The Unparalleled Sword Emperor
Chapter 1719 - 1716: I Won’t Accept This!

Chapter 1719: Chapter 1716: I Won’t Accept This!

Zhang Jianxing patted Lin Bai’s shoulder, and the two looked like old friends reunited.

"What were they laughing about just now?" Zhang Jianxing asked curiously.

Lin Bai smiled bitterly and said, "When I arrived at the North Frost Dynasty, I saw the Bingxi River, which was remarkably strange. Instead of flying, I chose to walk step by step. They thought I was a penniless pauper and laughed at me!"

Zhang Jianxing laughed heartily, "You always like to do peculiar things that differ from others!"

With laughter, Zhang Jianxing and Lin Bai headed toward the cottage.

"Senior Brother Zhang Jianxing, please wait!"

Chen Rui thought for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and calling out.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jianxing furrowed his brow, paused his footsteps, turned back to glance at the stunned disciples, and his expression grew somewhat peculiar.

Seeing Zhang Jianxing stop, Chen Rui quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Senior Brother Zhang Jianxing, I have a question that has troubled me. I beg Senior Brother Zhang Jianxing to clarify it for me."

Zhang Jianxing asked curiously, "What question do you have?"

Chen Rui hesitated briefly before speaking, "Senior Brother Zhang Jianxing, my sister and I have been coming to the Sword Pavilion for five years now, visiting every year to seek a meeting with Senior Guzhou. Why is it that Senior Guzhou refuses to see us but chooses to meet this man?"

"Even if my sincerity falls short, there are warriors here who have been coming for five years, ten years. Why does Senior Guzhou simply never meet us?"

"Senior Brother Zhang Jianxing, the man beside you, this white-robed man—I saw him come step by step from the upper streams of Bingxi River. A warrior who can’t even afford a Spirit Boat—what could be worthy enough for Senior Guzhou to meet him?"

"In terms of family background, I, Chen Rui, am of the direct lineage of the second largest family in the North Frost Dynasty, the Chen Family!"

"In terms of Martial Soul, I possess a Heaven Level Ninth Grade Martial Soul!"

"In terms of strength, I have achieved the Perfect Yin Saint Realm!"

"In every aspect, even if I cannot surpass this man, I am surely not inferior to him. Moreover, I have been coming for five years, while he is here for the first time. Why does Senior Guzhou choose to meet him and not us?"

"This is unfair!"

"I! Do not accept it!"

Chen Rui spoke resolutely.

His words not only expressed his own sentiments but also echoed the feelings of the surrounding aristocratic sons. It was a question they, too, wanted to ask. Chen Rui taking the lead gave them hope for a response from Zhang Jianxing.

A warrior who can’t even afford a Spirit Boat.

A warrior who could only walk step by step down the Bingxi River.

A warrior with no background and no powerful Martial Soul.

Why should Senior Guzhou meet him?

"Why? Unfair? You don’t accept it?" Zhang Jianxing turned back with interest, gazing at Chen Rui and smiling before asking.

Chen Rui replied, "Yes, I don’t accept it!"

Zhang Jianxing chuckled lightly, "Very well, then—today, I’ll make you accept it wholeheartedly. You all just want to know why my master refuses to meet you while choosing to meet him, don’t you?"

Chen Rui and the other aristocratic sons nodded slightly.

Seeing them nod, Zhang Jianxing smiled and said, "It’s very simple—it’s because his name is... Dongfang Bai!"

Crack—

Upon hearing these three words escape Zhang Jianxing’s lips, the group of aristocratic sons was utterly dumbfounded, their expressions resembling those struck by lightning!

They stared, stunned, at the unimpressive white-robed man, their faces overwhelmed with shock!

"He’s actually Dongfang Bai!"

"One of the eight monstrous geniuses on the Lingnan Continent, the Junior Sword Venerate expelled from the Heaven-reaching Sword Sect!"

"My heavens, I never dreamed that Dongfang Bai would look like this—he truly doesn’t have the domineering aura of a monstrous genius!"

"Not only does he lack the domineering aura of a monstrous genius, but he doesn’t even possess the bearing of an aristocratic son."

The group of aristocratic sons stared at Lin Bai in disbelief, sizing him up from head to toe. Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that the unremarkable white-robed man before them was, in fact, Dongfang Bai, who had become a household name across Under Heaven in recent years!

"What! He’s Dongfang Bai!" Even Chen Rui and Chen Li were utterly stunned!

Zhang Jianxing chuckled lightly, "Does this answer satisfy you?"

"Now you know why my master chose to meet him, don’t you?"

"Think about it yourselves—how do you measure up to Brother Dongfang?"

"In terms of background, Brother Dongfang was once the Junior Sword Venerate of the Heaven-reaching Sword Sect!"

"In terms of potential, he was named a monstrous genius in Purple Gold City and even possesses a Quasi-Divine Martial Soul!"

"In terms of strength, Brother Dongfang is now at the Third Stage of the Yangshen Realm and has defeated both the Guarding Supreme of Luotian Sect and Elder Xuanhuo of Fenxin Sect in succession!"

"Do you have anything more to say?"

Zhang Jianxing asked.

The group of aristocratic sons was utterly mute, as even Chen Rui and Chen Li were left speechless, frozen where they stood, helpless and bewildered!

"Hmph." Zhang Jianxing snorted coldly, disdainfully ignoring the group of aristocratic sons. Turning to Lin Bai, he said, "Brother Dongfang, ignore them. Aristocratic sons are spoiled from a young age and habitually arrogant!"

"Let’s go—Master is waiting for you!"

Zhang Jianxing led Lin Bai onward to the Sword Pavilion.

Lin Bai followed Zhang Jianxing, the two chatting leisurely along the way.

Meanwhile, the aristocratic sons stood bitterly before the cottage, continuing to wait. Their steps had distanced themselves from Chen Rui and Chen Li, as they feared that offending Dongfang Bai—a harbinger of death—might lead to unforeseen carnage. Better not to get caught in the fallout!

Passing by the cottage, they headed straight for the Sword Pavilion.

"Why did Senior Guzhou choose such a secluded place to live—a land of ice and snow? While it has a certain charm, it’s ultimately far too cold," Lin Bai joked.

Zhang Jianxing’s expression turned bitter. He too had wondered why Senior Guzhou had chosen this place to retreat.

Before Zhang Jianxing could respond, a voice elderly and weathered, like someone who had experienced countless vicissitudes, rang out: "Under Heaven, the coldest thing is not this so-called atmospheric chill, but something else entirely—is it not?"

Lin Bai heard the voice and looked up. On the Bingxi River ahead, a fishing boat drifted leisurely, with a fisherman clad in a straw rain cape fishing while facing away from him.

Upon hearing the voice, Zhang Jianxing smiled and said, "Brother Dongfang, this is my master, Senior Guzhou!"

Lin Bai respectfully cupped his hands in salute and said with a smile, "Junior Dongfang Bai greets Senior Guzhou. A Sword Heart can cut the atmospheric chill; a Sword Intention flows millions of miles. Meeting Senior Guzhou today proves your fame is well-earned!"

Upon hearing this, Senior Guzhou smiled faintly. Slowly turning his head on the fishing boat, he made eye contact with Lin Bai, revealing his weathered face beneath the bamboo hat.

"Come aboard the fishing boat. Jianxing, warm a pot of wine. Brother Dongfang has traveled far—help warm him up," Senior Guzhou said with a soft chuckle before turning back to continue fishing.

"Brother Dongfang, let’s get on the boat," Zhang Jianxing stepped forward onto the fishing boat, followed closely by Lin Bai, who joined him at Senior Guzhou’s side.

Lin Bai smiled silently, watching Senior Guzhou fish while Zhang Jianxing set about warming the wine.