in a relatively calm part of the river, flanked by mountains on both sides with swirling mist, and faintly, the cries of gibbons and cranes and the clear calls of birds could be heard.

Soon, rows of river-blocking iron chains appeared ahead. The sailors on the ship displayed a wooden plaque with cinnabar talisman marks, which they placed beside the ship’s rails, prompting the iron chains to slowly open and let the large ship pass through.

The Taoist gently leaped ashore with the woman in tow, using the very same Qinggong skill of ascending to the heavens, rising into the air and crossing several hundred meters over the wide river in an instant, and landing lightly on the bank.

Upon the guard tower blocking the river, a red-clothed man emerged and paid his respects from afar.

"So it is Taoist Yuan Shihong who graces us with his presence; my apologies for not welcoming you from farther away."

For official business, there’s no need for such formalities," said the Taoist, hugging his granddaughter as they lightly touched the ground and leapt up again, swiftly disappearing into the mist and woods along the riverbank.

"Official business..." The red-clothed man pondered briefly before swiftly returning to the stone chamber, hurriedly writing a note. He then fetched a pigeon from a cage in the corner, tied the note to it, and gently tossed the bird out the window to fly away.

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

Taoist Yuan Shihong moved lightly forward. With every gentle step he took, he could traverse over ten meters across the mountains, all while carrying someone in his arms. Amidst the rolling clouds and mist, they appeared ethereal, like immortals descending among mortals.

"Grandpa doesn’t need to carry Wan’er with him," said the woman softly, snuggling into the Taoist’s embrace.

"It’s no trouble at all; it will just be a matter of minutes," laughed Yuan Shihong, unworried.

With that, a trace of melancholy flashed in his eyes.

"Back in the days, I too carried your grandmother through these mountains. It’s a pity..."

After so many years, you still can’t forget grandmother?" Wan’er’s face showed a touch of jealousy.

"It’s not that simple..." said Yuan Shihong helplessly.

"After your grandmother gave birth to your parents, she learned that I was once a woman and left home in a huff. To this day, I have yet to find her," he sighed profoundly.

"But didn’t you promise me that you would forget the past?" Wan’er said mournfully.

"Yes... I did promise..." said Yuan Shihong, his head lowered in silence.

As they passed through a small patch of woods, a lush expanse of green bamboo forest suddenly appeared in front of them.

A gust of spring wind blew through, shaking the bamboo, which whispered like waves with the rustling leaves.

At a glance, the fluttering bamboo leaves in the sea of green appeared like sparkling ripples on the water.

In the center of the bamboo forest, a cluster of white buildings stood tall, all of them naturally forming a giant Yin Yang fish shape.

"We’ve arrived," Yuan Shihong stopped in his tracks, gazing into the distance at the entire Spirit Heart Villa. "The setting’s quite nice, shame about the weak spiritual energy."

"Of course, it can’t compare to the Sect," Wan’er agreed with a nod. "What now?"

Yuan Shihong began to smile.

"Such a beautiful manor, I don’t really want to just destroy it. But the Luminous Talisman Sword is a long-term asset. If we don’t seize it quickly, it will all be a waste no matter how much we cultivate," he explained.

"You mean..." Wan’er suddenly understood.

"If I don’t take out this place first, how could the master of Spirit Heart Villa willingly follow me back?" Yuan Shihong’s smile carried a hint of chill.

"But what about the evidence? And I heard that the owner of the manor has some connections with Ji Lu..."

"Ji Lu? Do I look like I’m scared of him? We’ve crossed hands many times. Even if he’s right here in the manor now, could Ji Lu stop me from doing what I want?" scoffed the Taoist as he slowly drew the longsword from his back, and sneered. "As for evidence, kill the people first, then just fabricate something casually, and isn’t that evidence?"

"Grandfather’s might..." murmured Wan’er, her voice a mix of awe and infatuation as she lowered her head.

"Don’t worry, Ji Lu is currently confined to the Elixir Hall and can’t leave until he breaks through to the Ninth Layer. The only close friend he has is Zhong Xuan, but that man’s out fighting in the Outer Regions and can’t attend to domestic affairs. By the time the message gets there, everything will have been settled," assured Yuan Shihong softly.

Together, they descended the mountain and entered the bamboo forest, with Yuan Shihong setting the woman down at the edge of the grove.

"Just wait a moment, Wan’er. I’ll be back shortly."

"Okay," Wan’er nodded slowly, no longer concerned.

Yuan Shihong glided forward, aiming straight for Spirit Heart Villa.

His golden longsword began to shimmer with more golden light as he drew closer to the villa.

Through the bamboo forest, he saw a group of people just entering the manor and a fierce look flashed in his eyes.

"Map of Eternal Guidance, Curve of the Waning Sun, Third Mantra, Slay!"

As he chanted under his breath, his right hand wielded the sword, while his left hand rapidly formed one complex hand seal after another. In mere seconds, he had made more than a dozen different hand seals, his fingers as flexible and soft as ropes.

With the final word expelled, a faint transparent rune shadow emerged within his golden sword blade, continuously revolving around the edge, akin to wearing a circular ring.

Hefting the golden longsword aloft, his muscles suddenly swelled, his stature ballooning from about 1.7 meters to nearly two meters in height. His robes, too, stretched with elasticity, shifting from loose-fitting to a tight garment.

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

Inside the manor.

"Liu’er, what did the retainers say?" Xiao Lingling quietly sipped tea in the courtyard, a maidservant standing behind her.

"They didn’t say much, just prescribed a soup medicine for the madam and hoped it would be taken on time," the maidservant replied in a soft voice.

"Soup medicine ..." Xiao Lingling shook her head, then suddenly turned to look at Lin Xinyuan, who had entered through the side door.

"Sister, how come you have time to come over?" She stood up and greeted her with a smile.

Lin Xinyuan smiled and said.

"Zhen’er has made new progress, and there’s hope that she could reach the Third Layer by the age of fifteen. With this, my Spirit Heart Villa might indeed have a true Qi Cultivator in the future."

"A Qi Cultivator? Zhen’er really has such potential?" Xiao Lingling was also surprised.

In the manor until now, only Lin Xin and a very few Hidden Guards, apart from the Yellow Robe hiding in the shadows, knew he was at the level of a Qi Cultivator.

The strongest among the other retainers and disciples who returned to the manor were no more than Innate Ninth Layer.

"There must be, the retainers said so themselves," Lin Xinyuan also sighed with emotion. "With this, the Lin Family is sure to grow stronger with each generation."

Xiao Lingling was also pleased.

"I just received a letter; it’s been a long journey. I’ve always wanted to invite my sister and uncle over for a visit, but it seems there’s another mess at the Prince of Yu’s residence. The surroundings are still suppressing the unrest and the roads have been sealed ..." her expression turned gloomy again.

"There will always be a chance, sister, don’t worry," Lin Xinyuan comforted.

Clang!

Suddenly, a clear sword ringing came from deep within the manor.

"What’s that sound?" Lin Xinyuan was slightly startled and listened intently.

Before the two could come to their senses, a burst of golden light suddenly lit up around the manor, the light so dazzling it was nearly blinding, shooting up into the sky for more than ten meters.

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

Underground dwelling.

The Yellow Robe was meditating with his eyes closed when he suddenly opened them; a crescent moon-shaped white pendant on his chest rose abruptly, releasing soft white light in front of him. The light’s center spread out into a square, revealing a scarlet color inside, with shadowy images flickering through it.

"An omen of great disaster!?" His complexion changed, and he leapt to his feet, grabbing the standard longsword of the manor from the wall and darting out of the stone chamber. With a snap, he pressed a stone brick on the wall.

"Big brother Huang?"

Ali came towards him, carrying a freshly prepared meal.

"Ali, rest well with your father. I’ll step out for a moment and be back soon," Yellow Robe hastily left a message before vanishing from the underground dwelling’s entrance.

At the same time, a sharp sword clanging suddenly resonated above the manor.

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

Yuan Shihong held the golden longsword high, his muscles swollen as if he had become a completely different person.

He had assiduously cultivated the Magic Sword Jinlin, and with his own cultivation already at the peak of Qi Cultivators, his internal spiritual energy was profound. Using the Four Spirits Chongyang Sword as the core, he was endowed with a secret technique he had fortuitously acquired—the Zhou Tian Slaying Demons Mantra.

It could greatly amplify his own strength to an extremely aberrant degree.

However, such a form was rather unsightly; he did not wish for Wan’er to see him like this.

The enveloping runes on the sword blade grew more urgent and faster.

A sinister smile flickered at the corner of his mouth, his figure a blur as he charged straight towards the manor.

Ah!

Suddenly, a familiar cry came from far behind him.

It was a woman’s voice.

Yuan Shihong’s expression changed.

"Wan’er!?"

Without hesitation, he turned and rushed towards the direction where Wan’er was.

With his Qinggong pushed to the limit, he quickly emerged from the bamboo forest to see several men in black, clad in strong suits, attacking Wan’er in the middle.

Wan’er was not an easy target, but after all, she only possessed the power of the Third Layer of inner cultivation, and her main focus was on Alchemy Dao. After a few close calls and because she possessed the Red Spirit Jade-driven Defensive Magic Artifact given by Yuan Shihong, a tiny red jade pendant, she was unharmed.

"Seeking death!"

Enraged, Yuan Shihong unleashed the Flash Spirit movement technique, appearing behind the men in an instant. His sword pierced through one after another, the power of the Four Spirits Chongyang Sword erupting, burning the assailants to cinders.

Dang dang dang...

The alarm bell of the manor rang out in the distance.

"An alarm bell, what of it?" Yuan Shihong sneered.

"Grandfather!" Wan’er quickly moved closer to him.

"Don’t worry, with me here, no one can harm you," Yuan Shihong said tenderly, embracing Wan’er.

Clap clap clap...

Suddenly, applause came from the woods.

A debonair middle-aged man with a sword emerged, his eyes mocking as he looked at the two.

"So it is Master Yuan, well met. After all this time, I never expected you’d still be so disgusting... "(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to join Qidian (qidian.com) in voting, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)