The Affairs of the Martial World - Vol 3: Chapter 14

Ji Wuyou woke up when it was dark. Xie Tingyu had been by his side the whole time, and Zhu Que was cooking. The three gathered together to eat.

Regarding the duel with Murong Hanshan, Ji Wuyou said, “Although he took the initiative to challenge me, I am very grateful to him.”

Zhu Que and Xie Tingyu were puzzled, and Ji Wuyou said, “If it weren’t for Murong Hanshan’s sword, how would my child acknowledge me as his father?”

Hearing this, Xie Tingyu’s face turned red. Ji Wuyou then began to talk about Xie Tingyu’s actions over the past few days. Ji Wuyou knew that he had caused a great disaster for the sake of his mother. But as the leader of a sect, how could he not understand the seriousness of this matter?

He said to Zhu Que, “If the Wudang, Huashan, and Taishan sects ask about the murderer, just let them come to find me at the Tianshan Sword Sect. Alas, I can’t be so overbearing; I should go to them and explain everything clearly.”

Xie Tingyu said, “Father, this is something I have done, and I will bear the responsibility myself. How can I let you step in to resolve it?”

Ji Wuyou said, ‘Yu’er, are we still going to distinguish between us as father and son?'”

Xie Tingyu’s emotions were stirred, leaving him speechless. When he refused to acknowledge Ji Wuyou as his father, he once said that Ji’s character was still inferior to that of Lan Jingyan from the Black Mist Sect. Now, with misunderstandings cleared, there was no longer any barrier between father and son.

Zhu Que said, “If we explain things clearly, these people are not unreasonable.”

Ji Wuyou shook his head and said, “This matter concerns Qian Yan’s reputation, and I cannot take it lightly. Alas, poor my junior brother Yin……” At this point, seeing Xie Tingyu’s expression turn very grim, he realized it was not appropriate to continue, so he changed the subject and said, “As for Murong Hanshan’s swordsmanship, it indeed possesses an unpredictable quality that even gods and spirits cannot fathom; I am no match for it.”

Zhu Que noticed Xie Tingyu’s unpleasant expression and immediately took over Ji Wuyou’s words, asking, “What exactly happened between the Ji Sect Master and the Murong Villa Master? Why is the commotion so great, yet not a single flower in the flowerbed has been broken?”

Ji Wuyou said, “Both of us restrain our sword energy during our fight. Aside from the movements of our bodies and the true power used when wielding our swords, we won’t let any true energy leak out. Without the leakage of true power, how could we destroy external objects? Are we supposed to smash all the tables and chairs in the room just to fight? That would turn it into a brawl of third-rate warriors.”

Zhu Que couldn’t help but be captivated by the imagination; the two truly used their authentic energy solely on themselves and each other, not wasting a single bit. What a remarkable realm this is! Even so, as they moved with their footwork, they did not trample or damage the flowers and plants, indicating that their control over true energy was not only profound and unfathomable, but their grasp of the surrounding environment during combat had also reached an astonishingly incredible level.

Ji Wuyou said, ‘I have finally failed at the last moment, defeated under the sword of Murong Hanshan. But I accept my defeat wholeheartedly.'”

Zhu Que recalled what Murong Hanshan had said before leaving and couldn’t help but say, “Master Murong said he doesn’t count as winning, and Master Ji doesn’t count as losing.”

Ji Wuyou said, “If it weren’t for my longing for Qian Yan today, my internal strength wouldn’t have dropped from its usual level. The outcome of this duel would be hard to say. Murong Hanshan also noticed this point; he doesn’t covet the honor of defeating me, but how can I disregard the facts? A loss is a loss; it’s nothing to make a big deal out of.”

Zhu Que was deeply impressed by Ji Wuyou’s demeanor, feeling completely in awe. With no sense of honor or disgrace, no concern for victory or defeat, and remaining impartial, he embodied the highest realm of personal cultivation. At this level, what he embraced in his heart was not limited to just the sword, nor just emotions, nor merely all things in the world. Suddenly, he no longer worried about Ji Wuyou handling the matter of Xie Tingyu with various sects.

After dinner, they went to bed.

The next morning, Zhu Que woke up and saw Ji Wuyou standing in the valley but did not see Xie Tingyu. Ji Wuyou said, “He has already left, still wanting to handle the trouble he caused by himself.”

Zhu Que said, “Master Ji, then you……”

Ji Wuyou said, “I must hurry there as well. This kid acts recklessly and impulsively. I’m afraid that if he makes a mistake, it could lead to something difficult to resolve. With the major sects joining forces, it’s certainly not a trivial matter. I waited for you to wake up because I wanted to thank you for keeping Yu’er and me company these past few days.”

Zhu Que knew he was eager to chase after his son and said, “There’s no need for the formalities, Master. I just hope everything can be resolved smoothly.” He led over the horse Meng Xingyue had given him, took down the luggage, and brought the horse to Ji Wuyou, allowing Ji Wuyou to ride the swift horse.

Ji Wuyou nodded gratefully and, without hesitation, mounted the horse and immediately took off like the wind.

In the Wuyou Valley, only Zhu Que remained. Zhu Que pondered the events that had transpired in the valley over the past few days, reflecting on how Qian Yan had lived here for more than twenty years, genuinely unsure how to endure such a long passage of time.

Zhu Que felt the oppressive loneliness and couldn’t help but let out a long howl, the sound echoing through the valley for a long time before finally fading. Countless birds in the valley were startled and took to the sky. Zhu Que felt a release from the depression in his heart, thinking that with Ji Wuyou taking over Xie Tingyu’s matters, there was no need for him to inquire further.

He packed his luggage, slung it over his shoulder, and strode out of the valley.

Half a day later, he returned to Summer Tara and saw the wild horse herd that had taken his horse that day, so he used his lightness skill to rush towards the herd.

The horse herd was startled and scattered in all directions. Zhu Que fixed its gaze on one of the white horses, exerted its strength to chase after it, and finally ran alongside the white horse. That horse was very clever; seeing Zhu Que rushing up beside it, it suddenly turned and dashed off in another direction.

But Zhu Que was faster; with a leap, he had already jumped onto the horse’s back. The white horse reared up, trying to throw him off, but he wrapped his arms around the horse’s neck. The horse couldn’t endure the pressure and let go of its four hooves, galloping wildly across the grassland. However, his arms were like iron hoops, making it hard for the white horse to breathe. After running several miles, realizing it couldn’t shake off the demon on its back, the horse finally calmed down and was tamed by him.

Riding on a white horse, although there was no saddle, was much less tiring than walking by oneself.

On this day, Zhu Que passed through Qingshui County and remembered a friend who was here. He dismounted at the outskirts of the city, patted the horse’s hindquarters, and let it leave on its own. He then walked towards Qingshui County on foot.