Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 43 Removing the Plaque
"Who among you dares to take down the plaque of Wenjianzhai?"

Everyone present had a way out, except He Guo.

For the sake of this sword hall, he put all the spirit stones he won as a reward for winning the sword contest, and even mortgaged his ancestral home in the city that never sleeps in exchange for spirit stones. Since he had no parents, he regarded this sword hall as his new home.

Therefore, he stepped forward without hesitation and wanted to stop the people behind Chen Tengjiao from taking down the plaque of the sword hall.

However, he had lost his flying sword and had multiple hidden injuries on his body. When he was about to stop him, a young man swung his hand like a knife and slashed his elbow. He then leaned over and kneed He Guo in the abdomen, causing the young man to hunch over.

"Brother Chen Shi, can you sell me a little bit?"

Xie Yan came to Chen Tengjiao with an embarrassed look on his face and saluted, but when he stood up, he waved his arms and attacked the young man in front of him like a poisonous snake.

He Guo didn't know, but Xie Yan knew it very well. Chen Tengjiao was 29 years old and had reached the ninth level of Qi training. He was the first in the last sword competition.

He was confident that he could handle the situation with these people following him.

However, Chen Tengjiao was more than ten years older than him, and only one level lower than him. This was a gap brought about by time. He was not sure he could compete with him.

Time is the fairest thing.

The resulting gap is also the most difficult to overcome.

Xie Yan used all his strength to attack with his fingers like swords. The sword moves covered several vital points on Chen Tengjiao's body, tearing through the wind and air, and even the sound of wind and thunder could be heard faintly.

This sneak attack with the sword was truly spectacular.

But when the two looked at each other, Xie Yan's heart sank.

Because what he saw was a pair of eyes that were indifferent and even had a hint of appreciation.

Since Xie Yan didn't draw his sword, Chen Tengjiao didn't draw his sword either. He also used his fingers like a sword, drawing, pulling, lifting, blocking, striking, stabbing, tapping, and collapsing. He restrained the opponent with every move and broke every style.

After a few moves of four arms fighting each other, Xie Yan's arms fell limply. Chen Tengjiao, whose chest was broken by the sword, tapped him several times with his fingers, blocking his magic power.

"The young people in the City That Never Sleeps are really getting worse with each generation. Two people like this can actually get first and second place in the sword fighting competition. Xie Yan is okay, but what kind of waste is this He Guo? If it were us back then..."

“Not as good as them.”

These words came suddenly, and before the young men with swords on their backs could react, they felt a heavy slap on their cheeks.

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap.

The loud slapping sounds were almost continuous.

The person who attacked used great force and had no intention of holding back. Almost all of these young men with swords on their backs fell to the ground with their bodies spinning around. One side of their cheek quickly became red and swollen, and their teeth fell out.

Chen Tengjiao, who originally had a calm expression and a temperament as if he was in control of the overall situation, suddenly changed his expression at this moment.

Even with his ninth level of Qi training and more than twenty years of hard sword practice, at this moment he was unable to catch the movement of the person who made the move.

His moves were like those of a ghost. Not only were they extremely fast, but each change in his body movements was extremely accurate and landed in the blind spot of ordinary people's vision. The figure swayed left and right as if walking in a curve, but appeared in front of him in an instant as if teleporting.

Until this moment, the slow voice finally came:

"It's just an extra ten years of practicing Taoism, practicing swordsmanship, and consuming resources under the training of elders. What's there to be proud of?"

Because one hand was holding He Guo's collar, Lu Cheng could only draw his sword with the other hand.

He used his index and middle fingers as a sword and stabbed Chen Tengjiao in the center of his eyebrows.

Chen Tengjiao waved his arms wildly, trying his best to block. It was not that he did not want to ward off the sword behind him, but he had no chance. The sword skills that he had practiced for more than 20 years and had been invulnerable to wind and rain could not withstand the flashing thorns of the blurry figure today. After a few sword strikes, Chen Tengjiao had to retreat.

He tried to block the sword's attack, but the sword force broke through. Then he was hit on the acupoints in his chest several times. With a bang, Chen Tengjiao sat on the ground, just like Xie Yan just now.

"Huh...huh..."

When Chen Tengjiao managed to calm down and looked over, he saw a young Taoist in a tattered Taoist robe standing between He Guo and Xie Yan, as if he had never taken action before.

"You, you are Lin Lie, the great swordsman of this sword hall!?"

Standing up with the help of his subordinates behind him, Chen Tengjiao gritted his teeth and waved his hands to the left and right.

"It's down."

"The Never-Sleeping City has its own rules. You can't do whatever you want just because you have some skills. You are not allowed to open a sword hall without the permission of the Sword Hall."

As he said this, Chen Tengjiao was filled with doubt and suspicion.

He was originally a first-rate figure in the City That Never Sleeps, a leader among his peers. He came here this time with the intention of weighing Lin Lie. He knew that this Lin Lie was not from the Lin family of Ranmu Mountain, at least not a main lineage cultivator, because the two main lineage cultivators of the Lin family were currently visiting the main hall.

Then, there is nothing to be afraid of. Before coming, Chen Tengjiao even thought about defeating Lin Lie and directly seizing his newly gained reputation.

In this city that never sleeps, fame means profit, wealth, and resources for spiritual practice. It is also extremely useful to oneself.

But Chen Tengjiao never expected that the gap in swordsmanship between the two sides would be so great.

He was not an ignorant person, but he had met and interacted with the cultivators from Burning Wood Mountain and the Gu God Sect. Although they were strong, they were not impossible to contend with. So where did this young Taoist priest in front of him come from?
The swordsmanship is so sharp that it is almost unbelievable!

"I am not as skilled as him now, so I will suppress him with the rules first. When we get to the sword fighting hall, I will be able to control him anyway." Chen Tengjiao thought to himself. He has been domineering and vindictive since he was young, but he came from a prominent family, and there were few things in this city that never sleeps that went against his will, so it was not easy for him to show it.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When you arrive in your precious place, of course you have to abide by the local rules." Lu Cheng said.

"Then you can take down the plaque today and follow me to the Sword Art Hall. As long as the formalities are completed, I will not make things difficult for you." Chen Tengjiao's eyes lit up when he heard this, but malicious intent suddenly arose in his heart.

"Please bring out the relevant legal document in the City That Never Sleeps. If you really have it, I don't mind going to the Sword Art Museum."

"..."

The Sword Art General Hall was established by the alliance of sword art halls in the City That Never Sleeps. There is already a City Patrol Department in the City That Never Sleeps, so how could they establish another violent organization?
So where could Chen Tengjiao find the documents to comply with such customary industry rules?

Seeing this, the young Taoist's originally gentle expression gradually turned cold.

"So it's not the law of the city that never sleeps, but the local gentry bullies who bully the city and harm the village. Then forgive me for not accompanying you. What's wrong? Xie Yan, drive them out."

In the attack just now, Lu Cheng has already sealed the magic power of these people with the meridian-breaking sword energy. At this moment, how can Chen Tengjiao and the others stop He Guo and Xie Yan?
Xie Yan still had some concerns, but He Guo really used kicking and beating to get back the loss he had just suffered with interest, and then drove these people out of the sword hall. Many pedestrians on the street saw this scene.

"Master Lin, that Chen Tengjiao is the instructor of the Sword Art Hall, his adoptive father Chen Tianxiong is the chief elder of the Sword Art Hall, and his master is Fengyu Jian Yanyu."

After dealing with the matter, Xie Yan came to Lu Cheng and said this to explain the seriousness of the situation.

"so what?"

Lu Cheng chuckled when he heard this. He wanted to attract the attention of the Lin family. More importantly, if he allowed Chen Tengjiao to beat someone, take down the plaque, and walk out in a swagger, he would be very unhappy.

At worst, I can just close this sword-fighting school, kill Chen Tengjiao and travel around the world. At least I won't be worse than the Lin Lie I played, and swallow my anger and endure such humiliation.

Of course, things were far from developing to this point at this point.

Lu Cheng is even a few years younger than Chen Tengjiao. Even if Chen Tengjiao's adoptive father and master are very protective of him, they would not bully the weak over such a small matter. A person of some kind still has to maintain his basic dignity.

What's more, appropriate setbacks are helpful for cultivators to sharpen their spiritual resolve. If the elders take care of everything for the younger generation, such a family or sect is doomed to decline and have no successors.

Since the younger generations have been raised as parasites by their families and sects, how can they have the desire to be diligent and practice hard?
Even if we take a step back, although the rules of Never-Sleeping City are loose, there are still bottom lines, otherwise there would not be a cultivator of Condensed Evil level in the City Patrol Department. His role is to maintain basic order and rules and ensure the population and prosperity of Never-Sleeping City. "Master Lin?"

Just as Lu Cheng was talking to He Guo and Xie Yan, a young man with a slightly pale face and wearing a blue silk robe poked his head in stealthily.

"Yu Liang?" Xie Yan knew this person, Yu Liang from the Yu family. The Yu family and the Xie family are generally both immortal cultivation families in this city, but these two families are more focused on business. Although there are foundation-building cultivators in both families, they are all guests and are usually supported with a lot of money. Whether they are willing to help you with all their strength when you really encounter problems is another matter.

"Yu Liang, I'm here."

Lu Cheng didn't seem surprised by the young man's arrival. He nodded and asked the blue-robed young man to come over.

"Master Lin, these are the 8,500 spirit stones you left with me. It's a pity that the boss of one of the stalls died, otherwise it would have been worth at least 10,000."

It was the first time in Yu Liang's life that he had obtained so many spirit stones. He knelt down in front of the young Taoist priest, and his hands were shaking as he raised the Qiankun bag.

His character was still not tempered enough, and he was filled with ecstasy. Things like this should be explained to Lu Cheng in private.

Now, He Guo and Xie Yan beside Lu Cheng quickly understood what was going on, but they pretended not to understand in order to hide the truth for their master.

But Yu Liang is only a teenager after all, so it is understandable.

"Why don't you take these nearly 10,000 spirit stones? Even if you hide in the family, you may be able to steal them."

Lu Cheng did not take the Qiankun bag immediately, but asked with a smile.

"Master Lin, Yu Liang has been more interested in the art of business since he was young. The reason why I didn't forget this amount of spirit stones today is because I feel that what I can get from Master Lin is far more important than tens of thousands of spirit stones." Having said that, Yu Liang bowed down again.

"Please ask Master Lin to teach me."

"This boy can be taught my swordsmanship. His talent is actually better than yours."

The most fearful thing in the world is to like and study the business tricks. If you can integrate them into swordsmanship, it will be a very good achievement. His existence will bring greater pressure to He Guo and Xie Yan.

He reached out to take the Qiankun bag, and in a moment of contact that was unnoticed by He Guo, Xie Yan, and Yu Liang, a golden light was retracted from the Qiankun bag onto Lu Cheng.

……

The city that never sleeps, the swordplay headquarters.

Chen Tengjiao returned in defeat. Although he was humiliated, he still told his father about it.

At this moment, Chen Tianxiong, with white hair, white beard and grey robe, was playing chess with a guest. After hearing this, Chen Tianxiong smiled and said:
"Why, Teng Jiao, do you want me to take action?"

"Teng Jiao doesn't dare."

"Since you told me this, it means you have this thought in your heart. Teng Jiao, how old do you think I am this year?"

Hear this.

Chen Tengjiao's face turned pale, but he had to answer, so he had to speak with difficulty:

"Father, he is already two hundred and four years old."

"Yes, at my age, my vitality is declining day by day. Every time I attack, I am shortening my life. Teng Jiao, I have raised you for thirty years. Don't you want me to live a few more years?"

These were heart-piercing words. Upon hearing them, Chen Tengjiao immediately knelt down and cried:
"Teng Jiao has absolutely no such intention. I will leave now and will definitely handle this matter well so that father will not have to worry about it."

The theoretical lifespan of a Foundation Establishment cultivator is 240 years old, but in fact, unless he has taken life-extending spiritual objects or elixirs, it is much more difficult for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to live to his theoretical lifespan than a Qi Condensation cultivator due to years of practice, fighting, elixir poison, and other factors.

Therefore, a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage is indeed very old at the age of 204, and their vitality is constantly depleting, making it difficult for them to break through the realm. Their temperament will also become increasingly strange and eccentric.

However, Chen Tianxiong's anger at this moment was not due to his own character problems. Although he spoke harsh words, his chess moves were still steady, making the guest sitting opposite him feel quite stressed.

"I'm sorry to make you laugh, Miss Qingyue. I've taught my useless son for decades but he still can't learn anything. He hasn't made any progress at all. I don't know if he can support the Chen and Cao families after I die."

Back then, Chen Tianxiong and a good friend of his explored the Ten Thousand Mountains together, looking for immortals, picking spiritual herbs, and refining elixirs. However, it is common for cultivators to encounter dangers when they go against the will of heaven in their pursuit of the truth. They unexpectedly encountered a tide of beasts in the mountains. Chen Tianxiong escaped, but his good friend was trapped in the tide.

After returning to the City That Never Sleeps, he explained the matter to the Cao family, and adopted his friend's son, raising him for many years until today.

"It's okay. The Great Elder is very experienced and strong in chess. I think he can stay in charge of the main hall for many years. As for the younger generation, they will eventually become sensible if we train them slowly."

The female cultivator opposite was wearing a green Taoist robe. She had a cold and dignified look, a beautiful face, and skin as white as cream.

At this moment, she was holding a folding fan and tapping it gently with her slender fingers. There was a hint of worry between her brows, as if there were always endless things in her heart that needed to be calculated.

Lin Qingyue, the new leader of the Lin family of Ranmu Mountain's power in the City That Never Sleeps, is bound to have a lot of affairs to deal with. The Lin family has eight generations of cultivators who "attained the Tao and served the gods, and passed down the business from generation to generation", and women are not included in the genealogy.

However, although Lin Qingyue is a woman, she can surpass many men in the main lineage and directly take charge of all affairs in the City That Never Sleeps, which shows her excellence.

This kind of female cultivator usually will not marry, but will only marry a son-in-law. In the future, they may even become elders of the Lin family, holding great power and making decisions on the life and death of hundreds of thousands or millions of people.

At this moment, the door that Chen Tengjiao had left was pushed open again, and a female cultivator in a moon-white Taoist robe ran in and shouted:
"Sister, sister, something very interesting happened in the city. The champion of their sword fighting competition held once every ten years was taken away by a disciple who was not from the sword hall."

"Qingxue, don't be rude."

Lin Qingxue ran in like the wind, talking nonstop. It was not until she got closer that she seemed to notice Chen Tianxiong. The little girl smiled apologetically and bowed.

Although Lin Qingyue was scolding her younger sister, her expression was full of pampering and doting.

"I'm sorry, Great Elder, I'm afraid we really can't finish this game today. Why don't we stop it for now and continue another day?"

"Hahahaha, then this old man is looking forward to the next hand-to-hand conversation with Miss Qingyue."

In the city that never sleeps, outside the swordplay hall, a gorgeous carriage is moving forward.

"Qingxue, you clearly knew that I was playing chess with the Great Elder, why did you break in and say such things?" Lin Qingyue asked as she gently stroked the hair of her sister who was lying on her knees.

"That old man is annoying. My sister is already very tired from all the busy things she does, and she is often asked to play chess by him, which is a waste of energy. I want my sister to accompany me, even if she doesn't do anything, I can have a good rest."

"Silly sister, if I do nothing, then our value to the family will only be used for marriage. It doesn't matter what I do. You have been innocent since you were a child. If you marry the wrong person again, your future will be miserable."

Lin Qingyue would not reveal these thoughts to Lin Qingxue. At this moment, she just smiled and gently stroked her sister's cheeks and hair.

She wanted to control her own and her sister's destiny, but she didn't want Qingxue to share the pressure.

"Sister, I heard that the master of the civilian champion of this sword fighting competition is called Lin Lie. Is he also from our Lin family? If so, sister, if you can subdue him, he should be able to help you deal with many things, so that sister won't have to work so hard."

Lin Qingxue turned around and looked at her sister.

"The Lin family has been spreading its bloodline in Southern Xinjiang for many years, and it is an alien family name, so it is possible. However, most people who hear rumors like this don't have any ability, otherwise they wouldn't have no reputation in the Southern Xinjiang cultivation world."

Talented people among the common people are often not talents in front of forces like Burning Wood Mountain and Never-Sleeping City, just like the outstanding disciples of Burning Wood Mountain and Never-Sleeping City usually fail to show their outstandingness in front of the twelve top sects.

Xie Yan has the potential to build an underground foundation and is highly regarded by the entire Xie family. Even in the entire City That Never Sleeps, he is known as a young genius.

In the Fire Cloud Cave, under the tutelage of the old ancestor Red God, if one fails to cultivate to the Earth Sword realm, he will only be fit to go down the mountain to enjoy the glory and wealth of the world, and will no longer have the opportunity to stay in the mountain to listen to lectures on cultivation.

On the other hand, Chen Tengjiao, the instructor of the Sword Art Hall, was inviting the owners of various sword halls in the City That Never Sleeps with red eyes. His master Yan Yu had been looking for opportunities outside and had not returned for many years. His father Chen Tianxiong was unwilling to help, but this matter had already fallen on him. If the Wenjianzhai continued to operate peacefully, what authority would the Sword Art Hall in the City That Never Sleeps have?
How could Chen Tengjiao still have any face?

(End of this chapter)