Chapter 473: The Emperor: “Don’t Disappoint Me”
It seemed as though Zhang Wuji’s conversation with Happy had never taken place…
Zhao Min showed no signs of change;
Zhou Zhiruo, as usual, spent most of her time gazing blankly at the Heaven-Piercing Sword;
The delicate and obedient Xiao Zhao conscientiously took care of everyone’s meals;
Zhang Wuji occasionally went out to search for the messengers of the Holy Fire Order of the Ming Sect and to check if there were any ships by the sea;
Happy couldn’t stay in the cave and spent most of her time in a clearing in the nearby woods, practicing with Xie Xun, who was used to training.
Xie Xun held the Dragon Slaying Sword but didn’t use any sword techniques. Fighting with one hand, Happy could barely match him, but her Flying Dragon Sword Technique improved somewhat!
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
It seemed no more players entered Snake Island, and it became calm and peaceful.
Happy was happy to practice with Xie Xun to improve her Flying Dragon Sword Technique and another advanced defensive skill.
That day…
As usual, Xie Xun stopped practicing after less than two hours and returned to the cave, sending Zhang Wuji out to explore Snake Island.
Happy didn’t return to the cave immediately. Instead, she continued to meditate in place to restore her inner strength.
After some time, a gentle breeze blew from the woods, and a strange scent seemed to appear in the air.
Alert, Happy suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze sharp as ice, fixed on the northeast direction.
“Who’s there?”
A faint figure emerged slowly yet swiftly from the depths of the woods, appearing ten meters away from Happy in just a few steps. The person wore a faint smile and carried a long, pitch-black sword sheathed at the waist.
By the time the person stopped ten meters away, Happy had already silently risen to her feet, the Fourth Stage Guardian Sword in her hands…
The two stood face to face, examining each other.
While silently feeling the other’s gaze, Happy also carefully observed their appearance, equipment, and weapons!
The stranger appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, young and heroic. Dressed in a purple robe with black edges, it gave off an air of elegance and luxury, along with a hint of mystery and superiority. His calm, smiling face showed a slight surprise as he looked at Happy, his composed expression hiding no admiration in his eyes:
“You must be Happy.”
His voice was calm, with a hint of confirmation.
Happy wore a rather ordinary green robe; as the slightly damp sea breeze blew, the sleeves and his headscarf fluttered casually, giving off a very gentle and relaxed vibe. Yet, the magnificent and luxurious Four-Section Guardian Sword added a touch of chivalrous heroism to Happy, who otherwise appeared like an innocuous scholar.
To be honest, it was hard for those present to believe that this seemingly ordinary man was actually Happy—the renowned master who was feared throughout the martial world, known for his decisive combat skills, and even influential among the three top factions in the realm.
Hearing this, Happy slightly raised his eyes and glanced at the newcomer. “Who are you?”
“Yi Di.”
The other man spoke in his usual tone, but uttered two names that made Happy’s brows twitch. As expected!
Though Happy had been prepared, confirming the identity of the visitor still took his breath away. Truly worthy of the title “Yi Di”—his aura and dignity clearly stemmed from years of undefeated battles. “I’ve long heard of you, the number one master on the Dragon List.”
Calming down, Happy smiled faintly. “The same goes for you, the number one master among the renowned!”
Yi Di’s smile grew wider. “I’ve heard of Happy’s name for a long time. Over these eight months, many have risen and fallen—Shao San with his swift sword, Marquis Dingbei of the Desert, Lu Mingyue, heir to the Immortal East, Mo Feng, the number one master on the Phoenix List… Some are still around, while others have declined. But Happy’s name has always been well-known, becoming a legend in the martial world! Seeing you in person, I confirm it’s truly well-deserved!”
In Yi Di’s presence, Happy always felt a slight sense of pressure. Despite Yi Di’s casual demeanor, there was an unfathomable aura surrounding him, like a sword with its edge hidden. An invisible sword intent enveloped his body, making it impossible to look directly at him—and causing a sense of discomfort and oppression. Happy hated this feeling.
“Flattery!” Taking a deep breath, Happy suddenly did something completely unexpected: he rubbed his thumb, causing the Guardian Sword to emerge slightly from its sheath!
Whoa! The sword intent surrounding Yi Di became sharp instantly, and his eyes narrowed slightly. But he quickly regained his composure…
The slightly drawn Guardian Sword revealed a small section of its blade. The three-colored blade emitted a magical glow, and from its edge, a faint sense of danger began to gather within the sheath.
Kai Xin maintained his stance of holding the sword with one hand, keeping the blade slightly exposed, though his expression had become much more calm. “Sir, you have always been the object of our envy… the number one on the Dragon Ranking, the undisputed greatest martial artist in the jianghu… Countless people can’t keep up with you, not even I. I truly wish I had the chance to compete with the greatest master on the Dragon Ranking.”
The faint sword energy of the “Flying Dragon Sword Technique” concentrated within the sword sheath finally allowed Kai Xin to completely break free from the constant pressure brought about by the appearance of the “One Emperor,” giving him a sense of equality and relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
“How about we fight another round today?”
The “One Emperor’s” eyes sparkled with unusual light, and his aura suddenly grew immensely. The sword energy rising from Kai Xin ignited his fierce fighting spirit.
Hearing this, Kai Xin laughed heartily. “Why not?”
Failing to fight the “One Emperor” in his past life had always been Kai Xin’s greatest regret. Now that he had the chance, how could he hesitate?!
Boom!!
In an instant, his fighting spirit surged.
“However, the sword technique I’ve learned is one for killing—once used, there’s no turning back. I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop at just a light touch.” Seemingly influenced by Kai Xin’s energy, the “One Emperor’s” tone turned cold as the sword energy grew stronger. The surrounding space also seemed to darken suddenly, serving as a clear reminder.
“To reach the pinnacle of martial arts, one must abandon concerns about life and death and give it their all!”
Kai Xin spoke slowly, emphasizing each word with great force.
The “One Emperor’s” expression changed slightly! His gaze toward Kai Xin became complex and strange, with a hint of admiration and mutual understanding mixed into his fierce fighting spirit.
He naturally didn’t know that these words were the realization Kai Xin had gained after seeing the “One Emperor’s” past life’s record, and they later became his motto for challenging various masters in the jianghu.
“To reach the pinnacle of martial arts, one must abandon concerns about life and death and give it their all!”
The “One Emperor” murmured Kai Xin’s words over and over, savoring them…
“Not bad!”
“The pinnacle of martial arts—risking life and death… Haha…” The “One Emperor” suddenly laughed wildly, his posture exuding extreme boldness. “Truly worthy of being the number one master on the list of great masters! I thought the number one was just a child who sought fame and fortune to entertain the world. I never expected Brother Kai Xin to have such ambitions! Good! Let’s postpone today’s fight for half a year. With the ‘Wumu Qishu’ and the ‘Jiuyin Zhenjing’ in your hands, they won’t be wasted!”
“…”
Kai Xin was stunned but noticed that the sword energy around the “One Emperor” was being absorbed into his body at an even faster pace.
The “One Emperor” grew solemn and turned to leave with utmost seriousness.
“Fight me in half a year!” The emperor moved with incredible speed; his voice came from afar through the woods, clear and solemn: “It is only now that I have grasped the fifth sword. ‘Zhou Yu’ defeated me with three strikes. In half a year, I believe I will have mastered the seventh sword. By then, I hope you won’t disappoint me… Happy!”
Happily heard this, he felt both relieved and disappointed, in a very complex and unsettling state.