Chapter 47: The Sword Alliance Invitation

Looking at the expression on Lin Yuchu’s face, Ruan Mingzhao’s heart instantly sank to the bottom of the water.

His gaze, dark and dejected, withdrew. He did not dare look at Lin Yuchu again. He pressed his lips together and said nothing.

And the moment Zhengyang Sword Immortal said those words, the entire hall fell silent.

Deathly silent.

The expressions on everyone’s faces were full of disbelief. Their gazes shifted from Lin Yuchu, whose face was expressionless and whose eyes were icy, to Ruan Mingzhao beside him, whose expression was gloomy, whose eyes were as dark as deep water, and who likewise stood there in silence without speaking.

For some reason…

For one instant, they felt the sting of angst.

Standing beside Lin Yuchu, Jiang Yu angrily raised his head and stared at Zhengyang Sword Immortal ahead. His face was full of fury. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he closed it again and said nothing.

What was the point of saying more?

What was the point of asking more?

In this situation…

Was it not already painful and humiliating enough?

Why thrust another knife into someone’s wound?

Jiang Yu gritted his teeth, and in the end, he said nothing. He only stretched out the hand at his side and held Lin Yuchu’s hand beside him.

Tightly, with all his strength.

And Lin Yuchu stood there without moving.

His fair and beautiful face was ice-cold.

There was not a trace of expression on it.

He looked like a person carved from ice and jade.

Zhengyang Sword Immortal stood at the front, taking in every change in everyone’s expressions.

His gaze swept over Ruan Mingzhao standing below. He saw that Ruan Mingzhao’s eyes were dark and cold, his expression forbearing and humiliated. His teeth were biting hard into his lip, and even the hands hanging at his sides were clenched tightly into fists. He stood there without saying a word.

Sigh!

Zhengyang Sword Immortal sighed inwardly, then turned to look at Lin Yuchu beside him.

This youth’s reaction seemed much calmer.

There was no extra expression on his face. His complexion was only as cold as deep winter, his gaze tempered with ice.

When that fair and beautiful face had gone completely expressionless and cold, it seemed like the coldest color in the world.

A frost so cold it could never melt.

Zhengyang Sword Immortal looked at him, then took a paper answer sheet from his sleeve. It was the one everyone had handed in during the second round of the examination earlier.

“This is your Sword Path.”

Zhengyang Sword Immortal looked at Lin Yuchu before him as he spoke.

At the sound of his voice, Lin Yuchu’s cold and rigid body finally reacted. He lifted his head, his pair of frost-like eyes looking at Zhengyang Sword Immortal ahead.

“You wrote on it…”

Zhengyang Sword Immortal opened his answer sheet and slowly read aloud, “A sword is a sword. It is a weapon that fits the hand, an instrument for killing… The Sword Path is the path of killing… Kill enemies, kill evil, kill demons, kill wickedness… With one sword, sweep through the world, eliminate every injustice beneath the heavens, and stop killing with killing.”

Standing below, Lin Yuchu quietly listened as he read his answer sheet on the Sword Path. He remained silent and said not a word.

After he finished reading, Zhengyang Sword Immortal stopped. He raised his eyes, looked at him, and said, “This is your Sword Path?”

At these words.

“Yes.”

Lin Yuchu answered without hesitation.

Hearing his answer, Zhengyang Sword Immortal shook his head. He looked at him with disapproval and said, “Your sword is too fierce.”

“The killing nature in your Sword Path is also too heavy.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yu at the side finally could not hold back. Speaking up for Lin Yuchu, he said, “A sword is a fierce object to begin with. It’s used to kill.”

“If it isn’t fierce and doesn’t kill, is it still a sword?” Jiang Yu asked in return.

At these words, Zhengyang Sword Immortal turned and glanced at him, then said in an indifferent voice, “A sword has no killing aura by nature, nor any fierce nature.”

“When it does not kill, it is no different from a tree branch or a vine,” he said. “Only when a sword is in a person’s hand is it endowed with all manner of meaning.”

“Whether it is a sword that kills or a sword that saves depends entirely on the one who wields it.”

“Killing has never been the goal. It is only a method used when there is no other choice.”

After saying this, Zhengyang Sword Immortal raised his head and looked at Lin Yuchu before him. “Your sword is too fierce because your heart is too fierce.”

“One who is fierce, one who is evil, is unsuited to learning the sword.”

“If you learn the sword, it will only add to your killing nature. In the future, you may become a calamity and bring harm to a region. And in this world, karma returns upon itself. If the killing nature is too heavy, it harms others and harms oneself.” Zhengyang Sword Immortal looked at the expressionless youth before him, whose gaze was cold as ice, and advised, “Perhaps if you study medicine, save people, aid the world, and accumulate merit, it will help dissolve the killing nature and fierce aura that fill your body.”

“With blessings upon you, it will benefit others and yourself.”

…

At dusk, the sun set, and the sky was a gray, hazy expanse.

Lin Yuchu returned alone to the Lin estate, dragging the long, slanting shadow behind him.

As soon as he entered the estate, he saw Lin Yunheng already waiting in the courtyard behind the main gate. Sensing movement ahead, Lin Yunheng, who had originally been sitting before the stone table with an alchemy text in hand and his head lowered in reading, immediately looked up.

Seeing Lin Yuchu return, Lin Yunheng’s face instantly broke into a smile. He waved to him with a smile and said, “Little Chu, you’re back.”

“You must be hungry. Come here quickly. Dad had the kitchen make your favorite pastries.”

Lin Yuchu looked toward the stone table ahead. Sure enough, the table was covered with exquisite, dazzling pastries, all the ones he usually liked.

After hearing this, he fell silent and walked forward without saying a word.

He sat down in front of Lin Yunheng.

He sat beside the stone table without speaking, and the expression on his face was also silent and cold.

At this point, Lin Yunheng also sensed that something was wrong.

He raised his head and glanced at Lin Yuchu before him. The smile on his face faded as well, and he set down the alchemy text in his hand.

Sitting properly in front of Lin Yuchu, he looked at him and asked in a gentle, patient tone, “How did Zhengyang Sword Immortal’s disciple selection go this afternoon?”

At these words, there was a quiet wait for a moment.

Only then did Lin Yuchu’s cold, calm voice say, “He chose Ruan Mingzhao.”

At these words.

Lin Yunheng was also quiet for a moment, then gave a light laugh and said, “Is that so? Then it seems that child Ruan Mingzhao’s sword style and principles must have suited his taste.”

“Senior Brother Zhengyang has always been such a upright, steady, traditional person. He likes people who are steady and traditional like him, people who act with fairness and integrity.”

Lin Yunheng’s tone was ordinary, as if he were speaking of household matters.

He spoke those words as if nothing were wrong, then reached out and stroked the youth’s head. Lin Yuchu, whose head was being patted by him, lowered his eyes and remained silent without saying a word.

Lin Yunheng looked at him, his tone growing even softer and warmer. “Zhengyang Sword Immortal is not suited to you. In the future, there will surely be someone else who is suited to you.”

“The cultivation world is vast, and there are countless sword cultivators. Their bearing and paths are all different. There will always be one suited to you. When the time comes, you can pick the one you like best.” As he spoke, Lin Yunheng smiled, his gaze gentle as he looked at him. “Our Little Chu is so adorable. If you go knocking on someone’s door, there definitely won’t be anyone who refuses you.”

At these words, Lin Yuchu pressed his lips together.

Only after a long time.

Did he say in a low voice, “Liar.”

“There obviously is…”

After hearing this.

Lin Yunheng looked fixedly at him for a long time, then sighed inwardly. He reached out and hugged him, pressing his head into his arms, and said softly, “I’m not lying.”

“Zhengyang Sword Immortal doesn’t count. I know you don’t like him, Little Chu. He isn’t suited to you, so he doesn’t count.”

Lin Yuchu leaned in Lin Yunheng’s arms, feeling the warmth in his chest and the softness of his embrace. He could not help blinking.

Then he turned his face and buried his whole head against Lin Yunheng’s chest, rubbing against him hard.

“I want scallion-oil chicken for dinner.”

Lin Yuchu’s muffled voice came from his arms.

At the sound of it, Lin Yunheng immediately let out a breath of relief in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face. “Dad will have the kitchen make it!”

“You can eat whatever you want.”

…

Night.

The night was deep and still, the candlelight dim.

Lin Yunheng had already changed into his snow-white inner robes and was lying on the bed, preparing to sleep.

Suddenly—

Knock, knock, knock.

A burst of light knocking sounded.

Inside the room, Lin Yunheng, who was lying on the bed, immediately lifted his head and glanced toward the door. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

The corners of his lips curved slightly, revealing a helpless yet indulgent and doting smile. Then he got up from the bed.

He walked to the door and opened it.

Lin Yuchu stood outside, wearing a thin, moon-white inner garment. Both hands held a small snow-white pillow. He raised his head and blinked a pair of pitiful, innocent eyes at him, then said softly, “There’s a snake in my room. I’m sleeping with you tonight.”

At these words, hearing this excuse of his, Lin Yunheng nearly burst out laughing.

There was a snake in his room???

Son, how are you this adorable!

To think you could come up with an excuse like this.

Although the timing was not very appropriate, Lin Yunheng, this troublesome dad, truly could not hold back. Unable to restrain the mischievous urge stirring in his heart to tease his son, he deliberately asked his precious son before him, “How could there be a snake in your room?”

“I don’t know either. Probably because I forgot to close the window, so it crawled in through the window.”

Lin Yuchu also wore an expression as if this were absolutely serious as he spoke.

“So that’s how it is!”

At these words, Lin Yunheng cooperated perfectly, nodding in sudden realization. “Then come in.”

He looked at Lin Yuchu before him and said with a smile, “Tonight, father and son will sleep together.”

Having received permission, Lin Yuchu did not hesitate at all. He immediately carried his little pillow into the room, climbed onto Lin Yunheng’s bed, and slept on the inner side.

He even thoughtfully shifted inward, leaving a large empty space for Lin Yunheng. Seeing that Lin Yunheng was still at the doorway closing the door, he immediately reached out and patted the empty spot on the bed, calling to Lin Yunheng, “Dad, hurry up and come over. I saved the best spot for you.”

At these words, Lin Yunheng immediately shook his head and laughed despite himself. This bandit of a son.

After the lamp was extinguished.

The father and son lay side by side on the bed.

In the pitch-dark night.

All was quiet and soundless.

Lin Yuchu lay flat on the bed, blinking his black, bright eyes in the darkness. After a long while, he softly said, “Zhengyang Sword Immortal said my sword was too fierce, so he chose Ruan Mingzhao.”

“He simply isn’t suited to you. His Sword Path and sword intent do not align with yours. Among the three thousand Great Daos, different paths lead to the same destination. There is nothing wrong with that.” Lying beside him, Lin Yunheng answered in a clear, calm voice.

“He also said my nature was too fierce, so my sword was fierce. He said I’m not suited to learning the Sword Path because my killing nature is too heavy, and that I’ll bring harm to a region in the future,” Lin Yuchu said.

“Nonsense!”

At these words, Lin Yunheng immediately grew angry. “What’s wrong with Zhengyang? Are his eyes crooked? Did he cultivate the Sword Path on a snowy mountain and get blinded by all that white snow? My son is this well-behaved. Where is he fierce? You’re so sensible and so willing to help others. Among the neighbors, the people on the streets, the assistants at the medicine firm, who doesn’t praise you?”

“I think Zhengyang has gone muddled with age!” Lin Yunheng said angrily.

Seeing him so angry, Lin Yuchu felt a little happy inside, then smugly raised the corners of his mouth.

“Oh.”

He said in a faint voice, “I also think Zhengyang Sword Immortal is blind. I’m this good!”

“And he actually didn’t choose me. In the future, I’ll definitely make sure he’s unworthy of even reaching up to me!”

“Hmph! I’ll make him regret it.”

Lin Yunheng, sleeping beside him, immediately agreed. “That’s right. That’s exactly the spirit. Make him regret it. Make him unworthy of reaching up to you!”

“Go to sleep already!”

Lin Yuchu yanked the quilt upward with force, covering his face, and said, “I still have class tomorrow morning. I’m exhausted today. I don’t want to be unable to get up tomorrow and be late.”

“Sleep.”

Lin Yunheng turned over, stretched out his long arm, and pulled the youth beside him fully into his arms. Holding him, he gently patted his back and said in a low voice beside his ear, “Sleep. Have a good sleep.”

“Have a beautiful dream. Everything will be fine.”

…

The next day.

Kunlun Dao Academy.

Early in the morning, Lin Yuchu had only just arrived at the classroom and had not even sat down before Gu Daozi called him out.

Outside the classroom door.

Lin Yuchu raised his head and looked at Gu Daozi, who had called him out, with a puzzled expression. He asked, “Headmaster, did you call me out for something?”

At these words, Gu Daozi looked fixedly at him for a long time.

Then he sighed, took out an invitation with a black background and red patterns, and said to him in a heavy voice, “This is the name invitation sent by the Sword Alliance for the Sword Path Grand Competition.”

“I recommended you to go.”

He looked at Lin Yuchu before him as he spoke.

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