Having studied for a hundred years, why do you call me the Martial Saint?

Suishan and Chijinshan have a deep friendship, but now that friendship has clearly run into some problems.

"Does the Sword Master not want to see us, or is he unable to see us?"

"Even if the Sword Master refuses to see us, why won't Qin Zhongyu let us see the Startling Swan Sword?"

Lu Zhongzheng frowned and began to think.

If Yang Qingfeng really gets into trouble, Suishan will likely face a calamity.

Yang Qingfeng earned his title of Sword Master in his youth through countless battles, naturally making him a formidable foe. Not to mention, the Jinghong Sword is a divine weapon coveted by many.

His own swordsmanship lineage is even more noteworthy.

If news of Sword Master's accident spreads, those hidden forces will surely take action.

What Qin Zhongyu needs most at this moment is to leverage existing momentum.

Chijin Mountain has a lot of influence outside, so forces that secretly covet it will be hesitant to act against it.

Therefore, he would not show the Swift Rainbow Sword to Chi Jinshan, and would even try to keep them on the mountain for as long as possible.

The more Lu Zhongzheng thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and the more agitated he became.

Such an important matter, if it were on Mount Chijin, could be discussed by all the master craftsmen, and the mountain lord could make the final decision.

But right now he's the only one in Suishan, which is far away and the journey is long. By the time he delivers the message and comes back, it will be too late.

He has to shoulder this burden alone.

Lu Zhongzheng gave a wry smile.

It's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow.

If something happens to Suishan, should they offer their help?

If it's to help.

Chijin Mountain is famous for its forging, but its fighting skills are not among the best in the martial arts world. If it gets involved in any big trouble, it will be difficult to even protect itself, let alone help others.

If I don't help.

The friendship with Suishan is over, and it will be difficult to find the six famous swords that are easy to spot in the future.

Lu Zhongzheng shook his head.

Ultimately, however, these are all just my own guesses.

It's possible that the Sword Master is indeed in seclusion.

"Let's try sending the message back to Mount Akatsuki first, and then wait a few more days and see. I hope I'm just overthinking it."

……

The following morning, news spread throughout Suishan.

"Due to the large number of spectators at this Outer Sect Grand Competition, and the distinguished guests from Chijin Mountain who have traveled from afar, after discussion among the sects, the competition has been extended to one month to allow all fellow practitioners in the martial arts world to exchange skills and knowledge."

……

The servants' quarters, house number 9, section A.

"The competition has been extended?"

Gu Shuxian had just gotten up from his bunk when he heard Qian Le shouting at the door.

"Yes, the competition has been extended!"

Qian Le ran into the house, his face showing a mixture of excitement and confusion.

"How long will the extension be?"

"A month! A whole month!" Qian Le held up one finger and shook it.

"Wasn't it supposed to be ten days?" Gu Shuxian was taken aback.

"Who says otherwise! That's tripled!" Qian Le rubbed his hands together. "Now we don't have to worry about our business anymore!"

The more people there are on the mountain, the more opportunities there are to make money.

Qian Le, being adept at scheming, was naturally happy to extend the competition.

But Gu Shuxian had more on her mind.

"Why extend it out of the blue?"

Qian Le shrugged: "How would I know? Maybe the sect just wants to show off."

Gu Shuxian remained noncommittal.

The outer sect competition of a sect is not some centennial celebration. Extending it to a month involves a considerable amount of manpower and resources.

Not to mention that these江湖客 (jianghu ke, meaning people from all walks of life) are a mixed bag, and the longer you stay, the greater the chance of getting into trouble.

"Brother Qian, what do you think?" Gu Shuxian asked.

Qian Le stroked his chin and thought for a moment: "Who cares? We're just menial laborers, why should we worry about these sect affairs? The sect must have its reasons for doing this. Besides, the more people there are, the more money we can earn!"

Gu Shuxian shook his head and chuckled, saying nothing more.

……

The training ground, beside the arena.

"The competition has been extended by a month? That's quite unusual!"

A wandering swordsman carrying a single blade laughed heartily, "Great! This way I can watch a few more exciting scenes!"

"You bet! I was worried we wouldn't get enough!"

"But then again, how much silver will this sect have to spend to hold this for a month?"

"It's none of your business how much they spend; it's not like you're paying for it!"

"Exactly, as long as there's excitement to watch, that's all that matters!"

……

At a tea stall at the foot of the mountain.

Several martial arts practitioners gathered together, each with a different expression.

"Extended for another month? Heh, interesting." An old man in gray took a sip of tea and put down his teacup.

"What's wrong, senior? Do you think there's something strange about this?" the young man opposite asked in a low voice.

The old man smiled and said, "How could I dare say that other sects are strange? It's just that the timing is quite coincidental, as it happens to be the time when the Chijin Mountain sect comes to visit."

You mean...

"I didn't say anything," the old man said slowly. "You young people shouldn't believe everything you hear, always trying to create some kind of rumors or sensational stories. Let's just watch the show."

The young man nodded, his gaze fixed on the distance.

……

The outer gate, a disciple's residence somewhere.

"One month!"

Fang Jianxing slammed his hand on the stone table, his face full of anger.

"The outer sect competition is crucial to the selection of inner sect members and our future. How can it be postponed without even a proper explanation?"

Ji Mingzhao sat opposite him and laughed, "If you smash the stone table, the servants will have to come and replace it again."

Fang Jianxing looked down and saw that there were indeed several cracks on the stone table.

"You're quite composed," he said, shaking his head.

Ji Mingzhao said calmly, "What's the use of getting angry? It's the sect's decision, what can we outer disciples say? Besides, extending the competition isn't necessarily a bad thing for us."

"What do you mean?"

"You can use the extra time to practice your sword."

Fang Jianxing rolled his eyes, got up and walked out of the courtyard.

"Where are you going?"

"Practice swordsmanship!" Fang Jianxing said without turning his head.

……

Guest house.

Lu Zhongzheng remained expressionless after hearing the news.

But his heart sank little by little.

"really."

Qin Zhongyu wanted to keep them here.

This suggests that something may have changed in Suishan.

What exactly happened to the Sword Master? Was he seriously injured? Or...?

……

Night falls in a secluded courtyard in Suishan.

Han Baitao sat on a stone bench in the courtyard.

A pot of wine and two wine glasses were still on the table.

After a while, the person he was waiting for arrived.

Qin Zhongyu pushed open the door and entered, bowing respectfully: "Senior Han."

Han Baitao did not turn around.

"Your master is gone?"

Qin Zhongyu paused for a moment.

He slowly walked to the stone table, remained silent for a long time, and then sighed.

Han Baitao didn't ask any further questions, but simply filled both glasses and pushed one over.

"What are your plans for the future?"

"This junior would like to ask Senior Han for a favor."

"explain."

"This junior would like to ask the senior to stay in Suishan for a few more days."

Han Baitao remained calm and did not answer immediately. He simply sipped his wine slowly, gazing into the distance.

Qin Zhongyu continued, "Master's departure was sudden, catching us off guard. Although I am temporarily assuming the position of sect leader, my foundation is still shallow. Senior probably knows better than I how many eyes are watching Suishan. If the outside world finds out that Master has passed away, Suishan will be in danger."