Chapter Twelve: A Modest Mastery of the Sword Path

[Task Completed, Reward: Proficient in Swordsmanship.]

[Please find a quiet place to receive the reward.]

Two days later, news spread from both the Xing Duke’s Mansion and the Marquis of Wuan’s Mansion, confirming the alliance through marriage.

Chen Yi then received a notification on his interface indicating the task was completed.

He immediately chose to accept the task reward.

“Hiss!”

This time, the images that surfaced in his mind were no longer just sword techniques. Instead, countless scenes of famous mountains and great rivers, deep seas and long rivers, as well as various monsters and demons, flooded his vision.

The only constant in every scene was a figure whose features were indistinct, wielding a three-foot-long Qingfeng sword, dancing through swordplay.

On the towering mountain peaks, overlooking a serene and secluded valley, the sword in hand moved as if weighing thousands of pounds—powerful and heavy.

By the riverside, the swordplay was connected yet layered with dense sword shadows, flowing continuously and without end.

Against the demons and monsters, that figure battled fiercely, the sword flashing like thunder, no longer bound by strict sword forms or moves, but pursuing speed, precision, and ruthlessness.

Each strike was like an antelope's hooked horn—thrusting, slashing, or cutting—hitting the demons’ weak points. Amid the sword’s aura, every blow was fatal.

Chen Yi found himself immersed in these vivid scrolls, as if he were that swordsman, journeying through landscapes and seas, slaying all monsters with his sword.

[Begin comprehending the essence of the sword. Swordsmanship and spirit unite. You can now express your will through your sword, granting it a measure of sentience.]

Chen Yi didn’t see this message. The more he sank into the visions, the more the jade sword hanging from his wrist gently swayed, as if it were alive.

Time passed unknowingly.

“Second brother, second brother, second brother…”

A voice drew near, awakening Chen Yi from the scrolls.

“What is it?”

Chen Yuan reached out with a small hand to touch his forehead, his little serious face like a miniature adult. “Are you sick?”

“No.”

“Just now, you wouldn’t wake up no matter how much I called. I almost went to find Second Mother…”

“I was just asleep.”

Thinking back to the earlier images, Chen Yi summoned the interface screen and looked at the details.

[Name: Chen Yi]

[Age: 31]

[Cultivation: None]

[Talent: Late Bloomer—The older the bone age, the faster the cultivation.]

[Swordsmanship: Proficient—Only after traveling far and wide and mastering combat can one grasp the sword’s essence.]

[Counterattack Points: 0/100]

Chen Yi exhaled deeply—Proficient in swordsmanship!

Although he had yet to fully grasp the sword’s essence, his understanding of the sword way had deepened beyond merely knowing sword moves.

Especially the memories of slaying demons gave him the feeling that “with a sword in hand, the world is at my feet.”

Alas, he still had no cultivation—his profound sword skills lacked the power to sustain them.

Foundation Establishment!

Once he passed the Foundation Establishment assessment, he could temper his body and practice the basic cultivations!

“Second brother, I have a question for you.”

“Hmm?”

Chen Yuan’s little face looked troubled and a bit shy. “Do you think I should talk to Mother about… about the engagement…”

“Engagement?”

“Yeah.”

Chen Yi thought to himself—could it be that his earlier coaxing sparked interest in his eldest brother?

“Why do you suddenly want to get engaged?”

“Well, today I overheard Mother saying that once you’re engaged, relying on Duke Xing, you’ll surely achieve great things. So I thought…”

“And?”

“And also,” Chen Yuan tilted his head, thinking, “she said something about you passing the Foundation Establishment assessment… but I forgot.”

Pass the Foundation Establishment assessment?

Chen Yi pondered for a few seconds, his smile slowly fading.

Perhaps what Second Mother really meant was that he couldn’t pass the assessment?

“Did Second Mother tell you this?”

“No, no, it was the wet nurse,” Chen Yuan scratched his head and looked at him pitifully. “Second brother, you mustn’t tell Mother I eavesdropped—she’d hit me.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t betray you.”

“So, do you think I should go tell Mother?”

“No.”

Chen Yi’s expression instantly grew serious, as calm as a sage, and he spoke slowly:

“Big brother, do you know why I got engaged?”

“No,” Chen Yuan shook his head.

“Do you remember when we visited that temple?”

“Remember, the bald monk—what a thief.”

“…That’s not important. What matters is that when the Buddha was born, he told me that women are all red-skinned skeletons.”

“Sk-sk-skeletons?” Chen Yuan’s little face panicked. “Demons?”

“Not demons, but worse than demons!”

Chen Yi closed his eyes with a look of sorrow and compassion. “The Buddha appeared to me in a dream and said, ‘If I do not enter hell, who will?’ He charged me to get engaged early to save all living beings.”

Chen Yuan widened his eyes, hesitating before asking, “Second brother, can I save all living beings too?”

“You?” Chen Yi shook his head, sighing, “Probably not—you’ve already said so many ‘bald monk’ insults. It’s too late.”

“Then I’ll change!”

“That works. Once you’ve changed, I’ll talk to the Buddha and have him assign you a mission to save all living beings.”

Chen Yi fought back a smile, his cheeks flushed as he said, “Before that, you need to study every day and strive to become a man who stands tall and proud.”

“Okay, okay! I definitely can!”

Watching Chen Yuan rush out, Chen Yi quickly covered himself with the blanket and laughed.

He wondered if, when the eldest brother grows up and looks back on this embarrassing history, he might come after him for revenge.

If it were him, he might feel like tearing that person apart.

After a while of laughing, Chen Yi rose and stood by the window, gazing at the lush green willows outside, deep in thought.

With the Foundation Establishment assessment approaching, Second Mother’s movements would only become more frequent.

“It seems the ‘Soft Bone Powder’ isn’t the final measure. There will likely be other changes in these last days.”

“Poison? That’s the safest bet. She’d probably choose that method again.”

With the interface, Chen Yi wasn’t overly worried.

What he feared was that if one plan failed, she might resort to even more extreme actions.

Like assassination?

Chen Yi’s heart stirred. He glanced at the jade sword on his wrist, casually gripping it. A faint joy welled up from deep within.

“You can’t endure it anymore either, huh? Little sword.”

“Don’t like that name? How about Little Jade?”

“Ah, not that either?”

Muttering to himself, Chen Yi’s face broke into a smile once more.

Although the ancestral blessing on the Little Jade Sword was nearly depleted, it was still enough for him to deliver a strike.

But when it truly came to that point, Zhou Wanyi, Chen Yuan, and even the Zhou family of the Marquis of Tiance would be locked in a fight to the death with him.

“I don’t kill Bo Ren, but that doesn’t mean Bo Ren can’t seek his own demise!”

Chen Yi’s expression was no longer the usual obedient, playful boyishness; he grew unusually stern.

He could endure the poison damaging his body for now and refrain from lashing out at others—provided his bottom line was not crossed.

Otherwise—death!

P.S.: Thanks to the generous patron Deep Blue Waltz.

[End of pages 1–3.]