My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion
Chapter 155 - 135: The Rebellious Disciple is Somewhat Good

Chapter 155: Chapter 135: The Rebellious Disciple is Somewhat Good

The Great Yu is situated in the region of Chu and Yue, where even after winter, it doesn’t always snow. Yet in Great Jin, fine snow has already blanketed the territory.

In a tavern near the border, snow piled high at the corners of the walls. The innkeeper’s assistant drooped his head in a nap; after all, the tavern was nearly empty. Inside sat only one person, like a statue. He had ordered two liangs of Sword Nan Wine, and even after entering, did not remove his raincoat. Sitting upright, he faced the tavern’s main door directly.

This little establishment was leaky and chilling to an extreme, with the assistant intermittently waking from the cold every time he dozed off. Yet the Suo Yi Swordsman remained stone-still.

The sound of creaking footsteps echoed sharply, like dried twigs being crushed. A burly man stepped through the mud and into the tavern. He cast a glance at the Suo Yi Swordsman before striding to another table and chair to sit.

"Come over here."

The voice startled the assistant awake.

The burly man had no choice but to sit across from the Suo Yi Swordsman, his heart filled with silent grumbles. Every encounter with this person spelled trouble. Why was it that he, Zhang Xuqu, the Tongbei Divine Ape, owed this man such a favor?

Renowned for his mastery of Qinggong, the rumors across Jianghu claimed he never walked the usual path and traveled rooftops instead. Debts to others were debts never repaid; a quick escape would resolve everything. Yet, this man’s swordsmanship was so superior that it surpassed even his Qinggong, leaving him at a disadvantage.

"I ordered you wine so you’d do me a favor."

The Suo Yi Swordsman personally poured a full bowl of wine for Zhang Xuqu.

"Tell me where first."

Zhang Xuqu didn’t rush to drink.

"East Yu Capital."

The Suo Yi Swordsman replied decisively.

"And for what?"

Zhang Xuqu cupped the bowl as he asked.

"Your Qinggong is excellent; you travel quickly. I want you to help me with something."

The Suo Yi Swordsman paused,

"To save a person."

Zhang Xuqu mulled over it for a while and said:

"Your wine... I dare not drink it all in one go."

"I’ll also be heading to East Yu, but I’ll be slower than you."

The Suo Yi Swordsman declared without hesitation.

This time, Zhang Xuqu raised his wine bowl, took half a gulp, and then said:

"You haven’t explained clearly—I don’t dare drink it all; I’ll only chance half. Speak then—who do you want to save?"

"Go to the Joyful Sect. Rescue an heir."

The Suo Yi Swordsman spoke openly, then lowered his gaze toward the wine in his hands.

The Tongbei Divine Ape was astonished and said:

"A man like you has ties with the Joyful Sect?"

"I once met an old fellow who practiced a murderous kind of swordsmanship. Wandering Jianghu, he stumbled upon me and treated me to a drink. When the alcohol had lifted, we all became utterly drunk. He noticed that I didn’t ridicule his origins, and he declared that if I ever faced difficulty, he’d fully assist me. Now, he faces a problem, and I must go to his aid."

"You must be kidding. People say anything when drinking. I myself claimed to wish to become the Emperor. East Yu is not easy to reach—it’s a long journey across arduous terrain. I advise you to rethink this plan."

Shaking his wine bowl, the Tongbei Divine Ape tried persuading him:

"That was nothing but drunken talk—no one treats such words seriously. He wouldn’t have meant it seriously either."

The Suo Yi Swordsman, glancing down at the wine, suddenly raised his head sharply and stated:

"But I mean it."

The Tongbei Divine Ape sat silently, contemplating for a moment, before finishing the wine in his hand.

Seeing this, the Suo Yi Swordsman broke into a smile and spoke placidly:

"Your Qinggong is good and will let you reach East Yu sooner than I. I’ll follow shortly after."

Zhang Xuqu poured himself another bowl of wine, only to realize the jug was empty. It dawned on him how stingy the man was—for such an occasion, he had only bought two liangs.

"The matter with the Joyful Sect involves an ancient Martial Arts incident that no one dares to meddle with. Even East Yu’s non-lineage prince is tangled in it. Yin Sword Mountain is just the façade; at its heart lies the greatest temple of the Western Dharma Kingdom—Puhan Temple."

Zhang Xuqu grumbled irritably,

"To antagonize them is to provoke hordes of Western Martial Monks hunting for vengeance. You may manage it, but for me, it’ll be impossible."

"If you face difficulty, come to me."

Such words were reassuring. Zhang Xuqu, knowing this man always followed through on what he said, drank the last drops in his bowl. With one final sigh of frustration, he asked:

"Your sword is so formidable—ranked sixth in the world—why don’t you save him yourself?"

"My sword cannot save people,"

He replied with indifference,

"It only kills."

..................

After sending Yin Weiyin off, Chen Yi returned to the courtyard, drenched in sweat, his inner garment soaked through and dried multiple times.

Just as he prepared to undress and clean himself, a thought crossed his mind.

Heading to his study instead, Chen Yi saw the little fox. She slumped forward onto the desk, nodding off bit by bit.

Chen Yi chuckled quietly, stepping forward to lift her into his arms. Her soft, delicate body fell gently into his embrace.

"Aren’t you going to bathe?"

Yin Tingxue suddenly woke up, timidly glancing at Chen Yi, biting her lip as she questioned:

"You’re still... wanting to?"

"No, I’ll just carry you back to your room to rest. I have matters to attend to—I can’t bathe just yet." Chen Yi brushed a strand of her hair aside.

Relieved at his words, Yin Tingxue exhaled deeply. She didn’t like such things, nor could she convince herself to enjoy them. Even now, she felt her body unclean, undignified. Each night brought her a particular dread, as she despised Chen Yi for his desires. But as his concubine, she was bound to uphold submissive duties—to yield obediently was the burden of a concubine.

"Tonight again?"

Chen Yi teased with a smile.

Yin Tingxue shuddered slightly, her catlike eyes widening as she stared at him. Though unwilling, she ultimately surrendered helplessly,

"Just... just be gentle this time..."

Chen Yi carried her into the bedroom, and by now, her heavy eyelids had begun to shut.

After carefully tucking her beneath the blanket, he noticed she had already drifted into slumber. Approaching her ear, he deliberately whispered:

"I’m off to practice my sword—I’ve already practiced for three or four hours now."

"Mm-hmm..."

"Repeat after me."

"You’ve been practicing swordsmanship for... three or four hours..."

Already asleep, Yin Tingxue’s lips trembled as she mumbled softly,

"For... for three or four hours..."

She fell deeply asleep. Chen Yi smiled faintly, standing to rid himself of his outer garment.

Gripping the Hou Kang Sword, Chen Yi estimated the time before unsheathing it in the courtyard. He lunged forward, twisting the blade and striking firmly with a thrust.

Imitating the sword momentum drawn from Min Ning’s teachings on the Yinzai Sword, Chen Yi persisted under the fading rays of the setting sun. He advanced, exhaled, shifted his form, and maneuvered ceaselessly across the courtyard. His body leapt and turned—a left-footed stance formed the Left Moon Momentum, then horizontal strikes formed the Fighting Sword Momentum.

The hours stretched on and on, yet Chen Yi’s movements remained uninterrupted.

At an unknown moment, another figure appeared just outside the courtyard.

She had only one arm, her body marked with imperfections, yet her beauty remained undeniably profound. Silent and unnoticed, she blended seamlessly into her surroundings.

Sword Armor stood speechless, quietly watching Chen Yi’s practice.

At Yin Sword Mountain’s platform, once upon a time, he had trained like this, and Zhou Yitang had simply observed, just as she was doing now. Those had been Yin Sword Mountain’s least memorable days.

One strike and shift after another—the motions unfolded before her eyes. His inner garment, by now undoubtedly soaked and dried in turn, showed the sheer effort of countless hours.

Zhou Yitang observed without a sound, her gaze luminous,

He truly practiced swordsmanship,

He had once declared her sword obsolete,

Yet, he unmistakably had not forgotten Yin Sword Mountain’s sword.

Suddenly, she felt this rebellious disciple was rather good—just like then, and just like now...