Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

During that time, Xu Fu spent every day thinking about how to "demonstrate his value," fabricating countless stories about the secrets of the Yin-Yang School and alchemy formulas, hoping to leave this hellish place as soon as possible.

But before he could receive any news from the other party, that person had also vanished without a trace.

"Are you kidding me!" Xu Fu cursed inwardly countless times, but he could only force himself to swallow it back; he didn't even have the right to be angry now.

Just when Xu Fu had completely given up hope and was preparing to spend his life with sheep, a turning point suddenly came.

Late at night, Xu Fu lay on a cold pile of straw, half asleep, when a familiar voice suddenly reached his ears: "Xu Fu, it seems you've been doing quite well lately."

The sound was like a thunderclap, instantly waking Xu Fu from his sleep.

He suddenly opened his eyes and, by the moonlight streaming in through the window, saw a familiar figure standing in front of the haystack, wearing a black robe and a bronze mask. It was the mysterious person who had thrown him into this hell!

Xu Fu's heart pounded. He struggled to sit up from the haystack, his voice filled with uncertainty and disbelief: "M-My lord..."

Upon hearing this form of address, Xu Qing's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile.

He thought that after leaving Xu Fu waiting for so long, the other party would at least harbor some resentment or rebellion, but he didn't expect Xu Fu to be so pragmatic, admitting defeat as soon as they met. This ability to assess the situation explains why he was able to deceive the First Emperor in history, using the lie of "going to sea to find immortals" to take away thousands of boys and girls and countless treasures.

"Big what?" Xu Qing deliberately lowered his voice, his tone full of nitpicking.

Xu Fu was taken aback, his mind racing, and he immediately changed his words: "On the Great, Great Dao..."

"Who is that person?" Xu Qing asked again, his eyes filled with a strange look.

"A man above all others!" This time Xu Fu didn't stutter. He quickly climbed down from the haystack, ignoring the stench on his clothes, and bowed deeply to Xu Qing, praising him incessantly: "In my eyes, you are the splendid sun in the sky, hanging high above the great road. All the bright moons and stars in the world pale in comparison to you. As for the mortal world, you are even more extraordinary, transcendent and otherworldly. Ordinary mortals don't even have the right to look up to you..."

Xu Fu was already an excellent orator, and now, in order to save his life, he used all the flattery he had learned in his life.

Phrases like "Your wisdom can see through heaven and earth" and "Your methods can turn the tide" poured out of his mouth, praising Xu Qing as a unique existence in heaven and earth.

Xu Qing listened to these words without becoming arrogant; he knew his own limitations.

"Enough with the unnecessary nonsense." Xu Qing raised his hand to interrupt Xu Fu, his tone returning to its coldness. "Xu Fu, I have a question for you."

Xu Fu's heart leaped into his throat, and he quickly straightened up: "Please speak, sir!"

During this time, he had already thought of all the questions Xu Qing might ask, and even made up a lot of stories, all in order to show his value.

"Do you want to leave here?" Xu Qing's voice was calm, yet it was like a stone thrown into Xu Fu's heart lake, stirring up a thousand waves.

Xu Fu's breathing suddenly became rapid; he dreamed of leaving this place.

But when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he hesitated.

Could this be a test? If I appear too eager, will I offend the other person?

After much deliberation, Xu Fu decided to pass the buck back to his master. He cautiously asked, "Sir, do you think I should leave this place?"

“You’re a capable person, of course you should leave here.” Xu Qing’s tone was matter-of-fact. “This place is filthy and doesn’t do justice to your abilities.”

In truth, Xu Qing knew very well that he had already extracted almost all of Xu Fu's knowledge. He had only two choices: either let Xu Fu die quietly here and be done with it, or let him go out and become a "menace" to stir up trouble in the world.

Xu Qing chose the latter without hesitation. A living, capable Xu Fu was far more useful than a corpse.

"You can leave now," Xu Qing said calmly.

"Can...can I really leave?" Xu Fu's eyes widened, almost unable to believe his ears. The surprise came so suddenly that he was at a loss, even wondering if he was dreaming.

"What, you want to stay here forever?" Xu Qing raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not!" Xu Fu realized what was happening and quickly shook his head, his face finally showing a long-lost excitement.

"Then let's go." Xu Qing turned around and gestured for Xu Fu to follow.

Xu Fu followed Xu Qing in a daze, through the familiar sheepfold, and out of the tightly closed gate.

When the cold night wind brushed against his cheeks and he saw the vast world outside, Xu Fu finally realized that he had truly escaped.

He couldn't help but take a deep breath, and even the smell of dust in the air tasted incredibly sweet.

Before Xu Fu could be happy for long, Xu Qing suddenly stopped, turned around and looked at him: "I let you leave, not so you can go free and unrestrained."

Xu Fu's heart sank instantly, and he quickly bowed, "Please give your orders, sir!"

"I want you to return to the Yin-Yang School and become my inside man." Xu Qing's voice carried an unquestionable authority. "From now on, you must promptly inform me of every move the Yin-Yang School makes and contribute to our grand plan to overthrow the Yin-Yang School."

"Rest assured, my lord!" Xu Fu agreed without hesitation, his face full of sincerity. "I will do my utmost and will not dare to slack off in the slightest!"

As for what he really thinks, that's another matter.

Xu Fu sneered inwardly, "Once I return to the Yin Yang School and regain my strength, it's not certain who will be whose pawn!"

Xu Qing naturally saw through Xu Fu's little scheme, but did not expose it. Instead, he praised him, saying, "Very good, very energetic."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Qing raised his hand and tossed a sword, which landed with a clang on the ground in front of Xu Fu.

The sword has a long, narrow blade with a chilling gleam, and the hilt is engraved with exquisite cloud patterns, making it clearly no ordinary weapon.

The moment Xu Fu saw the sword, his pupils contracted sharply. Could this person be trying to lure him out so they could kill him to silence him? It was a dark and windy night, in the middle of nowhere, and he had lost all his power. If the other party wanted to make a move, he wouldn't even have a chance to resist.

Just as Xu Fu was frozen in fear, Xu Qing's voice came again: "Now that you have lost all your power, it will not be easy for you to return to the Yin Yang School. Take this sword and use it for self-defense."

Xu Fu was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening. He quickly picked up the sword, bowed to Xu Qing, and thanked him, saying, "Thank you for the reward, sir!"

He gripped the hilt of the sword; it was slightly cool to the touch, and he could clearly feel the sharp aura contained within it. This was a divine weapon no less powerful than his former "Amaterasu Sword," and Xu Fu's heart was filled with even more complex emotions.

Since the other party was willing to give him such a precious sword, it meant that they did not intend to kill him for the time being. However, this "favor" made him feel increasingly uneasy. There was no doubt that the other party had a big plan.

Xu Qing didn't say anything more; some things are better left unsaid.

He glanced at Xu Fu, then turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Xu Fu standing alone.

Xu Qing did not give Xu Fu any travel expenses. He was not there to do charity. Whether Xu Fu could survive depended entirely on his own abilities.

Xu Fu stood there, gripping his sword, staring in the direction Xu Qing had disappeared, motionless for a long time. It wasn't until a cold wind blew that he shivered and fully snapped back to reality.

"Hou Sheng, Mr. Qing..." Xu Fu murmured the two names, a deep-seated hatred flashing in his eyes.

If it weren't for Hou Sheng and that Mr. Qing, how could he have fallen to such a state?

"Just you wait, I will definitely come back!" Xu Fu gripped his sword tightly, his eyes growing increasingly sinister. "When that time comes, I will make you pay the price!"

As night fell, Xu Fu's figure gradually disappeared into the distance, heading away from Linzi City. He needed to find a place to recover his strength first, and then figure out a way to return to the Yin Yang School.

Chapter 206 A Night Meeting, Taiyi's Scheme

There was no point in Xu Fu staying in the State of Qi any longer.

This person is ambitious and capable of both stirring up huge waves and weaving a colossal lie that can deceive the world.

Xu Qing was certain that when Xu Fu broke free from his restraints with a deep-seated hatred, he would not be content with a mediocre life and would surely cause a great stir.

Xu Qing had intended to give Xu Fu room to maneuver, so he let him take the new sword and stir up trouble in the chaotic world.

This sword can be considered Xu Qing's compensation to Xu Fu, since he had melted down Xu Fu's Amaterasu sword to forge a new weapon, causing the latter to lose his handy sword.

In the days that followed, the legends about the overseas fairy mountains spread like wildfire, growing ever more intense, and snippets of them could be heard in every street and alley.

However, Xu Qing has not yet released the so-called "celestial mountain token".

Firstly, the location of the sacred mountain has not yet been finalized, and the terrain and feng shui need to be repeatedly surveyed to ensure that nothing goes wrong; secondly, even if an island is selected, a large-scale construction project is needed to build strongholds and set up formations, which will not be completed in a short time.

However, this did not prevent Xu Qing from building momentum first. After all, although the magicians were most prevalent in Qi and Yan, their influence had already permeated other countries. Once this "immortal mountain wind" spread to the other countries and slowly fermented in people's hearts, when the token appeared in the world one day, it would surely attract countless people to frantically pursue it, willing to spend a fortune for it, or even risk crossing the sea.

Even if no one sets sail to search for the sword, Xu Qing will not suffer any losses. He can simply use the island as an overseas base to stockpile supplies and settle people, which will eventually come in handy and won't be a waste of effort.

Turning our attention to the Qin state, Yan Dan's arrival caused no ripples whatsoever, let alone the grand state banquet that Ying Zheng had held for Han Fei back then—it was simply unthinkable.

In the past, Ying Zheng admired Han Fei greatly, simply because he had read his works and sincerely admired his talent, so he was willing to treat him with the highest honors. But what about Yan Dan? Although he was the crown prince of Yan, he was not the ruler of a country after all, and in Ying Zheng's eyes, he was not worth paying too much attention to.

It would be far too naive for the State of Yan to try to use the past fact that "the two of them were once hostages in the State of Zhao" to get closer to Ying Zheng.

The years he spent as a hostage in the State of Zhao were the most humiliating and unpleasant memories of Ying Zheng's life. He had no goodwill towards the State of Zhao to begin with, and he also developed a dislike for the people who appeared during that time.

Therefore, after Yan Dan arrived in Qin, Ying Zheng only briefly received him, accepted the letter from Yan, and then ignored him, ordering someone to send him to the embassy for accommodation.

Coincidentally, the residence where Yan Dan lived was the former residence of Han Fei.

After Han Fei's death, this residence had been vacant. Now that it has been assigned to Yan Dan, it can be considered "making the best use of its resources".

For the State of Yan, this was undoubtedly a blatant act of disrespect. Ying Zheng accepted the letter of state but neither expressed any intention to invade Yan nor mentioned signing an alliance, completely ignoring Yan's overtures.

However, Yan Dan himself did not actually care too much about the fate of the Yan state.

Since that tragedy, he has become like this. For him, living is more painful than dying; every minute and every second feels like being tortured in flames. The only belief that keeps him alive now is to take revenge on that person. If it weren't for that person, how could he have ended up in such a state?

The cold night mist enveloped the courtyard like a veil, and fine frost flowers condensed on the grass and trees, exuding a bone-chilling cold.

Yan Dan was alone in the room, which was so dark that no candles were lit and he could hardly see his figure. He seemed to have long been accustomed to this darkness, as if only in the boundless silence and gloom could his tormented heart find some peace.

Unbeknownst to Yan Dan, behind the pillar outside the room window, a figure stood silently like a ghost, his gaze fixed on him—it was Tian Guang.

Previously, Tian Guang had gained the trust of King Xi of Yan with his exceptional wisdom and even took the initiative to suggest sending Yan Dan to Qin as a hostage, but he did not stay by King Xi's side for a long time.

As a wandering knight, it was perfectly reasonable for him to occasionally go out and "help the weak and uphold justice." However, his true purpose for this trip was to secretly follow Yan Dan and quietly infiltrate the Qin state.

Tian Guang had three important matters to attend to on this trip: First, he sensed an unusual aura emanating from Yan Dan and wanted to observe him closely to uncover his true nature; second, he needed to meet secretly with Lord Changping to discuss the latest progress of the Azure Dragon Plan; and third, since the Farmer's Headquarters was located in Dongjun of Qin State, he also needed to return to the main hall to report on recent developments.

Everything should be done step by step, so Tian Guang first set his sights on Yan Dan.

During his investigation, Tian Guang discovered many unusual things.

Yan Dan seemed to have a particular fondness for darkness. Even when he occasionally went out, he always wore loose robes, covering himself completely from head to toe, only revealing a pair of lifeless eyes. Occasionally, when his true face was accidentally revealed, his complexion was as pale as paper, without a trace of blood, like a lifeless corpse. His voice was hoarse and cold, without any emotion. If it weren't for the fact that he moved freely and was no different from an ordinary person, Tian Guang would almost think that Yan Dan was already dead.

Even so, the changes in Yan Dan were still far too strange.

"Could it be related to that matter?" Tian Guang couldn't help but wonder.

He naturally remembered that Yan Dan had clearly died in the incident caused by Xu Qing, but afterwards he suddenly "came back to life" and miraculously revived. According to Yan Dan's public account, he had mastered a "turtle breathing technique" that allowed him to enter a state of suspended animation when seriously injured in order to prolong his life.

Tian Guang knew a thing or two about this kind of method, but even if he had avoided death by using the Turtle Breathing Technique, he should not have become such a grotesque, inhuman creature after waking up.

Just as Tian Guang was secretly observing carefully, he suddenly sensed an unusual aura. There was a figure in Yan Dan's residence at some point.

The figure seemed to appear directly from the void without any warning. It wore a wide robe embroidered with intricate cloud patterns that shimmered faintly in the dim light, making it so magnificent that it drew attention.

What's even more peculiar is that the figure was surrounded by a rich Daoist aura, as if it had merged with heaven and earth, and every move it made was in harmony with the Dao, inspiring awe in those who looked upon it.

Because of their practice of the "Twenty-Four Earthly Branches," the disciples of the Farmer School have a unique understanding and insight into the great Dao of Heaven and Earth, with Tian Guang being one of the best among them.

Almost the instant the figure appeared, Tian Guang's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly became alert: "Such a powerful aura! A master!"

He dared not be negligent in the slightest, and immediately activated the Farmer's Heart Technique to conceal his aura as much as possible, like grass merging into the soil, silently hiding behind the pillar, afraid that the other party would notice anything amiss.

You must understand, this is Xianyang, the capital of the Qin state, a place teeming with all sorts of people and teeming with experts. If your identity is exposed, the consequences will be unimaginable.