Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 244 Could he really be the protagonist?

Deep in the Qinling Mountains, clouds and mist, like cotton wool, entwine the steep peaks, making the entire mountain forest appear even more secluded.

Xu Qing and his companions trudged through the slippery moss, following the directions marked in Tian Guang's secret letter, and walked among the ancient trees that blocked out the sky.

The mountains were eerily quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional cries of unknown birds and beasts adding to the somber atmosphere.

"This should be the area." Xu Qing stopped and looked at the messy clearing in the woods ahead, and said in a deep voice.

Everyone followed his gaze and was immediately stunned by the scene before them.

In front of them, many ancient trees, as thick as a person's embrace, were broken in half, their broken ends charred black, as if they had been burned by a raging fire, and also bearing traces of water erosion.

The ground was covered with gullies of varying depths, some winding like snakes, others being sudden, sunken pits, clearly indicating the presence of a fierce battle.

Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai immediately stepped forward, squatted down, and carefully examined the marks.

Xiao Bai stretched out her slender fingers and brushed them across a charred rock. Where her fingertips touched, she could almost feel the scorching heat. In fact, the battle here had ended quite some time ago.

“These are traces left by the fire techniques of the Yin-Yang School.” She raised her head, her eyes filled with certainty. “Moreover, it’s not something an ordinary disciple could perform. The fire energy is condensed, so it must be the work of the Fire Department’s leader, Siming.”

Xiao Hei walked to a ditch where the soil was wet, soft, and sticky. She reached out and picked up a bit of soil, sniffed it lightly, and then said in a deep voice, "Traces of water magic, chilling and bone-chilling, with a trace of corrosive power. It is the water minister, Madam Xiang."

The two continued their investigation and soon discovered something in another pit on the other side. The edges of this pit were neat, as if it had been dug out by an invisible force.

"Clearly, these are traces of earth magic!"

Before Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai could speak, Xu Qing walked over slowly and then spoke.

"The Yin-Yang School has really gone to great lengths to intercept Yan Dan! They even dispatched three elders at once."

Xu Qing's words carried a hint of teasing.

What Wakada Hikaru said is true.

This battle was likely a trap set by the Yin-Yang School specifically for Six-Fingered Black Knight, yet Six-Fingered Black Knight actually stepped right into it.

However, can the three elders of the Yin-Yang Clan really defeat Six-Fingered Black Knight?

Xu Qing thought of the past events discussed on the mirage in the original novel.

Six-Fingered Black Knight once escaped unscathed from the siege of the five elders of the Yin-Yang School.

Dongjun Yanfei also once chased after the Six-Fingered Black Knight.

Leaving aside Dongjun Yanfei for now, the original work clearly states that even the five elders of the Yin Yang School, working together, could not defeat the Six-Fingered Black Knight, let alone now that there are only three of them.

However, the current situation is that the whereabouts of Six-Fingered Black Knight are unknown.

So, besides the three elders of the Yin-Yang School, were there any other people who took action?

Xu Qing's gaze swept across the ravaged battlefield and landed on a clearing at the edge of the woods.

The open space was about several meters square. Strangely, the ancient trees and weeds around it were all intact, but in this area, the vegetation seemed to have been wiped away out of thin air, and the ground was as smooth as a mirror, without a speck of dust.

He walked slowly forward, his feet stepping on the smooth ground without making a sound. An indescribable aura washed over him, a profound and vast feeling that seemed to encompass all things in heaven and earth, yet also carried a touch of ethereal mystery.

It would be difficult for outsiders to perceive this aura.

Even the traces of Yin-Yang magic from before were not noticeable to ordinary people.

Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai were able to perceive the difference because they were originally members of the Yin-Yang School, specifically the Lesser Master of Fate.

Xu Qing closed his eyes, immersing himself in the moment. His internal energy circulated slowly. His perception had already broken through the shackles of the Celestial Realm. Now, under his full power, he could vaguely feel a trace of extremely faint pressure remaining on that open space.

This oppressive aura is not directed at any particular person, but rather an innate aura of superiority, as unpredictable and irresistible as the great Dao of Heaven and Earth.

"Donghuang Taiyi." Xu Qing opened his eyes, his gaze deep, and said each word clearly.

Jing Ni was shocked: "Donghuang Taiyi? He actually took action personally?"

Within the Luo Wang (Net of Heaven), there are very few records about Donghuang Taiyi. All that is known is that he is the supreme leader of the Yin Yang School, with unfathomable strength. No one has ever seen him truly make a move. Unexpectedly, in order to besiege and kill Six-Fingered Black Knight, the Yin Yang School has even alarmed Donghuang Taiyi.

Xu Qing ignored Jing Ni's shock. He stretched out his hand, palm up, and a faint power of perception spread out, enveloping the open space and the entire forest.

When he met Six-Fingered Black Knight, the aura he secretly left on him was like a tiny spark in the dark night—weak, yet ever-present.

After a moment, Xu Qing's lips curled up slightly: "Found it."

He raised his head and looked in a certain direction. It was another mountain peak, shrouded in mist and steep, with a winding path leading to the summit that he could vaguely see.

"The Six-Fingered Black Knight fled in that direction..."

"Now, I just hope he hasn't become Donghuang Taiyi's prisoner!"

The three elders of the Yin-Yang School were powerless against the Six-Fingered Black Knight.

But when Donghuang Taiyi personally intervenes, things are different.

Xu Qing had fought against Dong Jun and Yue Shen. Although he had the upper hand, he had to admit that they were both top-notch experts.

As an extremely mysterious figure in the original work, Donghuang Taiyi's strength is obviously even greater.

Six-Fingered Black Knight's strength is just so-so. He might be able to contend with Dongjun and Yueshen, but he's still far inferior to Donghuang Taiyi.

"No matter what, we need to see him alive or dead. Let's go!"

Xu Qing said another word and headed in that direction.

The three immediately followed, gradually leaving behind the traces of the battle in the mountains and forests. The mountain path ahead became steeper and the fog thicker, but Xu Qing's steps remained firm.

Time flies, and several more days have passed.

After finding the place where Six-Fingered Black Knight had fought, Xu Qing followed the faint aura and continued forward.

Along the way, many traces of battle were discovered.

But these marks were not left by the Six-Fingered Black Knight.

Rather, they are traces left by the battles of the Mohists.

Among them were traces left by the assassins of the Luo Wang organization.

Jingni, Xiaohei, and Xiaobai, although only companions, still played some roles in the process.

Putting aside other things, Jingni came from Luo Wang, while Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai came from Yin Yang School. Moreover, they were not low-ranking members of their original factions. Through their understanding of their former factions, they accurately identified many clues.

However, this was not the final stop for Six-Fingered Black Knight.

The Six-Fingered Black Knight's faint aura continued to spread forward, and without a doubt, in the end, he chose to escape.

It seems he really did escape.

As for why there was no further news in the end, something must have gone wrong.

Using his special perception abilities, Xu Qing followed the lingering scent and led the three of them on a long journey. As time passed, the mountain path had long since disappeared, and all they could see were sharp rocks and slippery cliffs. Every step required a great deal of mental effort.

Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai, relying on the Yin Yang School's lightness technique, darted through the steep mountain walls like agile apes. Jing Ni's movements were ruthless and swift, and even the treacherous terrain could not stop her. Xu Qing always walked in front, his internal energy flowing, as if he were shrouded in an invisible shield, and flying rocks and overgrown thorns could not get close to him.

That morning, when the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell on their shoulders, everyone finally stopped.

Before them lay a sheer cliff, its walls ripped apart as if by a knife or axe, the dark brown rock exposed and riddled with cracks of varying depths, yet not even a single blade of grass could take root.

Looking down, the sea of ​​clouds churned and rolled like white waves. The clouds and mist constantly rose and fell below the cliff, making it impossible to see whether the bottom was a deep valley or a rapid current. Only the howling mountain wind rushed out from below the cliff, carrying a biting cold that felt like a knife cutting into your face.

Xu Qing walked halfway around the edge of the cliff, his fingertips brushing against the cold rocks. His senses spread out, but he couldn't find any way to go around it. Both the mountain on the left and the ravine on the right were blocked by vertical cliffs, with absolutely no place to use for leverage.

"Looks like he jumped!"

Xu Qing's words carried a hint of melancholy.

Jingni stood beside the cliff and estimated its height.

"At this height, without proper preparation, jumping would be certain death."

"So, does that mean Six-Fingered Black Knight has perished in the valley?"

Her words also carried a sense of melancholy. The Six-Fingered Black Knight had a great and renowned name in the martial arts world, yet he died in this nameless place, and his body could not even be found. It was truly a sad story.

"I wonder how lucky he is."

Xu Qing, also looking at the cliff, was thinking of something else.

"luck?"

Jingni looked at Xu Qing in surprise, "You don't actually think he's still alive, do you?"

"Who can say for sure about such things?" Xu Qing gave an ambiguous answer. "What if he fell and got caught on an old tree growing on a cliff, and the old tree cushioned his fall and prevented him from dying?"

"Then, he unexpectedly discovered that there was an ancient cave on this cliff, containing the lifelong learning of some ancient masters..."

"Having mastered unparalleled martial arts, I will once again emerge from seclusion to fight Donghuang Taiyi to the death!"

Xu Qing spoke eloquently, recounting some of the more outdated tropes from traditional martial arts novels.

Jumping off a cliff will definitely not kill you; you might even have a miraculous encounter.

However, all of this is predicated on you being the main character.

So, is the Six-Fingered Black Knight the main character?

Xu Qing wondered to himself.

Jingni, unaware of Xu Qing's thoughts, dismissed his words.

What you're saying is absolutely outrageous.

Jingni still doesn't believe that Six-Fingered Black Knight is likely to be alive.

"Whether they're alive or not, we'll find out once we go down and see," Xu Qing said calmly.

How do we get down?

Jingni looked at the sheer cliff, her brows furrowed.

There are no winding paths to be found nearby; this is clearly a sheer cliff.

"You three wait here!"

Xu Qing spoke to Jingni, Xiao Hei, and Xiao Bai.

Immediately afterwards, he pulled out a sword.

It is the Spring and Autumn Sword!

The three of them didn't understand how Xu Qing was going to go down. They only saw Xu Qing come to the edge of the cliff, and then, with a swift movement, he leaped off the cliff like a feather.

The three of them were all startled, but they saw that Xu Qing did not fall straight down. Instead, he lightly touched the protrusion on the cliff with his toes, and his body floated sideways for several feet with the force of the movement. At the same time, he swung his long sword, and with a flash of green light, the tip of the sword accurately pierced into the crack in the cliff.