Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

Sword Slaying the Ancestral Dragon—Prince Jian?

Xie Xiaoyi frowned and pressed, "Senior Xie, who is Wang Zijian...?"

Xie Daoyun pondered, as if reminiscing.

Seeing that his master remained silent for a long time, Situ Rui stepped forward, poured him some tea, and then looked at Xie Xiaoyi:

"Xie Mo, you are still young, and I'm afraid you haven't heard of the most famous conclusion in the martial arts world more than a hundred years ago."

The sword intent of the world is shared by all, but Prince Jian alone possesses eight-tenths. The remaining two-tenths are divided among the world, and no one dares to claim supremacy.

Xie Xiaoyi's heart skipped a beat. To leave such a conclusion in the martial arts world, just what kind of amazing talent must this person be?

Situ Rui put down the teapot and continued:

"Wang Zijian is truly the number one swordsman in the three hundred years since the founding of the Great Sheng Dynasty, unparalleled in history."

Back then, the chaos of the world was far from over. The First Emperor wreaked havoc on the land, causing immense suffering to the people. Even the top sects and reclusive masters of the time were helpless.

It was Prince Jian, alone with his sword, who single-handedly slew the First Emperor and established his rule over the world.

Xie Xiaoyi scratched his head: "Sword God? Why not Sword Immortal?"

Situ Rui was stunned, unsure how to explain.

Xie Daoyun smiled faintly, gently stroking his beard: "Immortals cultivate themselves, transcend the mortal world, seek longevity and freedom, and cultivate their own virtue."

Gods are those who uphold the great principles of heaven and earth, maintain order in the world, and hold the power of life and death in their hands. People call Prince Jian the Sword God, which is a compliment to his cultivation.

This person was born for the sword; he is the sword, and the sword is the person. He embodies the way of the sword; he is the god of the sword.

Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaoyi was lost in reverie, muttering to himself, "I never imagined such a person existed in the world. I wonder what his cultivation level is?"

Xie Daoyun looked up at the sky through the window, his eyes filled with longing: "His cultivation should have already surpassed the realm of oneness with heaven and man."

People say that of all the swordsmanship in the world, he alone possesses eight-tenths, leaving the remaining two-tenths to be shared by all swordsmen throughout history.

Beyond the unity of heaven and man... isn't that exactly the level of cultivation I need to bring my aunt back?

It seems there really are people in this world who have embarked on this path, so I know what to do next.

"Senior, I understand." Xie Xiaoyi bowed deeply. "I will go to the Great Sheng Imperial City to retrieve the Heaven-Opening Sword."

After saying this, Xie Xiaoyi bowed to Xie Daoyun and Situ Rui again, then turned and left the Number One Manor Under Heaven.

......

After Xie Xiaoyi left, Situ Rui's composure gradually faded, and he turned to Xie Daoyun, bowing deeply.

"Master, are you really going to send him to venture into the forbidden area and retrieve the Heaven-Opening Sword? That sword is the sword that protects the nation..."

By telling him everything, aren't you essentially pushing him down a path of no return?

"Did you notice anything different about Xie Mo when he came in compared to when he left?"

"This disciple is dull-witted, please enlighten me, Master."

Xie Daoyun sighed softly, his voice tinged with a hint of reluctance: "When he first stepped into the number one manor in the world, his heart was dead."

He thought Xie Lingyun had vanished and he would never see him again. That despair had buried his Daoist heart and his will to live.

If I don't give him hope, it won't be long before he's exhausted, his swordsmanship clouded, and his extraordinary talent buried forever.

Situ Rui suddenly realized: "I understand, Master. Xie Mo's state of mind is different now."

He knew he still had a chance to see Xie Lingyun, and that he still had a chance to make a difference; his dead heart was revived.

Xie Daoyun nodded, looked at his most prized disciple, and said calmly:

"Rather than letting a young genius silently perish in despair, it's better to let him hold on to his last breath."

To venture forth, to strive, to fight for even a faint but real hope is better than to be utterly despondent.

......

Soon after, Xie Xiaoyi finally arrived at the Forbidden City in the capital.

He remembered Situ Rui's words: the Heaven-Opening Sword was located on the central altar in the forbidden area of ​​the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

During the day, he kept a low profile and made inquiries in various places, and after learning the general direction, he headed towards his destination as night fell.

The Imperial Ancestral Temple, with its red walls and black tiles, exudes a solemn atmosphere. All around is quiet, save for the soft rustling of the wind through the ancient cypress trees.

There were guards every three steps and sentries every five steps, making it really difficult to get close. Xie Xiaoyi held his breath and silently approached the outside of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

With its feet treading on the clouds, it shrank and disappeared into the shadows of the corner, like a lifeless stone, motionless.

He observed intently from the shadows, silently calculating, and after about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he had discerned the pattern:

They rotate shifts every two hours, with eighteen people per shift, divided into six groups to patrol, alternating between the front and back, in a tightly linked manner, leaving no blind spots.

Xie Xiaoyi had calculated the auspicious time.

The moment the first shift of guards turned and left, the next shift of guards lined up at the corner, was the perfect opportunity.

Five, four, three, two, one...

Right now—

With a light step, Xie Xiaoyi's body glided through the air like an eagle, and in the blink of an eye, he had already reached the eighteen guards.

"There are...thorns...uh—!"

He thrust out with his finger as if it were a sword, and before the eighteen guards could even cry for help, they all collapsed to the ground, their fates unknown.

From beginning to end, no one was alerted.

Xie Xiaoyi stopped, turned around, and strode quickly toward the deepest part of the forbidden area of ​​the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

In the blink of an eye, after passing through two side halls, the view suddenly opened up, and there stood a huge blue stone altar in the center of the forbidden area.

Eight glass lamps stood beside the platform, their dim, flickering light illuminating the open space in a half-light, half-dark manner.

On the high platform, a massive, jet-black sword with a broad blade was planted diagonally in the center of the altar.

Sixteen armored guards stood around the altar, their bodies clad in black armor, with swords at their waists, motionless, surrounding the Heaven-Opening Sword.

Xie Xiaoyi hid in a corner, watching the sixteen armored figures. He knew that if he wanted to take the Heaven-Opening Sword, he had to take them down first.

After thinking for a while, he had an idea. He bent down, picked up a pebble, and threw it into the shadows on the other side of the altar.

"Thud—" The pebble landed with a sound.

The sixteen armored guards instantly turned their heads, all looking in that direction.

In that instant, Xie Xiaoyi stomped his foot and used the Divine Dragon Tail Sweep Leg Technique, shooting forward.

While still in mid-air, he joined his fingers together to form a sword, condensing wisps of sharp sword intent at his fingertips. With a series of wrist movements, sword energy burst forth.

Swish swish swish——

A series of sword energies glowed with a bluish light in the darkness, piercing straight towards the sixteen guards.

He was certain that he had already reached the Moon Void Breaking Dust Realm, and that these few strands of sword energy could take down at least several people.

But to everyone's surprise, none of these sixteen armored guards were mediocre.

Almost simultaneously, the men drew their swords, their blades flashing coldly, and unleashed a powerful slash.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sword energy collided with the blade's aura, scattering and dissolving in all directions.

The lead guard pointed his sword at Xie Xiaoyi and shouted sternly, "You madman! How dare you steal a sword from the Imperial Ancestral Temple! You're courting death!"