Chapter 3791: Hidden Wounds

The commotion and chatting drifted past Lu Yin’s ears as he drew ever closer to the North Command. Once night fell, he simply vanished.

The East Command was the busiest of the four regions, as it saw the most visitors, but the North Command also had visitors. It was just that none of those visitors managed to see Lu Feichen.

With the contest to become the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster imminent, Lu Feichen had not made a public appearance in half a year.

The entire region was pervaded by a grim atmosphere. Even the youths suppressed their excitement. There were only seven days left before new Grand Swordmaster was born and their North Command would rule the Four Commands Sword Sect. For the upcoming eras, the sect would march beneath the north’s banner.

In a valley, a man was sitting cross-legged on a boulder with a long sword lying across his legs. Everything was coated with dust. A clear stream ran beneath the boulder, and birds would occasionally land on him, treating his figures as though it was part of the stone.

Suddenly the man’s eyes snapped open, dust falling from his eyelids and painting the world gray in his eyes. In front of him stood Lu Yin, a finger thrust forward, as though piercing through time and space.

The man was badly shaken to realize that he had only noticed the presence of such an expert after they had gotten close to him.

There was a sharp metallic ring as the longsword thrust forward. Heaven and earth trembled as stars fell and flew, sinking into the void.

Lu Yin watched a streak of starlight flash by him. Once the light had shot past him, it curved back. So this was Beheading Star.

Clang

.

There was just a soft sound as the sword snapped. A single step saw Lu Yin brush past the man, and another step saw him disappear again.

Left behind, the man stared forward in a daze. His broken sword stabbed into the ground at his feet, still quivering.

One move, just one, had broken his Beheading Star.

Just then another bird fluttered down, gently stopping on the man’s head. It still seemed to be unaware that there was a human present, still seeing the man as a piece of stone. Neither the swordsman nor Lu Yin had altered their auras, and everything nearby seemed to have been frozen. To the bird, Lu Yin was nothing more than a walking rock.

Only when the man dropped to a knee was the bird startled and flew off into the sky.

The hilt slipped from the man’s fingers and dropped to the ground.

He stared at his right leg. He could not straighten it. The leg had been wounded by the unknown man, but not completely broken. The swordsman’s arm had also been injured. As he stared at his elbow, he could not help but wonder who that man could be. In a single instant, that stranger had shattered the swordsman’s Beheading Star and wounded him. Countless names of powerful people throughout the Nine Odysseys Megaverse paraded through the man’s mind, but none of them fit.

The swordsman had never offended anyone.

The Four Lim Sword Sect had always maintained a low profile.

Who in the world is he?

Cultivators in the Nine Odysseys Megaverse externally cultivated spirit seeds, which gave them a second life. However, it was only a second life. An externally cultivated spirit seed could not advance their cultivation or help them make a full recovery.

If a person’s spirit seed was injured, then unless the spirit seed was cast aside and the person accepted a Seed Transfusion, reinternalizing the spirit seed would gravely wound the cultivator’s body in the same manner as their spirit seed. If a spirit seed was completely destroyed, the person would essentially become an ordinary human, forced to either embrace Seed Transfusion or resign themselves to a mundane life.

Lu Feichen would never accept a Seed Transfusion because of a mere injury.

Outside the North Command, Lu Yin was already walking away. When he glanced back, his eyes shone with open admiration.

Beheading Star was an extraordinarily sharp attack, though not to the point of being able to threaten Lu Yin. A single finger had shattered the attack while also wounding Lu Feichen’s arm and leg. The man had not even had a chance to unleash his second move.

Lu Yin was quite curious about how powerful the man’s second move was, but that was as far as his interest went. Regardless of how powerful the attack might be, could it surpass the Tri-Azure Sword Intent? No matter what, that was an Immortal technique.

Hidden injuries had been left in both the man’s leg and arm, preventing him from fully releasing his strength and essentially sealing his power. So long as Lu Sizhan was not too much weaker, he would have a chance of victory.

Next, the West Command.

At the same time, the East Command received an honored guest.

Lu Sizhan looked at a young man in surprise. “Young friend, you’re certainly straightforward. Ever since my Siyu came of age, our doorstep has been worn smooth by the constant suitors. However, it’s always been elders or family members who have appeared. No one has ever paid a personal visit like you, let alone with such lavish gifts.”

The young man responded with a respectful bow. “This junior dislikes entrusting affairs to others. A man must take control of his own life. It’s only natural that one must also personally propose to his own wife.”

Lu Sizhan laughed. “Your courage is laudable, and you’re clearly quite confident. Still, your actions are wrong.”

“Wrong? How so?” the young man asked, puzzled.

Lu Sizhan explained, “Siyu is like you in that she also wishes to be in control of her own life. Proposing to me was a mistake—you should have directly proposed to Siyu. If she accepts, then that’s the end of the matter. I can’t stop her. On the other hand, it’s also the end of the matter if she refuses, as I cannot force her.”

The young man looked at Lu Sizhan with eyes showing equal amounts of surprise and admiration. “This junior believed that his actions already broke convention, yet you go far beyond me, Senior.”

Lu Sizhan waved the compliment off. “I don’t fear what other people say. My daughter’s life belongs to hers alone. I can’t control it, and I don’t care what people think. Let them curse if they want to, so long as they don’t do it to my face.”

“This junior greatly admires that, and I will admit that I was certainly mistaken.” He bowed again and handed over the gift. “Consider what’s inside my apology with no connection to my proposal. As for whether or not I marry Lu Siyu, I will speak to her myself.”

Lu Sizhan praised him. “There aren’t many polite young men like you these days. By the way, what did you say your name is?”

The young man replied, “This junior is Xian Ding.”

Lu Sizhan remembered. “Right, Xian Ding. The Azure Sword Sovereign’s disciple. Very well, you may go.”

Xian Ding bowed once more before withdrawing.

Once he was alone again, Lu Sizhan opened the box, and his expression changed when he saw what it held. He immediately went to speak with Lu Siyu.

She also stared at the contents in surprise. “The Minor Harmonious Sword Canon! That’s the art that Grand Azure used to sweep the megaverse through before he comprehended the Seventh Odyssey’s sword technique. Countless people have begged for this in vain, and he simply gave it to you?”

Lu Sizhan was similarly dazed. “That lad is quite polite. He called this an apology gift.”

Lu Siyu rolled her eyes. “Hypocrite.”

“Don’t say that. This is just his style. Still, being this generous is more than a bit excessive. Girl, what do you think?”

“Just forget him, Old Lu. Go study it. If you can master this Minor Harmonious Sword Canon, you might really have a chance to compete for the position of Grand Swordmaster,” Lu Siyu urged.

Lu Sizhan shook his head and closed the box. “That’s impossible. Even if the Azuresword Sovereign is a formidable expert, he’s not one of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s top swordsmen. The fact that he can casually share his Minor Harmonious Sword Canon is proof that it’s not nearly enough to help me become the Grand Swordmaster. That’s underestimating Lu Feichen and the rest. If it was the Grand Azuresword Canon... maybe.”

“How do you know if you don’t even try? You’re not even competing yet!”

“Do you understand how strong Lu Feichen is? I can’t even see his Beheading Star.

“Then there’s Lu Bi; his defense is insane.”

“Lu Jing will also be competing for the position of the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster, and even though he only had a single technique, even Lu Feichen needs to take it seriously.

“The Azuresword Sovereign didn’t just send his disciple to propose—he also wants to probe our Four Commands Sword Sect’s merged sword intent. He’s afraid that the next Grand Swordmaster might surpass him. However, if I learn his Minor Harmonious Sword Canon and it is merged into the Grand Swordmaster’s sword intent, then even if the new Four Commands Grand Swordmaster proves to be more powerful, the Azuresword Sovereign won’t be belittled, but instead praised for his generosity.

“Girl, you can never lower your wariness towards others.”

Lu Siyu stared at Lu Sizhan in surprise, as though seeing her father for the first time. “I didn’t expect all of that. Old Lu, you’re pretty sharp to see through all of that.”

Lu Sizhan grew smug. “Of course! Your old man might be lacking when it comes to the sword, but I’m excellent at reading people. You’re right, that brat is a hypocrite. He didn’t give us this technique out of kindness. He already knew that I’m most likely the one who will learn it. Since he’s unable to even see the other three Sect Masters, offering this gift to you was the only way for him to pull this trick.”

“Then give it back! Slap his face with it!” Lu Siyu fumed.

Lu Sizhan chuckled. “There’s no need for all of that. We’ll keep it, and after Lu Feichen becomes the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster, we can return it. We won’t blend it into our sect’s sword intent, but we will study its flaws and deduce Grand Azure’s own weaknesses. Since he wants to scheme against us, we can get right back at him.”

“You old fox.”

“Don’t say that! I’m your father!”

“An old fox of a father.”

...

Just then a maid reported, “Master, another visitor stopped by.”

“Who is it?”

“They said that they were just here to deliver a sword technique, and they left as soon as it was delivered. They didn’t even give a name.”

Lu Sizhan and Lu Siyu exchanged glances. Another sword technique as a gift, but this time without the sender’s name?

Soon the two examined the gift. “This is-!”

“I know. It’s from my elder sisters.”

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

“All of this is amazing. There’s not a single ordinary gift here. You need to properly thank your sisters on behalf of your old man. It’s a pity that this alone won’t be enough to enable me to become the Grand Swordmaster. They’re going to be disappointed in me.”

Lu Siyu gave her father a sweet smile. “My sisters won’t mind. They just want to help me and will only worry that I won’t accept it. All right, Father, take this and read it; maybe it’ll be useful.”

“Well... Very well. Eh, I’ve accepted so many gifts, but this is the first time that I’ve felt embarrassed.

“By the way, where’s that one with the name ‘Lu Yin’? I can’t find him anywhere.”

Lu Siyu snorted. “You don’t need to bother looking for him. He boasted that he was going to cripple the legs of the other three sect masters. He was just blowing hot air.”

Lu Sizhan was left speechless.

Rumors claimed that Lu Feichen, the master of the North Command, was the strongest of the current generation’s Four Commands Sword Sect and the one most likely to become Swordmaster, but this was not merely outsiders’ speculation. It was accepted as fact by everyone in the Four Commands Sword Sect.

However, for one to become the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster, skill and strength were not enough. A bit of luck was also necessary. There had been times in the past when someone had risen to the position of Grand Swordmaster through luck alone. His sword skills had focused solely on defense, and while the other three sect masters had fought desperately, the defense-focused swordsman had reaped the benefits despite barely lifting a hand to win the title. That lucky Grand Swordmaster had risen from the West Command.

It was for that reason that the western direction passed down their ancestors’ advice: “Do not rush. Do not hurry. Maintain a thick skin and an unbroken sword.”

From that moment on, the west’s sword intent had always emphasized defense. Successive generations had specialized in defensive techniques, which led to their defensive power far surpassing their ancestor who had once become the Four Commands Grand Swordmaster. Naturally, the other three directions’ sword intent had similarly grown stronger over the years.

The West Command possessed a maze that had been forged from a strange, incomparably hard metal. Their sect master, Lu Bi, was currently working his way through that maze, and he had not left it in half a year.

He was surrounded by barriers that mirrored the feeling that the man’s own sword intent gave to his opponents. If he could trap the other three competitors within his walls of sword intent, he would win.

He slowly walked through the maze, fully immersing himself in his training. If he could obtain sudden enlightenment, his confidence would soar.

Lu Yin arrived outside of the maze, having already slipped past everyone else in the West Command. He peered ahead in surprise, as this was his first time seeing such this particular cultivation method.

Right after that, his consciousness spread out to envelop the entire maze.