fantasy novels Chapter 30 The Sword Left Behind by Zhang Zhenshan
Chapter 30 The Sword Left Behind by Zhang Zhenshan
Zhang Yuan dismissed his distracting thoughts and stopped trying to suppress them.
"The momentum of opening up the mountain!"
The wooden sword seemed to weigh a ton in his hands. He raised it high above his head, and a domineering will to cleave through the void in front of him arose spontaneously. He then slashed down with a thunderous roar!
The air emitted a dull whistling sound.
"Flow-Severing Slash!"
Before the downward slash was finished, his wrist flipped like lightning, and the wooden knife drew a sharp, cold light, slashing diagonally upwards with the decisiveness to cut through rivers!
"Mountain-Crushing Force!"
As the blade touched a point in the void, the wrist flicked almost imperceptibly, and a concentrated, needle-like internal force seemed to pierce through the blade, emitting a soft "hum" sound!
"Rock Town!"
The blade spun around and was held horizontally in front of his chest. His feet seemed rooted to the ground, and his waist and stance were perfectly aligned. An immovable and steady aura instantly spread out, as if the area within a foot in front of him had become an impregnable wall!
"Ground-Splitting Strike!"
……
He could wield the seven sword techniques with ease.
Although it was just a wooden sword, and although the power was somewhat reserved, the exquisite transitions between moves, the precise and tricky angles of force application, and the thick and domineering sword intent that was ingrained in his bones and blood were far beyond what a beginner could achieve!
The wind howled through the small courtyard, whipping up a few fallen leaves that swirled around the slender yet remarkably upright figure.
"Excellent! Excellent swordsmanship!"
Zhang Gu appeared under the eaves at some point, holding a long, narrow package wrapped in thick oilcloth.
He watched Zhang Yuan wield his sword with effortless grace under the moonlight, his cloudy old eyes glistening with tears of excitement and satisfaction.
Zhang Yuan sheathed his sword, his breathing steady, and looked at Zhang Gu and the thing in his hand.
"Young Master," Zhang Gu stepped forward quickly, his voice trembling with a hint of nostalgia, "This old servant was cleaning the ancestral hall when I found this. This is... this is the sword that Master left behind."
He carefully unwrapped the layers of oilcloth, revealing a long sword with an ancient design, a dark body, and the marks of time.
The scabbard was made of tough sharkskin, which was somewhat worn, and the handle was wrapped with dark anti-slip rope.
The knife has no superfluous decorations, yet it exudes a calm and restrained aura of killing intent, as if it had been through the ravages of war.
"This sword," Zhang Gu's voice was filled with reverence, "was given to you ten years ago by General Yue Zhenshan, the 'General Who Guards the Mountains,' who personally removed his own sword and bestowed it upon you after you rendered outstanding service in a major battle in the northern border region, where you commanded the army and were responsible for training the troops of the three northern towns!"
"General Yue Zhenshan, the Guardian General?" Zhang Yuan's heart skipped a beat.
This is one of the five most famous and top-ranking generals of the Great Yu Dynasty!
It is renowned throughout the world for its strict military discipline, its expertise in building impregnable military defenses, and its ability to train and strengthen its troops!
"Yes!" Zhang Gu nodded vigorously, his face full of pride. "The master said that this sword accompanied General Yue through half his life of battles, slaying countless enemy chieftains. It contains the killing aura of a great general and is a true treasure!"
"The master treasured it and never used it lightly. He only wore it when he returned to his hometown to practice his swordsmanship."
"Before leaving, he placed this knife in the Zhang family ancestral hall, saying he wanted to leave it to his descendants... Now, it has finally waited for you, young master!"
Zhang Gu solemnly handed the long sword to Zhang Yuan with both hands.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and reached out to grasp the cold hilt of the knife.
The instant his fingers touched the hilt of the knife, and his mind connected with it—
【Ding! 】
[A general's sword (low-grade Xuan rank) containing the "true meaning of the Zhenyue Army Formation" has been detected!]
[The complete military formation diagram and detailed explanation of "Iron Wall Encirclement" have been detected (Mid-grade Profound Rank). Comprehending and deducing this formation requires 180 years of lifespan!]
[Detected "Eight Forms of Breaking the Edge" battlefield killing technique (low-grade Xuan rank). Comprehending and mastering it requires 120 years of lifespan!]
[Detected "Hundred Battles Tempering Body," a military body-refining secret technique (low-grade Xuan rank). Comprehending it requires 150 years of lifespan!]
[Fragment of "Military Strategy: Yue Family Insights" (High-grade Profound Rank) detected. Completing and deriving it requires 300 years of lifespan!]
[A faint trace of "Suppressing Mountain Battle Intent" (High-grade Profound Rank) has been detected. Absorption and fusion will require 50 years of lifespan!]
……
A series of cold and shocking notification sounds exploded in Zhang Yuan's mind like thunder!
Each piece of information represents a top-tier inheritance that could drive countless martial artists and generals mad!
However, the astronomical lifespan requirements that followed, such as "one hundred and eighty years," "one hundred and twenty years," and "three hundred years," made Zhang Yuan, who had just begun to experience a little "abundance," feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave!
A massive, heavy torrent of thoughts, imbued with the aura of battle and bloodshed, surged along the hilt of his sword, assaulting his mind as if to engulf him!
He gripped the knife hilt tightly, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force, his body trembling slightly, and his face turning as pale as paper once again.
He gazed at the ancient and heavy battle sword in his hand, feeling the immense power and endless mysteries contained within it.
Looking at the remaining words on the panel, "[Remaining lifespan: 2 years and 306 days!]", an unprecedented sense of longing and helplessness, stronger than when facing a life-or-death struggle, swept over his entire body like an icy tide.
The road ahead is still long.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yuan suppressed the urge that was stirring in his heart.
……
For the next few days, Zhang Yuan's life was like a tightly wound string.
Every morning, he would step into the Rock Martial Arts Hall on time, where he would temper his muscles and skin under Zheng Chaoyang's strict gaze and the heavy Xuanlin Blade, feeling his blood and qi flowing and solidifying under the guidance of the "Hundred Battles Tempering Body" Qi-inducing method.
Ten days later, he rushed to the Chen residence to write a memorial.
County Lieutenant Lin Shen led troops to Heishui Ferry to quell the chaos caused by demons and monsters, leaving Chen Wenyuan with almost all the official duties piled up in the county government.
Whenever Zhang Yuan arrived at the Chen family, Chen Wenyuan could only hurriedly teach him a passage of scripture, assign him homework, and then immediately set off for the county government office, his steps heavy with exhaustion.
On this day, Zhang Yuan left the Chen family home with his books in his arms and walked through the familiar streets to return home.
When we arrived at the entrance of Willow Lane, we found that a previously empty two-courtyard house in the lane was quite lively.
The gates were wide open, and servants were going in and out, carrying boxes and items, and sweeping and dusting.
A rather ornate carriage was parked in front of the gate, and the furnishings unloaded from it indicated the owner's status.
The person directing the servants was a young man in a brocade robe, none other than Xiao Yang, whom I had met in the alley a few days ago.
He spotted Zhang Yuan at a glance, and a warm smile immediately spread across his face. He took a few steps forward to greet him: "Cousin Qingyang! Haha, what a coincidence! Look, we'll be neighbors from now on!"
"Cousin?" Zhang Yuan stopped in his tracks, raising an eyebrow with a look of confusion in his eyes.
He doesn't seem to have such a close connection with the Xiao family.
Xiao Yang's smile remained unchanged, his tone carrying just the right amount of familiarity and a hint of barely perceptible sadness: "Yes, I only just heard it from the elders in the manor. My mother and your mother are distant cousins. But..."
"Both parents passed away early, and the elders in the family were often away on business or... or too busy to take care of others, so the two families gradually lost contact."
He paused, then quickened his pace to mask the awkward distance, "Well, I figured living alone would be boring, so I moved here. Once things are settled, I'll definitely pay you a visit in person!"