Chapter 455
A sword was swung, like a spark igniting in the dark night, and in the howling wind, the flames surged, instantly spreading like wildfire.
The clash of blades rang out, and an ordinary longsword was severed.
Yet, before the broadsword could strike down on the butcher, the broken sword had already pierced its master's heart.
The swordsman stood there, stunned, unable to believe he had been defeated in a single move. He asked, "What kind of sword technique is this?"
"The kind used for butchering pigs."
The swordsman fell to his knees, utterly silent.
A butcher stepped into the governor's hall, and despite the hundreds of guards and thousands of city watchmen, none could stop him.
In the end, he reached the governor, and with one stroke, severed his head.
He turned around, holding the severed head that refused to close its eyes:
"I lied to him; this sword is called 'Unyielding Blade,' just like my name."
"My sword is the sword of the common man; you better take a good look!"
Within this sword's aura lay a profound sword technique, but Li Mo particularly liked it.
Well, this had nothing to do with his love for hammers...
The understanding of martial arts was activated!
"Unyielding Blade" was mastered to a small degree.
This time, it only took him a little over a decade of martial comprehension.
"My talent for swordsmanship doesn't seem as bad as I thought."
Li Mo felt quite pleased, a little smug even.
The next sword aura he contemplated flowed particularly smoothly.
He envisioned the snow-covered North Feng City, where armies surrounded a solitary fortress, and heroes from the martial world gathered within. The master of the sword aura was an exceptionally gifted soldier, who integrated the martial arts of the fallen defenders, ultimately achieving great sword energy.
He also saw a promise made, a journey across half the world to fulfill it, and at the moment of fulfillment, the sword broke through its limits.
Wait a minute.
"Though it's not from the same era, I can still be considered a young hero, making friends with the greats of the five cities..."
Young Li, the swordsman, diligently studied and deduced.
In each of these sword auras, he saw the life of a wandering swordsman he had always dreamed of.
In a sense, it was another way of fulfilling his dreams.
"These sword techniques all emphasize sword energy."
As Li Mo contemplated the sword, he seemed lost in thought.
By afternoon, he prepared to comprehend another sword aura but decided to take a break. The sword aura from the celestial sword felt like an ocean, and he truly had no idea when he would reach the 'one-tenth or one-twelfth' level that Iceberg had mentioned.
In the next moment, a figure in a scholar's robe appeared before him.
The person had a face like jade, and their long robe billowed, making Li Mo think of an old acquaintance.
Luo Yu?
The son of the master of the Burning Jade Forest, with a face that seemed to invite a punch, bore a striking resemblance.
"You can see me, which means you've completed the study of the common man's sword."
The moment he spoke, his tone was arrogant.
Great, this must be either Luo Yu's father or his uncle...
"That common man's sword is merely the courage to spill blood for five steps; how can it break the situation of the Celestial City?"
"My sword is the sword for governing a nation; you should pay close attention!"
...
"Something's off; why is this sword technique so difficult?"
Li Mo left the sword arena, mumbling to himself as he walked to the windowsill.
As dusk approached, the capital's lantern market was like a sea, bustling with people, the vast plateau stretching endlessly.
What he had just learned was also a supreme sword technique, but the required martial comprehension had increased exponentially!
Li Mo settled down to think and began to form a hypothesis.
The common man's sword was easy for him to learn.
The scholar's sword was difficult.
It wasn't that the sword techniques had become harder; it was just that the latter often referenced things like "Taiping Sword Technique," "Seven Swords of Justice," "Dragon Scale Strike"...
He wasn't cut out to be a scholar, nor was he suited for governing a nation!
"I'm just a righteous man; there's a difference between me and scholars."
After coming to this realization, Li Mo felt even more troubled. Did he need to take the imperial examination first before continuing his studies?
Otherwise, he could only rely on brute force to break through.
Shaking his head, he turned and went downstairs to cook something to calm himself down.
...
In the main hall of Bu Yun Tower, the entrance was no longer as lively as before. Previously, there were always people coming in, specifically challenging someone.
But now, with the upcoming Qianlong Conference, the young talents on the Qianlong List could justifiably avoid battles.
However, the inside of Bu Yun Tower was still bustling with voices.
One particular table was quite enviable; it had always been lively, and today three more people joined, making it feel like a feast every day.
Of course, it was also because they had a great chef, and the daily special was never the same.
"Prosperous Wife, Fighting Spirit!"
"Fame in one battle, oh god... Prosperous Wife, Fighting Spirit!"
"Li brother, how did you do it? Teach me, please..."
As soon as the young talents on the Qianlong List saw Li Mo come out of the kitchen, they all greeted him.
The young talents of the Qianlong List were all filled with youthful vigor and exceptional talent; who among them wasn't proud?
But ultimately, certain events had shattered their pride, leaving them only to envy.
For instance, when trapped in a dire situation, a cold celestial maiden suddenly descended...
"?"
Li Mo felt something was off.
The good news was that no one was calling him the 'God Hammer Tyrant' anymore.
The bad news was that his other nickname seemed just as awkward! It sounded worse than 'small fry'!
Young Li sat back down, puzzled.
He noticed Murong Xiao, Huang Donglai, Xiao Qin, and Heng Yun looking at him with strange expressions.
"Can you guys judge this? Is my nickname ridiculous?"
"Old Xiao, you’re called 'Wind-Cutting, Broken Sword,' so cool! Old Bai, you’re 'Sky-Soaring Sword,' even more dashing! Huang Donglai, you... never mind, just eat more..."
"So, I’m not even married yet, don’t have a wife, so how can I be 'prosperous'? What wife am I prospering?"
"Where's my wife?"
Young Li was indignant.
Just then, a light footstep echoed from the stairs, and everyone turned to look at the newcomer.
Well then.
The cold, ethereal maiden walked to the table, her expression serene and sacred, exuding an air of aloofness as she sat beside Li Mo.
She grasped the tip of a large doll's head, her fingers slightly curling.
"....."
Everyone leaned back slightly.
Why not...
You ask her?
---
Chapter 508: Let the 'Prosperous Wife, Fighting Spirit' nickname stay; I can’t be confused any longer!
"What are you talking about?"
Ying Bing picked up her chopsticks, as if she hadn’t heard anything.
"Li brother is quite dissatisfied with his nickname."
Murong Xiao shook his head and advised, "Li brother, it's just a superficial name; why be so attached? It's merely fleeting, like a dream or a bubble."
"Really, 'Love's Burial'?"
"......"
The Master of Love seemed to understand; what one learns from books is shallow, and if one cannot empathize, they cannot guide others.
A man's growth sometimes happens in an instant...
"I think it's quite good." Ying Bing's cheeks moved slightly, and her lowered eyes held a hint of a smile.
As her words fell, the hall fell into silence, and countless hearts felt like they had been turned upside down.
The highest-ranked woman on the Qianlong List, perhaps the most extraordinary talent in its history.
Just yesterday, she had wielded her divine sword to conquer the heavenly tribulation, breaking through the external realm. Though she hadn’t directly defeated the fifth realm, it was still unprecedented.
When she smiled, could it be so gentle? Even a bit helpless.
Everyone thought, 'You should be grateful for your fortune; how dare you be dissatisfied with your nickname? Are you satisfied with the sound of my back teeth grinding?'
"Amitabha, this monk has severed worldly ties; the golden sea is all dried up."
Murong Xiao recited a Buddhist chant and began gnawing on a pig's trotter.
"I have more important matters." Xiao Qin munched away.
"......" Huang Donglai's eyes were alert.
Though he had tried his best to remain inconspicuous, being on the Qianlong List meant many nobles in the capital were eager to catch a golden son-in-law from the list, and even he, a two-faced turtle, was not spared.
But he felt that beautiful women were all disasters!
Miss Ying was the disaster among disasters! So Li brother was in danger!
"..... Enough with the relationship talk; everyone’s just reminiscing here."
Qin Yuzhi casually remarked, effectively killing the mood.
The dining table fell silent, leaving only the sound of everyone quietly eating.
After a moment, it was the little princess Jiang who innocently asked:
"Li big brother, do you want a swordsman nickname?"
"Um... I've learned a lot of sword techniques recently."
Li Mo glanced at the martial comprehension that had been crossed out for eight hundred years.
"But a person can only have two nicknames, right? I wonder which one will be replaced."
The little princess Jiang blinked.
"....."
What a tough choice between two!
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