Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

No need to worry about three meals a day, nor to be disturbed by fear, the Mo Family Mechanical City, hidden deep in the mountains, can be called the safest haven in the world. Sitting and discussing the Tao with Master Xu every day, accompanied by mountains and rivers, my heart, which has become slightly restless in the torrent of worldly affairs, has gradually calmed down.

However, Xu Qing is not Gao Jianli. Gao Jianli is indifferent by nature, expresses his feelings through the zither, and finds peace in the mountains and rivers. This is his home. Although Xu Qing enjoys the tranquility, his heart will not be confined to this small place for long.

"I have troubled you for many days, it is time to take my leave." He cupped his hands in farewell to Master Xu.

Master Xu also realized that this young man was not someone that the Mechanical City could keep permanently.

At such a young age, he has mastered extraordinary forging skills and created swords that can be called masterpieces. There are even wider furnaces beckoning him ahead.

"The world is a long road, but we will meet again if fate allows. You will always be a friend of the Mohists, and a friend of mine," Master Xu said earnestly.

Xu Qing smiled, then suddenly remembered something: "By the way, your father risked his life to forge a demonic sword back then?"

Master Xu's eyebrows twitched slightly, showing a hint of surprise, but he still nodded in response.

"I might have seen that sword before." Xu Qing then recounted the details about Shark Tooth to Master Xu.

"It has fallen into the hands of the disciples of Guigu..." Master Xu murmured, then relaxed after a moment. "Although the disciples of Guigu are few, they are all outstanding individuals. With them wielding this sword, it is not a disgrace to my father's hard work."

After bidding farewell to Master Xu, and guided by a disciple of the Mohist school, Xu Qing finally stepped out of this secluded fortress.

……

Stepping from the secluded valley with its towering peaks into the bustling city, Xu Qing felt completely at ease in this vastly different place.

The Mo Family's Mechanical City is located on the border between Yan and Qi. The place he is traveling to this time is the Qi Kingdom, which is the richest in the world.

Since the Yan army's iron cavalry crushed the backbone of the powerful Qi state in the past, the Qi state, after being reborn from the ashes, lost its competitive spirit. It strictly maintained neutrality among the seven states, while maintaining good relations with Qin and not offending the five states east of the mountains. In recent years, it has stayed out of the several alliances and conflicts. However, it has the sea and abundant profits from fish and salt, and trades with various countries, which has made Qi a prosperous place with thriving merchants and bustling markets.

Inside a tavern on the street, Xu Qing sipped a few drinks.

The alcohol in this era was weak, and to him it was no different from beer in later generations. Although he was not a heavy drinker, he liked to have a few drinks in his spare time as a refreshing thirst quencher.

As he set down his wine cup, his gaze inadvertently swept over an inconspicuous carving on a corner pillar, which made his pupils suddenly freeze.

"It's you again..."

If one were to ask where power could follow like a shadow, the Net would be the first choice.

Back in Yan territory, he witnessed the trap set to hunt down Gao Jianli.

However, those few members of the Luo Wang organization were just small fry, and in the end, they were all dealt with by the inexperienced Gao Jianli.

"The order to gather troops from the Net." Xu Qing calmly withdrew his gaze, his mind perfectly clear.

This sign means that the Net is making a big move in this area and is calling for manpower.

Although he had only been a member of the organization for a short time, Xu Qing had taken the opportunity to try his best to figure out the organization's ins and outs. The original work only mentioned the killing level and the secrets of famous swords. Many more hidden rules had to be explored by himself.

However, the summons had no binding force on him.

While the strict rules of the Luo Wang organization meant that even low-level assassins were constantly in danger of being punished, Xu Qing had long since lost all reverence for it and had no sense of awe towards it whatsoever.

Of course, you still have to join in the fun.

After all, Luo Wang does all sorts of things, except good things.

Those who can be surrounded and killed by the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven) are definitely not simple characters.

This time, Luo Wang secretly left many signals and issued a summons, indicating that Luo Wang wants to do something big.

Concealing his aura and disguising himself as an ordinary drinker, Xu Qing, like a shadow disappearing into the dust, quietly observed the movements of the assassins from the Luo Wang network. For the next few days, he became an undercurrent in the darkness, relentlessly pursuing and tracking them.

Of course, it doesn't matter if he is exposed; if necessary, simply revealing the Net Mark will be enough to deal with the situation.

The rain came down suddenly without warning, and the world instantly became dark.

The cold rain washed over the streets, scattering pedestrians and blurring the view.

A horse-drawn carriage rolled over the wet road, its hooves pounding through the puddles with a dull thud.

As they reached a certain street corner, a strange change suddenly occurred!

The doors and windows around them burst open with a crash, and several figures dressed in black robes and wearing bamboo hats tore through the rain. The cold light of their swords was dazzling, and they rushed straight at the driver of the carriage with overwhelming killing intent.

Sword energy spread like a net, and raindrops fell like arrows, instantly enveloping the coachman.

The man didn't even twitch an eyebrow.

With one hand steadying the reins, a piece of jade-like sword hilt suddenly slipped out from the wide sleeve of the other hand.

Strangely, there was no sword blade, only this peculiar hilt in hand.

With a light wave of his sleeves.

boom!

The torrential rain curtain, about ten feet in front of them, was torn apart by an invisible force as if it were a piece of cloth. The assassins from the Net who were pouncing in mid-air suddenly froze, as if they had been choked by an invisible hand.

immediately--

puff!puff!puff!

A series of loud thuds echoed as muddy blood, rainwater, and other pollutants splattered onto the ground.

In the blink of an eye, the ambush attackers were dead.

With a mere gesture, he annihilated several skilled warriors, yet the man showed no sign of smugness. He flicked the reins, intending to drive away.

Just as the ruts began to move.

A slender figure, faster than raindrops, pierced through the oppressive, leaden air and swept in.

The pink sword light bloomed stunningly in the dim rain, like a bewitching lightning bolt tearing through the long night, fierce and unparalleled, its sharpness fully revealed.

But it was all in vain.

The driver didn't even turn his head; he simply swung his sword back casually.

Buzz!

The dazzling pink arc of light shattered instantly, and the immense sword energy pressed down like an abyss or a mountain, making the attacker feel as insignificant as a mayfly trying to shake a giant tree.

She groaned and twisted her body with all her might, narrowly avoiding the core of the overwhelming sword intent. With lightning speed, one hand reached to her waist, and a jade pendant slid into her palm.

The air blades burst forth.

She gritted her teeth and withstood the relentless pressure, attempting to use the invisible sword energy to launch a surprise attack.

However, in the next instant, an overwhelming force still surged forth.

"Uh……"

With a muffled groan, the figure in the purple and white striped fitted metallic combat suit flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the muddy water and splashing up a large amount of turbidity.

The man in the carriage glanced with slight surprise at the disheveled figure in the mud. The sharp blade of energy he had seen earlier vaguely reminded him of the invisible sword in his hand. But this ripple was fleeting. Without further hesitation, he flicked the reins, and the carriage rolled over the murky puddles, quickly disappearing into the vast rain.

On the cold ground, the sole survivor struggled to sit up, his bones aching as if they were falling apart.

The sense of relief at escaping death did not breed resentment; instead, it entwined his heart like a poisonous vine, fueling an even more intense rage.

This is the second time!

This was her second encounter with the other party, yet she had once again suffered a crushing defeat. What humiliated her even more was the other party's indifferent departure and disdain for taking her life.

This silent contempt pierced her pride more deeply than any wound; she felt like a blade of grass, utterly ignored and looked down upon.

You should know that she is now a top-tier assassin in the Luo Wang organization, the most elite assassin in the organization.

Da da da……

Fine raindrops pattered on the bluestone slabs, and water splashed underfoot.

An umbrella silently opened up a dry space, its edge slightly raised to reveal the silhouette of the person beneath. Finally, the umbrella's shadow stopped, landing precisely above the woman in the metal combat suit.

A slightly mocking voice pierced through the rain curtain and came clearly.

"coincidence."

Chapter 28 You'd better protect me!

The calm voice reached Jingni's ears, causing her to look up abruptly.

A face that was too young came into her view.

She was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting to see Xu Qing here.

Immediately, a cold smile appeared on his lips. "It is indeed quite a coincidence."

"You don't want to see me?" Because of the mask, Xu Qing couldn't see Jing Ni's true expression, but he could still glean some clues from her tone.

Jingni remained silent, raindrops splashing tiny silver flowers on her shoulder armor.

"Let's go somewhere else." Xu Qing brushed the water off his raincoat. "Cold rain is bad for your health, especially... for someone who has just been injured."

His gaze swept over her hand, which was pressed against her left rib.

There were bruises there, caused by the sword energy, rising and falling slightly with each breath.

Jingni's pupils contracted, and her fingertips instinctively clenched.

In the end, she silently turned away, which was considered as agreeing to Xu Qing's suggestion to talk somewhere else.

As for the corpses, Jing Ni naturally didn't deal with them. Since Luo Wang chose to ambush that person here to carry out the assassination, they must have made some arrangements. At that time, someone would come to collect the corpses and take care of the aftermath.

They found a nearby stronghold of the Luowang (a type of intelligence network).

The fire was lit, and the intense heat dispelled all the chill of the rainy day.

"It's much more comfortable indoors in this kind of weather."

Xu Qing said this while sitting by the stove.

Jing Ni was still in her battle attire, and she hadn't taken off her mask. Even though Xu Qing had already seen her true face, on the other hand, it was precisely because Xu Qing had seen her true appearance and her most vulnerable moments that she needed to wear a mask in front of Xu Qing to cover herself up.

"You seem to be living a leisurely life." Jing Ni looked at Xu Qing, her voice still cold.

She was in a very bad mood.

The failure to ambush the "nameless" man and his subsequent release was already a disgrace to her. However, seeing Xu Qing again under those circumstances and witnessing her helplessness for the second time only worsened her mood.

“People should enjoy life while they can and be more leisurely, right?” Xu Qing said to Jing Ni. “I personally don’t really like that kind of busy and hectic life.”

Upon hearing this, Jingni was taken aback, and she subconsciously thought of herself.

She was trained by the Net when she was very young.