Chapter 450: He Guarded Humanity for Decades

Chapter 450: He Guarded Humanity for Decades

Facing this self-assured young sword cultivator, Chen Chao felt a bit helpless. However, the other quickly laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm different from those other cultivators. I don't have any prejudices against martial artists like you. In my eyes, there are only two kinds of cultivators in the world: those I can't beat and those who are interesting. Clearly, you belong to the latter."

Chen Chao raised an eyebrow. "Why not the former?"

Lin Xian shook his head. "No, no, no, that's impossible."

Chen Chao could not be bothered to argue with him. After resting for a while, Lin Xian got up and smiled, "I'm heading off first. If you have time, come find me at Jade Summit Mountain. But the people there might not welcome you, so you might have to fight your way up."

Chen Chao twitched his mouth. What kind of talk was that?

Lin Xian laughed heartily, stood up, and continued climbing up the mountain.

Chen Chao did not rest for long. After restoring his qi, he resumed climbing. However, this time, the ascent was still arduous. It was not until he took a few steps that Chen Chao belatedly remembered what Lin Xian had said earlier. Slowly, he began to let the qi within his body seep out. However, this action was immediately perceived as provocation by the myriad sword qi surrounding him. The sword qi instantly became ten times more violent than before. Chen Chao had originally hoped to find a shortcut, but now he had brought trouble upon himself and was suffering greatly.

In just a moment, Chen Chao's black shirt was riddled with holes. Not only that, but his body beneath the black clothes was also cut by countless swords, with fine blood beads appearing instantly. However, due to Chen Chao's powerful physique, the wounds quickly healed and reopened in a continuous cycle of torment.

Chen Chao was in agony. What kind of situation was this?

However, he quickly noticed some subtle gaps between the myriad sword qi. Although the sword qi was dense, there were still spaces between each strand. This was because each flying sword was proud and unwilling to merge with the others, creating opportunities for Chen Chao. He even discovered that if he guided his qi to collide with a certain strand of sword qi, the other party would get angrier, making it even more difficult to control the sword qi. Hence, there were even exchanges of attacks between different strands of sword energy, leading to chaotic conditions amidst the sword qi on the mountain.

As Chen Chao maneuvered through the chaotic sword qi, he found opportunities amidst the chaos, making his progress less difficult than before.

However, after a moment, he heard a commotion and cursing ahead. "Who the hell is causing trouble? Your Father... ah... my ass..."

Expressionless, Chen Chao passed by a sword cultivator whose posterior had been unfortunate enough to be pierced by the chaotic sword qi, blood flowing freely, without saying a word.

With his unorthodox method, Chen Chao actually progressed much faster than many sword cultivators. Before long, Lin Xian's figure appeared in front of him again.

This guy was currently sweating profusely and struggling to resist the mountain full of sword qi. After seeing Chen Chao, he could not resist cursing with a pale complexion, "If Your Father finds out which bastard is causing trouble, Your Father will cut him down with one stroke!"

Chen Chao nodded solemnly, "Indeed, climbing the mountain has become even more difficult now."

But after saying this, Chen Chao passed Lin Xian and continued forward.

Realizing belatedly, Lin Xian watched Chen Chao's back and cursed, "Chen Chao, you damned son of a bitch!"

Chen Chao turned a deaf ear to it and continued his ascent silently, now approaching the halfway point up the mountain.

Ahead, he could already faintly make out a human-height stone slab with three characters etched on it.

Despite this reasoning, Chen Chao still felt uncertain, even though he had several contingency plans.

Sighing, he finally reached the mountain gate of Sword Qi Mountain. The disciples guarding the gate seemed to have already been instructed by the old man and thus did not look too pleased. Upon seeing Chen Chao, they said stiffly, "Sword Qi Mountain is a restricted area. Idlers are not allowed."

Chen Chao had nothing to say to this. The rules of Sword Qi Mountain were just like that. They did not say that reaching the mountain gate after climbing the path would grant you entry, nor did they specify that you had to take this particular path to climb up the mountain. But ultimately, this was the domain of Sword Qi Mountain, and they decide the rules.

Chen Chao sighed but still smiled as he said, "I have a letter from an elder that I need to deliver to a senior on the mountain. Could you please notify them?"

Chen Chao had various methods to get into the mountain. As a last resort, he could fabricate a story about Sword Qi Mountain harboring a fugitive from the Great Liang Dynasty and claim he was here to investigate. But while that might get him into the mountain, it would nearly destroy any chance of forming a relationship; a situation he wanted to avoid.

Pressuring them with the authority of the Great Liang Dynasty might work, but it would certainly make others unhappy. Chen Chao understood this simple principle.

"Who is it for?" The gatekeeping disciple's tone remained as stern as ever.

Chen Chao looked at the disciple, not speaking immediately, but a cold glint appeared in his eyes.

Constantly backing down sometimes would not make others respect you, it merely made others think you were easy to bully.

Chen Chao could make a concession for the big shots on the mountain, but what did it mean for a mere gatekeeping disciple to act with such an attitude?

The disciple noticed the chill in Chen Chao's eyes and his expression stiffened. When he spoke again, his tone was much more amicable. "Fellow Daoist, please tell us whose letter you're delivering and to whom in the mountain it is addressed."

Chen Chao said calmly, "I can only tell you who the letter is from. As for the recipient, you will find out after you report it."

That disciple's expression grew uneasy, but he still said softly, "Please speak, Fellow Daoist."

Chen Chao took a deep breath and said coolly, "Xiao Hezheng."

The two gatekeeping disciples exchanged glances, looking bewildered. Who was Xiao Hezheng? Why had they never heard of it before?

These three words sounded utterly unfamiliar to them. It was not some famous great cultivator from the foreign lands, nor was it someone with a long-standing reputation.

Chen Chao observed the expressions of the two gatekeeping disciples and realized they were unfamiliar with the name of that Great General. Indeed, the Great General had guarded the Northern Frontier for many years. The imperial court mostly referred to him as Great General. Even the foreign cultivators mostly only knew him as an unparalleled martial artist and the Northern Frontier Great General of the Great Liang Dynasty. Few people knew his real name.

Chen Chao exhaled a breath of turbid air, feeling an inexplicable sadness. For so many years, the Great General had defended the North for the human race, almost dedicating his entire life to it. He had just passed away less than a year ago, and was he already going to be forgotten by the world?

Momentarily distracted by his chaotic thoughts, Chen Chao quickly regained his senses and said softly, "The former Northern Frontier Great General, Xiao Hezheng."

Chen Chao looked seriously at the two gatekeeping disciples and said earnestly, "He once defended the North for the human race for decades."