Chapter 371: A Conversation of Geniuses
The sunset glow on the horizon gradually faded, and the same glow in the lake vanished along with it. The wind blowing across the lake grew colder and colder. The bonfire by the shore had already burned out, leaving only some embers with no warmth left. Chen Changsheng tightened his clothes and gazed at the lake and mountains for a long time without speaking. Where exactly was that assassin who had never shown himself and might appear at any moment?
Su Li knew what he was thinking and said, "I told you, since he decided to wait, he will keep waiting, waiting like an idiot until he waits himself into a dead end."
This statement clearly had a hidden meaning.
Chen Changsheng thought, what if that assassin couldn't wait any longer? He didn't believe he had any chance against such a powerful opponent.
"Senior... do you still have the strength to fight?"
Since returning south from the snowy plains, Su Li couldn't even walk. This morning, at the most critical moment, he had used the yellow paper umbrella to block Xue He's final strike, which gave Chen Changsheng a glimmer of hope.
Su Li scolded, "The little strength I managed to save up over these days, I used it all this morning to save your little life. Where would I have any strength left now? Do you think I'm one of those two tireless hairy deer?"
The two hairy deer were resting by the lakeshore not far away, their front hooves bent, looking very docile.
"Speaking of which, that last sword strike of yours that severely wounded Xue He... was quite impressive. To be able to suddenly lift the sword upward when the momentum was already exhausted, directly reversing the battle situation—what sword technique is that, so stylish?"
Hearing Su Li's question, Chen Changsheng was speechless. He thought, could you really not tell what sword technique that was?
But as with the most common type of conversation he had with Su Li, he knew he had to answer.
"It's... the Liao Tian Sword."
When he said those three words, he felt very awkward, a look of embarrassment appearing on his face.
But Su Li's face was clearly much thicker than his. He clicked his tongue in admiration and said, "The person who created this sword move is truly remarkable."
Chen Changsheng couldn't continue anymore. He hugged his knees, lowered his head, and pretended he hadn't heard anything.
—The Liao Tian Sword was a secret sword technique of the Li Mountain Sword Sect, just like the Golden Crow Sword... it was originally a sword technique Su Li had created himself.
He refused to speak anymore. Su Li couldn't continue boasting about himself. After a moment of silence, his expression turned serious. He looked at Chen Changsheng expressionlessly and asked, "Why do you know my Liao Tian Sword?"
This was indeed a question.
Cultivation sects had always been strict about not letting their techniques be passed outside. Anyone who dared to steal them would be hunted to death. Moreover, the Liao Tian Sword was not an ordinary sword technique of the Li Mountain Sword Sect; it was a secret sword technique created by Su Li himself.
"The Liao Tian Sword... was recorded in the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain."
Chen Changsheng looked at Su Li's expression and nervously explained.
Su Li recalled that before the centuries-long war had ended, when he had not yet left his master and was still a naive young boy in the Li Mountain Sword Sect, he had created this fierce and violent sword technique. Eventually, yielding to the requests of his elders, he had copied a copy... He looked at Chen Changsheng expressionlessly and said, "So it turns out the General Sword Manual of my Li Mountain is in your hands."
Disciples of the Li Mountain Sword Sect who had experienced the Green Vine Banquet and the Grand Examination, such as Gou Hanshi and Guan Feibai, had long confirmed this fact. But Su Li had been wandering the world and never paid attention to such matters, so this was the first time he knew. When he said the words "General Sword Manual of Li Mountain," he stared into Chen Changsheng's eyes, enunciating each word with particular clarity and weight.
Chen Changsheng had grown up reading in the old temple of Xining Town. After entering the National Academy, he was also alone, without teachers or classmates. He had no concept of sect or mountain gate, so naturally, he didn't know what the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain meant to the sect. He nodded and said, "Senior, I learned your Liao Tian Sword from that manual."
Su Li raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "The General Sword Manual only records the sword score, with moves and sword paths, but not the method of circulating sword essence. It has form but no spirit. How did you learn it?"
Chen Changsheng answered honestly, "I designed two true essence circulation routes myself. Through calculations, deductions, and two attempts at striking, the power is certainly not as strong as Senior's true Liao Tian Sword, but it's still usable."
Hearing this, Su Li was silent for a long time.
Chen Changsheng asked, "Senior?"
Su Li looked at him and said, "No wonder it felt a bit strange when I saw you strike... designing it yourself... When did designing sword paths become such a simple thing? Could it be that you are a true genius of the sword?"
Chen Changsheng dared not accept this, saying, "That was all Senior's wisdom. I just made some adjustments."
"Adjustments are sometimes harder than creation. I created the Liao Tian Sword at fourteen, and you modified it at fifteen. I am a peerless genius—does that make you a fool? Being able to independently create a true essence circulation channel, you are certainly a true genius, even a rare talent not seen in a thousand years. It's just that those true fools in the capital never noticed this most worthy matter. Even Gou Hanshi probably missed it." Su Li looked at him with admiration and said, "Only the demon race, whose meridians differ from humans but who desperately want to cultivate human techniques, could probably understand how important what you've done is... No wonder the White Emperor and his wife allowed their precious daughter to become your disciple and even gave you the General Sword Manual of my Li Mountain."
Chen Changsheng had never thought himself remarkable, except for having thoroughly read the Daoist Canon.
—That was only because everyone said Gou Hanshi's thorough reading of the Daoist Canon was remarkable, so he knew that he and Senior Brother Yuren were also remarkable. But today, someone said he was remarkable in the way of the sword and cultivation, even an unprecedented genius. And the person saying this was himself a universally recognized genius. This surprised him, made him happy, and also left him somewhat bewildered.
Then he heard Su Li mention the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain again and finally came to his senses. He said, "Senior, the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain was given to me by Luoluo, but it's not mine, so I can't give it to you."
Su Li saw that he had finally understood his intention and was about to smile slightly, casually reaching out to take the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain that Chen Changsheng respectfully returned, thus comforting his master's spirit in heaven. But things didn't develop that way... He was very angry, thinking, was all that praise I just gave you heard by pigs?
Chen Changsheng saw his displeased expression and wanted to lighten the mood, saying with a smile, "Senior can't just take things from a junior."
He really wasn't good with words; this joke wasn't funny.
If Su Li could move at this moment, he would definitely snatch the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain directly from Chen Changsheng's body. So the atmosphere didn't improve at all; instead, it became even more awkward.
"The General Sword Manual of Li Mountain was taken by the White Emperor's clan, and I will only take it back from their hands."
Su Li looked at him and said. He said this with heroic spirit, as if clouds were breaking and the moon emerging. But he knew this was just an excuse, or a stepping stone. At this moment, he couldn't even defeat Chen Changsheng, so he couldn't snatch it. He had no choice but not to snatch it and leave it for later.
The problem was that Chen Changsheng didn't know this. He thought Su Li really meant it and asked curiously, "Senior, why haven't you gone to White Emperor City over the years to reclaim the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain?"
In his view, given Su Li's sword cultivation and temperament, since the General Sword Manual of Li Mountain was lost in White Emperor City, he should have long since charged over to retrieve it. So he asked, and in doing so, pulled away the stepping stone beneath Su Li's feet.
Su Li's expression turned ugly. He thought, that praise I just gave this little brat really would have been better given to pigs.
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(Just this chapter today. I need to go out and meet with friends tonight. I really wanted to title this chapter "A Damned Conversation.")