Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 237 - 230: Green Fish Lantern Part 2

Chapter 237: Chapter 230: Green Fish Lantern Part 2

Before long, Ma Qiuqiu finished listening to the story and casually chatted for a while before leaving. Lin Xin picked up the book again. It was a Buddhist Scripture known as the Sutra of Complete Harmony, which taught people to perfect themselves, avoid the influence of heart demons, stay clear of worldly affairs, and concentrate on achieving spiritual perfection.

He glanced at it unintentionally and seemed to feel a slight sense of relief in his heart. He then began to read and reflect on it every day.

During this period, Ma Qiuqiu often snuck out to listen to stories. Initially, Ma Yuan was worried and sent people to check and supervise the situation. But after she visited frequently, and they noticed he indeed was a learned man, they gradually felt more at ease. Still, they didn’t want a young unmarried woman visiting an older man’s room every day.

Despite his knowledge, he was but an ordinary person of Jianghu, someone with no future prospects, so they continued to restrict their daughter’s movements.

Thus, Ma Qiuqiu often snuck out to listen to stories.

After reading the Buddhist Scripture for a while, Lin Xin stood by the window. Outside, vast snowscapes constantly swept past, and the pace of the ox-cart was fast. He could occasionally hear the bellowing of oxen from further ahead.

Unable to practice Qi cultivation or study Formation Talismans, Lin Xin simply lived as an ordinary person, not dwelling on his cultivation level or any illusions.

As a result, he maintained a tranquil state of mind, and it seemed that there were no issues for over a month. The delusions that the Red Leaf Sword Master mentioned appeared to have subsided.

If he did not contemplate An Ying, Xiao Lingling also seemed to no longer appear by his side—all seemed to have faded away as if forgotten.

Leaning on the window sill, he watched as enormous white mushroom trees, resembling massive spikes piercing the ground and soaring into the sky, slowly passed by in the distance.

From outside, he could faintly hear the sounds of Ma Qiuqiu and some children playing, as well as the soft wails from other rooms.

Perhaps it was the distance from home, or maybe other reasons, but reaching this point near the Outer Regions’ passage had been smooth sailing at first. However, the further they got away from the protection of Tianyun Dao, the more likely dangers could arise.

Soon, a white high wall checkpoint began to loom ahead. Guards wearing Tianyun Dao’s uniform seemed to be patrolling back and forth.

The ox-cart caravan paid the fee and slowly passed through the massive ten-meter-high black gate.

"From now on, we officially enter the Yang Path of the Outer Regions. Everyone, be careful," the caravan leader, Ma Yuan, announced loudly.

His voice echoed as people scattered some white powder on the oxen. Lin Xin didn’t know what it was for. Some of the powder even spilled through his window.

Some gathered in the front and sung a prayer song of some race loudly.

Thump thump thump.

Suddenly, the door was knocked again.

Lin Xin walked over and opened the door, seeing Ma Qiuqiu standing there somewhat helplessly.

"My father won’t allow me to come see you afterward. They say, they say..."

Lin Xin smiled.

In the eyes of others, he was just a penniless and decrepit scholar, knowledgeable, yes, but without martial power to support it, he was particularly powerless and without status in this world.

"No matter, stay well with your father. It’s safer that way."

"But I know you must be a very formidable person," Ma Qiuqiu said earnestly, looking up.

"Why do you say that?" Lin Xin wondered how this girl had come to such a conclusion and asked, curious.

"Because you know so much, so much that ordinary people don’t know. You know everything," Ma Qiuqiu said seriously, "My father and others are just temporarily confused. They’re blinded by what they see."

"Your father and the others have their reasons..."

"I’ll come find you in a few days!" Ma Qiuqiu left these words behind and ran off.

Lin Xin was speechless. This young girl was always so dramatic. He knew that her father, Ma Yuan, did not like him. It was one thing for Ma Qiuqiu to bring him things occasionally, but she also stayed for such long periods each time. Although it was said that the children of Jianghu were not restricted by trifles, this seemed a bit too much.

Lin Xin understood. If he were a wealthy man himself, and his daughter suddenly spent so much time with an older, poor, and powerless man with no prospects, he would be extremely displeased as well.

So he could understand the other party and kept his distance from the young girl as much as possible. After all, he did not know when his delusions would erupt.

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

At the very front of the caravan, Ma Yuan and two other leaders were gathered around a map

.

"Qiuqiu has gone to the back again. She usually stays in her room in the Outer Regions and doesn’t go out, saying it’s boring here. The air isn’t good. Why is she acting unusually this time?" a woman next to Ma Yuan asked casually.

"It seems she goes to listen to stories from a destitute Confucian scholar. I’ve already told her not to go. Those people in the back have inscrutable intentions. Last time, it was thanks to that lady that we avoided trouble. The bodyguards I sent were led away. If it hadn’t been for that lady..."

Ma Yuan concentrated on the map, marking and drawing as he spoke.

"How ready are the other leaders? Whether we can successfully pass through Black Wind Gorge depends on timing. Otherwise, we would have to wait for another two years for the next low period," another elder frowned, tugging at his beard.

"Can we wait until the weak point to rush through?" the woman asked.

"Even the legendary cultivators avoid the Black Wind Surge, with not even the long-life seekers able to do anything. How can we? To pass through would be certain death," Ma Yuan shook his head, "I’ve passed through this area many times. Although the Black Wind is weakened by the gorge to a very low level, it is not something us ordinary people can withstand, and it’s very likely that even the large white oxen will have problems."

"We also need to worry about potential bandits. There aren’t many monster Blood Beasts roaming this region, but there are quite a few bandits," the old man reminded.

"I’m aware, there are prior arrangements," Ma Yuan nodded.

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

Just ahead of the caravan, beside a huge mushroom tree, a group riding a mix of white horses and white camels were also wearing white turbans and carrying curved blades, waiting there.

Several men with mustaches stood in front, seemingly waiting for the convoy that was about to emerge.

"By the old rules, one silver per person," a man with the tallest stature said offhandedly.

"No way, Ma Yuan killed one of my brothers; I can’t swallow this grudge!" another man said coldly.

"That’s your business, if you want to take action, go ahead yourself," the leading man replied, his expression unchanged.

"Then just you watch!"

Soon, the convoy slowly appeared before the group.

The man who vowed revenge rode out on his horse with a band of horse bandits in tow.

"Ma Yuan, you dog, give me back my brother’s life!"

Before his words fell, dozens of horse bandits saw a figure leaping down from the convoy at an incredibly fast speed, charging toward them.

With a whoosh, that person was even more decisive than them, drawing a large saber over three meters long and slicing through one horse’s leg on the first strike.

The white horse let out a long neigh and instantly fell to its knees, throwing off the bandit on its back.

For a moment, everyone was startled by this individual’s divine power. To confront a charging warhorse from the Yang Path head-on—these were not ordinary horses of the Mortal Realm. They were heavier and faster; a single charge could easily be over a thousand pounds.

The force of the impact was enough to make any martial artist dodge its edge.

Yet this person had faced it head-on and felled a warhorse. Such strength was shocking to hear of.

Only then did everyone see clearly that this person was actually an ordinary woman with her right arm missing.

Furthermore, she was not particularly attractive.

She wore a set of dusty gray clothes, wielding a shiny silver saber with a hint of fresh blood remaining on the blade.

"A fine Breakwave Saber Technique," the horse bandit leader’s pupils shrank as if remembering something, quickly pulling out a scroll and unfurling it for a look.

"You are Bao Luofei!?" he exclaimed in shock.

"Bao Luofei?" Ma Yuan and the others hadn’t recovered from the shock of the killing and beheading of the horse when they heard this name, and they were all startled again.

"Could it be that she is the Bao Luofei who obtained the Green Fish Lamp from the secret trove!?"

"It’s rumored that the Green Fish Lamp on her body hides an extraordinary iron book that can rejuvenate people and grant immortality!"

"I’ve heard that several groups of experts have returned unsuccessfully, with heavy casualties, and even the Immortal Sect seems to have involved itself!"

Suddenly, both the horse bandits and the people in the convoy began staring eagerly at the unattractive woman.

Yet she remained calm, saber in hand, and charged directly toward the remaining horse bandits.

With the swishing of the saber blade, one bandit after another was cut down. Yet the woman’s expression did not change.

The horse bandit leader’s face flickered, and he quickly turned his horse to leave, only to suddenly see Ma Yuan blocking his way.

"Ma Yuan, what is the meaning of this?!"

"No meaning at all," Ma Yuan laughed twice.

The two promptly soared into the air, engaging in rapid combat.

Seeing their leader engage, the people in the convoy also took action, fighting with the horse bandits in a chaotic battle.

With the one-armed woman, Bao Luofei, efficiently slaughtering foes, the bandits were in complete disarray and lacked the will to resist. Along with their leader, most were quickly killed.

After a brief exchange with Ma Yuan, the one-armed woman, Bao Luofei, returned to her room in the convoy.

Ma Yuan whispered a few words to the rest of them. At this stretch of territory, the Emperor was far away, and there wasn’t anyone to maintain order—everything relied on martial might.

Some thoughts that shouldn’t arise better not come up.

After tidying up the battlefield, the convoy continued on its way.

Lin Xin watched the conflict from a window. With his discernment, he could tell that the woman called Bao Luofei was hiding her strength. She clearly harbored a secret, possessing a profound aura she held without release.

From the beginning to when she finally made her move, her eyes always contained a hint of worry and wariness, as if she were holding back, guarding against something.

"Immortality? An extraordinary iron book? The Green Fish Lamp?" Lin Xin had vaguely heard of the Green Fish Lamp, but it wasn’t something from the Qi Cultivator factions. It came from stories circulating in the far west, where many heretical cults thrived.

It’s said that before dying, a great demon who transformed from a Lingzhi gathered a lifetime’s power to create a lamp. This lamp reputedly concealed an extraordinary iron book with secrets to immortality.

This legend had always been a tale among the Demon Race, having provoked a few unusual people into pursuit, with their fate unknown in the end.

But Lin Xin hadn’t expected to encounter it here by chance.

Whenever unusual people were mentioned, Lin Xin remembered the one who extended Xiao Lingling’s life. These unusual people seemed indifferent to the Qi Cultivator sects and factions, and the sects also appeared to deliberately ignore their existence.

There seemed to be an unspoken understanding between the two, as if they were people from two separate worlds.

"The Green Fish Lamp..." He wasn’t particularly concerned about the Green Fish Lamp, after all, his biggest problem now wasn’t the power of his cultivation, but the illusion of truth.

Still, he was curious; there weren’t many things pursued by unusual people...(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com)