Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

Although he was seriously injured as a result, there were two reasons. First, he was dragged down by Tianming, as he never let go of Tianming's hand. Second, before that, he had encountered the Black Swordsman Sheng Qi, and he was also weakened because of Tianming.

Even so, Gai Nie still won, which shows how powerful his personal martial arts are.

Xu Qing's current situation is somewhat similar to Gai Nie's, but they are still different. The big iron hammer is not a burden; he has combat power, and it is quite impressive. Not to mention, these soldiers are not as good as the elite Qin soldiers who chased Gai Nie in the original story.

When the Yan army reinforcements arrived, they did not see the scene of Xu Qing being surrounded and killed as expected, but rather a chilling battlefield of carnage.

The fallen leaves in the forest were soaked with blood and stuck to the ground. The corpses of Yan soldiers lay scattered about. Some had their throats slit by a sword, some had been cleaved in two by a heavy sword, and others had their shields shattered and their chests caved in, clearly having been mortally wounded by a large iron hammer.

Broken swords and tattered armor were scattered everywhere, and even the tree trunks nearby were splattered with blood. When the wind blew, it seemed as if one could hear the wails of the dead.

Several young soldiers who had just enlisted had never seen such a horrific scene. As soon as they stepped into the woods, their faces turned pale, their stomachs churned, and they vomited with a "whoosh," even vomiting up their dinner from the night before.

The officer in charge frowned but didn't reprimand him. He was sweating as he looked at the scene before him, so he had no mind to care about others.

After this battle, no Yan army dared to pursue them again.

Xu Qing and Da Tiechui left Yan under the cover of night, but news of the battle in the forest spread like wildfire throughout the land.

The official statement from the Yan state was, of course, a whitewash. In the court announcement, Xu Qing and Da Tiechui were portrayed as "madmen who infiltrated Ji City," and were said to have "disregarded the law, assassinated Lord Yanchun, and fled in fear of punishment." A large reward was offered for their capture, in an attempt to cover up the incompetence of the Yan state.

However, the accounts from the public are far more detailed than the official announcements.

"Faced with the pursuit of hundreds of elite soldiers, those two did not retreat at all. Instead, they drew their swords and killed all of the hundreds of elite Yan soldiers..." In a tavern in Qi, someone spoke eloquently, recounting the whole story.

"Of the two, one wielded a heavy sword and earned the title of great swordsman in the State of Yan."

"Some people feel that another person should also have a corresponding title."

"So, he was given the title of Sword Maniac!"

……

"Sword Maniac? What a lousy name!"

Xu Qing soon learned that, like Big Iron Hammer, he had been given a nickname.

He was quite depressed.

He originally wanted to become famous as a swordsmith, but unexpectedly, he became famous as a swordsman instead.

If the name were better, that would be fine.

Titles like "Sword Saint," "Sword God," and "Sword Immortal" ultimately amount to nothing more than a so-called "Sword Maniac," which doesn't sound appealing at all.

Chapter 155 Refining Corpses to Become Immortals, Defying Fate!

After successfully arriving in Qi, Xu Qing and Da Tiechui did not linger. Using the coded communication information left by Tian Guang, they quickly made contact with the farm's secret agents at a tavern outside Linzi City.

On the third day after Xu Qing and Da Tiechui left Yan, Tian Guang hurried to Qi.

Although this peasant hero had planned an escape route for the two of them to avoid the Yan army's checkpoints and set up supply points every hundred miles, he never showed his face. Even Yan Dan's most trusted confidant thought that Xu Qing and the other two had escaped the Yan Kingdom on their own and never imagined that there was such a person secretly helping them behind the scenes.

A few days later, Tian Guang finally appeared on the second floor of a riverside tavern in Linzi City.

He wore a faded coarse cloth long gown, the collar and cuffs stained with dust, and the dark circles under his eyes showed the fatigue of traveling for days. Only his deep eyes remained bright.

The river outside the window flowed quietly, with a few fishing lights floating on its surface. As soon as Tian Guang stepped into the private room, he smelled a faint aroma of wine and fish in the air. He raised his hand to brush the dust off his shoulder, looked at Xu Qing sitting at the table, and slowly smiled: "Mr. Xu, you can now be said to be famous throughout the world!"

Xu Qing was looking out the window when she heard this, she paused, and then gently shook her head, "This kind of reputation is not what I want."

He recalled the rumors he had heard along the way. When the people mentioned the words "Sword Maniac," their eyes were filled with awe and fear, as if they were talking about a madman who killed without hesitation.

Xu Qing secretly grumbled to himself that this title had neither the air of an immortal nor the power of a god. If it could be changed to a title like "Sword Immortal" or "Sword Saint," it would be more classy. Even if he had to compromise, calling him "Sword Demon" would sound more imposing than "Sword Madman."

Tian Guang picked up the ceramic bowl on the table, drank the wine in it in one gulp, and sighed softly as his Adam's apple bobbed: "Whether Mr. Xu is willing to accept it or not, it cannot change the fact that this name has already spread throughout the world."

He put down the earthenware bowl, his gaze falling on Xu Qing's face, his tone becoming more serious, "But now, there is no place for Mr. Xu in the Yan Kingdom. Have you thought about where you will go next?"

Tian Guang's subsequent words were actually meant to say that the farmhouse was a good place to visit.

They wanted to continue recruiting Xu Qing.

In his view, after going through this ordeal, Xu Qing must have seen some things more clearly.

If you fight alone, you will ultimately be outmatched when facing an army.

Putting aside other things, just considering the escape route, it would be very difficult to escape the pursuit without the secret assistance of a powerful force.

To survive in this world, one must have powerful backing to find a place to live.

“Where to go? Isn’t Qi the place to go?” Xu Qing replied to Tian Guang.

"Could it be that the State of Yan can extend its reach to the State of Qi?" Xu Qing asked Tian Guang in return. "What year is it today? It shouldn't be during the reign of King Zhao of Yan!"

During the reign of King Zhao of Yan, the state of Yan, with the help of virtuous men like Yue Yi, nearly destroyed the state of Qi, and even King Min of Qi died at the hands of the Yan army. But that was decades ago. Now, the state of Yan is weak and can barely defend its own territory, let alone have the ability to pursue and kill across borders.

Upon hearing this, Tian Guang's mouth opened slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he quickly understood Xu Qing's thoughts.

Knowing that Xu Qing was arrogant and unwilling to be subservient to others, he stopped trying to persuade him and instead turned his attention to the large iron hammer beside him.

Although Big Iron Hammer fled with Xu Qing, and the name of the Great Swordsman became more and more famous when Xu Qing obtained the title of "Sword Maniac", it was Tian Guang who first discovered Big Iron Hammer, and Tian Guang wanted to bring him into the farmhouse from beginning to end.

Tian Guang cleared his throat and looked at Big Iron Hammer with a sincere tone: "Iron Hammer, you were the first talent I took a liking to. Now that there is no place for you in the Yan Kingdom, and the Farmer's Clan is in need of manpower, I formally invite you to join the Farmer's Clan. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Big Hammer suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock.

He had always thought that Tian Guang was just a righteous man with the world in his heart, but he never thought that the other party was actually a farmer.

He could no longer return to Yan, and the road ahead was uncertain. He was at a loss for what to do and instinctively turned his gaze to Xu Qing.

In recent days, Xu Qing has been the backbone of the group. He has unique insights into both planning the escape route and dealing with pursuers. Big Iron Hammer has long trusted him.

Xu Qing noticed Da Tiechui's gaze, met his eyes, and slowly said, "Let's go to the farmhouse!"

He paused, then continued, "Yan Dan had a close relationship with the Mohists. Now that we've killed Yan Dan, you can no longer join the Mohists. Mr. Tian Guang is very sincere and has helped us a lot along the way. The Farmer's School is indeed a good place to stay."

After listening, Big Hammer was surprised. Although he didn't know why Mr. Xu would mention the Mohist school, his confusion gradually dissipated. He took a deep breath and nodded solemnly to Tian Guang: "Mr. Tian Guang, I am willing to join the Farmer's School!"

The meeting between Wada Hikaru and Wada did not last long.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Tian Guang took the large iron hammer and headed to the farm headquarters.

The great swordsman's name was highly respected in the martial arts world. His joining the farm would naturally have to be known by the higher-ups, and they would also have to discuss which branch he should be placed in.

Xu Qing escorted the two to the city gate, watching their figures disappear into the morning mist before turning and leaving alone.

This wasn't Xu Qing's first time visiting the State of Qi.

In the past, I had traveled from the State of Yan to the State of Qi and spent time in that country.

To be precise, Wada Hikaru's first encounter was within the territory of the State of Qi, and afterwards, he encountered Jing Ni.

In a very short period of time, Xu Qing has already visited several countries.

To date, there has been no news related to Jing Ni.

I have no idea where they've gone.

More than the search for Jing Ni, another piece of news that Tian Guang had brought earlier troubled Xu Qing even more.

He leaned against a large tree, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the Mo Wen sword at his waist, his brows furrowed tightly: "You're really hard to kill! No, I should say, why did you come back to life?"

Xu Qing was certain that his sword had pierced Yan Dan's heart.

Yan Dan's aura should have completely disappeared at that time. In addition, he gained considerable prestige, which undoubtedly confirms this point.

However, they received a different message from Tian Guang.

According to the information he secretly gathered, Yan Dan was indeed dead.

But a few days later, Yan Dan came back to life.

The official explanation was that the prince who died that day was a fake, a shadow.

In this era, the concept of a body double is not actually that rare.

Many monarchs, for their own safety, would prepare a shadow.

But Xu Qing was certain that he had killed not the shadow, but the real Yan Dan.

He had met Yan Dan before and was able to determine the other person's identity by observing their aura.

……

Rewinding to the time when Xu Qing and Big Hammer were leaving Yan State, inside the Crown Prince's residence in Ji City, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Yan Dan's body was placed in a coffin in the center of the hall. Two eternal lamps were lit in front of the coffin, and the flickering light made the surrounding white cloth appear even more pale.

To cover up the scandal of the Crown Prince's murder, Prince Yan ordered that the death be kept secret and only sent two guards to watch over the main hall.

In the dead of night, a strange, eerie wind suddenly blew in from outside the window, extinguishing the flame of the ever-burning lamp. The two guards felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Moonlight streamed through the window lattice onto the coffin, and a figure dressed in a wide black robe quietly appeared in the hall.

This black robe was extremely peculiar, with intricate golden patterns embroidered on the collar, and a golden-iron helmet shaped like the Chinese character "一" on its head, the decorations on the helmet gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

The mysterious man stood before the coffin, his gaze fixed on Yan Dan's corpse, recalling the strange changes in the stars he had witnessed while observing the night sky.

"In the end, I was still a step too late," he murmured, his tone tinged with resentment.

In his view, everything in the world has its destiny, but Yan Dan's death disrupted the predetermined trajectory of fate, which he could not accept.

The mysterious man slowly raised his right hand, revealing a golden pill in his palm. A faint mist swirled around the pill, emitting a strange fragrance. This was the "Gathering Immortal Pill," the pinnacle of the Yin-Yang School's alchemy, requiring the convergence of three essential elements—favorable timing, advantageous location, and harmonious human relationships—to be refined. Its user could transcend the mundane and enter a completely new realm.

Today, he will use this elixir to reverse life and death and bring Yan Dan back to life.

"Turning death into life, refining corpse into immortality!" the mysterious man uttered in a low voice, his hands forming complex hand seals. The Yin-Yang Puppet Technique, Soul-Changing Technique, and Soul-Shifting Technique of the Yin-Yang School intertwined in his hands, forming strange light patterns that slowly merged into Yan Dan's corpse.

Suddenly, a strong wind arose outside, dark clouds gathered, and thunderclaps boomed in the night sky. Then, a torrential downpour began.

This unusual weather seemed as if the heavens and earth were expressing their displeasure at the mysterious person's defying nature.

The mysterious man remained unmoved, continuing to concentrate on his magic until dawn, when he finally stopped.

At this moment, although Yan Dan's eyes were still closed, her chest was rising and falling slightly, and she was breathing faintly.

The mysterious man watched this scene with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, but then he remembered Xu Qing, who had killed Yan Dan, and his brows furrowed again: "Just who are you? What gives you the right to defy the heavens?"

After the fall of the Zhou Dynasty, many related forces disintegrated. Some formed organizations like the Iron Blood Alliance, some merged into the various schools of thought, and others entered the courts of various states.

As the only direct descendant of the Zhou Dynasty, the State of Yan has always been the focus of attention for various forces.

During the reign of King Zhao of Yan, the Golden Terrace was built to attract talented individuals. Many brilliant minds from various schools of thought flocked there, helping Yan defeat Qi and achieve temporary hegemony. However, with the death of King Zhao, Yan gradually declined, and those talented individuals left one after another. Yet, some forces still harbored ambitions for Yan, especially when searching for the secrets of the "Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon."

The "Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon" is a secret passed down for thousands of years. It is rumored to contain the power to influence the world, and countless people want to control it.