The Affairs of the Martial World - Vol 3 - The Past: Chapter 1

The path to fame of Murong Hanshan was the most widely circulated legend in the martial world.

The Villa of Ten Thousand Swords was known as the holy land in the hearts of swordsmen in the martial world.

It was said that the reason it was called the Villa of Ten Thousand Swords was not because the villa housed ten thousand swords but because the villa’s master, Murong Hanshan, wielded a sword that was enough to surpass ten thousand swords in the martial world.

At seventeen, Murong Hanshan had just mastered his swordsmanship and set off alone to Mount Hua to challenge the sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Yue Feng.

The Mount Hua Sword Technique was renowned throughout the world, and the sect leader, Yue Feng, was a master who excelled in both internal and external skills within the Mount Hua Sect. 

Facing the challenge of this young man in his twenties, Yue Feng did not take him seriously and sent out a few of his favored disciples to teach the boy a lesson. However, to his surprise, these disciples were quickly injured and defeated.

Yue Feng had no choice but to take action himself.

Murong Hanshan forced Yue Feng to abandon his sword and admit defeat in less than two hundred moves.

Yue Feng was a proud and ambitious person. After being defeated by a young man, he felt deeply ashamed. Following this battle, he relinquished his position as the sect leader and settled in a hut behind the Fairy Peak of Mount Hua, diligently practicing his swordsmanship, hoping to achieve mastery of the Qi Yi Sword Technique and redeem his previous humiliation.

After hearing about this matter, the abbot of Shaolin predicted that Yue Feng would never surpass Murong Hanshan in his lifetime. Because even if his swordsmanship reached its peak, it would only be a more formidable technique, unable to reach the realm of the sword’s way.

On the contrary, Murong Hanshan, though young, swordsmanship had transcended technique and entered the realm of the formless, with only a chance away from entering Dao.

For many years after that, Murong Hanshan traveled thousands of miles, challenging various swordsmanship masters, and had never suffered a defeat.

As his fame grew, Murong Hanshan gradually became more arrogant.

Until he met Master Beidou, known as the Sword Saint, under the ruthless peak of Kunlun Mountain in the Western Regions.

Master Beidou had previously heard about Murong Hanshan’s experiences of challenging and gaining fame everywhere. Seeing that Murong Hanshan had lost respect for his elders, he scolded, “In times without heroes, it’s the young who gain fame. If the young gain fame and do not cherish it, they will surely be abandoned by the principles of the Dao.”

Murong Hanshan boasted, “Once you defeat the sword in my hand, then it won’t be too late to teach me a lesson.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he and his sword merged into one and charged at Master Beidou. Under his sword, Master Beidou seemed complete still, but Murong Hanshan’s strike, which he believed was certain to hit, suddenly pierced the air.

After that, Murong Hanshan unleashed eighteen sword techniques in succession, each one faster and more cunning than the last, yet still, every strike missed its mark. No matter how thick-skinned he was, he felt he could not attempt the twentieth move.

After his nineteen continuous attacks, the opponent remained standing in the same spot, never once counterattacking. Yet, it became clear to him that if the opponent were to counterattack, he would definitely be unable to defend against it.

To defeat the enemy without fighting. This was the transcend swordsmanship of a sage.

This was why the Sword Saint is called the Sword Saint.

“I lost,” Murong Hanshan said dejectedly.

“You haven’t lost; you just haven’t won.” Master Beidou said, “The highest realm of swordsmanship is not to defeat others, but to conquer oneself. When you believe you are invincible, it’s only by overcoming yourself again that you can break through your limits and reach the realm of the Dao.”

“From the sword in hand to the sword in the heart, from the sword in the heart to no sword at all!”

“No sword……”

“Do you understand?”

Murong Hanshan ended his wandering life of seeking sword duels with Master Beidou and returned to Jiangnan.

In just a few years, the Villa of Ten Thousand Swords rose to prominence in the martial arts world.

Years ago, Murong Hanshan reached the foot of Kunlun Mountain and turned back, just a step away from encountering the Tianshan Sword Sect. If he hadn’t met Master Beidou, he feared he would have already competed with Ji Wuyou.

Will Murong Hanshan feel regret because of that?

Can Zhu Que stop the fight between Murong Hanshan and Ji Wuyou?