Song of Adolescence

Chapter 216 One Sword and the Swallow Returns

Song Yanhui stood above the city gate. He had already entered the Sword House and had planned to devote himself to cultivating his swordsmanship. But, he felt the surge of sword aura coming from outside Unrivaled City and thought that they were about to face a great enemy, so he hurried over with his sword. His sword had an inch of crack on its tip caused by the Snow Moon Sword Immortal Li Hanyi. The name of the sword was Broken Water, only because back then, Song Yanhui became famous with his “one sword to break water, stopping a thousand rivers.” Song Yanhui looked down the city walls at Yin Luoxia, and slowly said, "You’re here again."

This "you’re here again" could be understood in many ways. When the tone was joyous, it could be a kind of welcome, where he was looking forward to a reunion after a long separation. When the tone was indifferent, it could be a kind of rejection, where he had no choice but to see her.

But Song Yanhui\'s tone was very calm. He didn’t sound happy, nor did he sound like he was displeased.

Yin Luoxia nodded. "Yes, I\'m here again."

"I wonder for what purpose has the Fairy come to visit Unrivaled City?" Song Yanhui was still standing above the city gate and asked with his head lowered, his tone respectful.

"Snow Moon City disciples were ambushed at Lei Clan Fort and suffered injuries. Rumours in the martial world said this matter was related to Unrivaled City, so I’ve specially come to ask for a clarification," Yin Luoxia also answered formally.

Song Yanhui shook his head. "We at Unrivaled City had indeed heard of this matter, but it had nothing to do with us. Although we have always been at odds with Snow Moon City, and we did not send anyone to the Heroes Banquet at Lei Clan Fort this year, to poison and harm the heroes under Heaven at the Heroes Banquet are not the actions of Unrivaled City."

"Good." Yin Luoxia nodded. "That\'s it."

Song Yanhui sighed. "That’s not it."

"Oh?" Yin Luoxia raised her eyebrows. "What else?"

Song Yanhui pondered for a while before he added, "But I knew of this matter in advance, and the person behind the plot even invited us to take action."

"So?" Yin Luoxia narrowed her eyes.

"But I refused. Fairy, you have to understand that if we, Unrivaled City, were to take action, then Lei Clan Fort would have been eliminated from the martial world in this incident." Song Yanhui spoke loudly. "But, we shall regain our place as number one in the martial world. Unrivaled City will hold onto our own principles."

"Okay." Yin Luoxia gently put Luo Mingxuan, who was still in her arms, on the ground. She raised her head, her beautiful eyes wandering, and looked at Song Yanhui. "I have another question."

"She’s still going to do it." Wushuang had already kept his sword casket and walked to Lu Yuzhai\'s side.

Lu Yuzhai sighed and wanted to help his master out of this difficult situation. "Senior, just now, your disciple has already lost to Wushuang-shidi. Our bet earlier should count now?"

Yin Luoxia ignored him completely and continued to look up at Song Yanhui.

Song Yanhui also looked down at her without speaking.

Wushuang patted Lu Yuzhai on the shoulder. "Shixiong, I think we better hide ourselves."

"Never mind." Yin Luoxia suddenly jumped, and she flashed towards Song Yanhui standing above the city gate. She unsheathed the Sunset Shadow sword on her waist, the blade light and sharp, and she looked like a shadow of a swallow flying across the horizon.

Song Yanhui also jumped up from above the city gate, and swung his Broken Water sword, chilling and decisive, and he carried with him a domineering power that could divert a thousand rivers.

The two swords collided, and Yin Luoxia and Song Yanhui’s eyes were only an inch apart. Their eyes locked onto each other, and though it was only for a moment, the moment was extraordinarily perfect.

Both of them pushed forward.

Song Yanhui withdrew his sword and returned to the city gate.

Yin Luoxia also withdrew her sword, still standing under the city gate, but she no longer raised her head.

It seemed as if neither of them had pulled out their swords just then, and it was all an illusion imagined by the onlooker. But, it was clearly not an illusion. Because the new citymaster, Wushuang, murmured, "What a beautiful sword."

Lu Yuzhai quipped, "Did you mean shifu’s sword was beautiful, or Luoxia Fairy’s sword was beautiful."

"The sword of resolution," Wushuang said slowly. "The beauty of the two swords combined."

Yin Luoxia turned around and scooped up Luo Mingxuan from the ground again. She whispered softly, "Dear disciple, let\'s go home."

Luo Mingxuan didn\'t know what to say, and just replied softly, "Shifu…"

Upon seeing this, Lu Yuzhai hurried forward and picked up each of the swords that Luo Mingxuan dropped on the ground earlier. He wrapped them all in a cloth bag, and walked forward to tie it onto the back of one of their horses.

"Thanks," Yin Luoxia said softly, and then jumped and landed on the other horse with Luo Mingxuan in her arms. She hugged Luo Mingxuan who had lost all his strength with one hand, and slapped the horse with the other. "Ride!"

The two of them left again on their horses in a trail of dust. Not a single one of the disciples of Unrivaled City and the people from Under Heaven Den dared to step forward to stop them.

"Shifu, I\'m sorry. If only I could defeat that Wushuang just now…" Luo Mingxuan gritted his teeth, his voice in pain.

"Don\'t blame yourself. When we get back, you go study the Immortal Six Gambles technique and when you solve it, come back and fight him again," Yin Luoxia consoled him.

Luo Mingxuan started. "Then, shifu, when the time comes, will you come again?"

Yin Luoxia shook her head. "I won\'t come. I will never come again for the rest of my life."

Luo Mingxuan was silent for a long time before he continued asking, "Shifu, was Song Yanhui very charming in the past? Why do you like him so much, shifu?"

Yin Luoxia chuckled. "Yes, he was the most outstanding gentleman I met in the past. Do you know why he’s called Song Yanhui? Because when he drew his sword against the sky, the beauty of that sword could make the swallows that were migrating south turn around and fly back."

"Shifu and he met by the Canglan River?" Luo Mingxuan asked again.

Yin Luoxia nodded. "Yes. At the time, the Canglan River was flooded, and the refugees on the bank were in danger of being wiped out at any time. He broke the water with one sword, and I cut off the river with one palm. Together, we saved many refugees and our friendship began from that moment."

Luo Mingxuan murmured, "Shifu, whenever I asked you these questions before, you never answered them. Why are you willing to talk about it today?"

Yin Luoxia wanted to turn her head, but suddenly she stopped. She looked straight ahead again and waved her whip. "Because… I’ve let it go!"

Outside Unrivaled City, Wushuang carried his sword casket on his back and Lu Yuzhai held his spear. The two of them silently watched the departure of the pair of master and disciple.

Wushuang slowly said, "Shixiong, how about we have a bet? Let’s bet if Luoxia Fairy will turn her head and look back."

Lu Yuzhai thought for a while. "She probably will. This Luoxia Fairy always comes as fast as lightning, but leaves reluctantly."

"Then I bet she won’t." Wushuang grinned. "Let’s bet with a jug of wine."

In the end, by the time they could no longer see those two people, Yin Luoxia never looked back.

"I won. Let’s go and have a drink." Wushuang turned around, and suddenly realised that Song Yanhui was still standing above the city gate and had not left.

He stood there, holding his sword, bathed in the light of the setting sun, and looked into the distance. He was completely motionless, as if time had stopped for him.