Chapter Twenty: The Command Token for Swordsmanship, A Banquet Among Friends

When the blade descended, a deafening clang resounded, as if steel were clashing against steel! The long blade shattered inch by inch, fragments flying and embedding themselves into the surrounding walls with a series of soft thuds.

“Did I just see a ghost?”

The swordsman’s palm split open, leaving only a hilt in his hand. Blood gushed forth as he staggered back, his face twisted in disbelief, as though he had just witnessed something supernatural.

At that moment, the tall youth stood before him, his expression cold and indifferent. His left shoulder bore the mark of a blade—the fabric torn, the sharkskin armor beneath also cut through, revealing ancient bronze-blue scales. They glimmered with an unyielding luster, hinting at a strength impossible to break. After a moment, this radiance faded away, but not a single trace of blood could be seen.

“Retreat!”

The swordsman tossed the hilt aside and fled like a lone wolf with its tail tucked between its legs. That one strike had revealed the vast gulf separating him from his opponent—an insurmountable divide.

He knew well: the saying “blades and swords cannot harm” applied only to ordinary weapons. His blade was forged from refined steel, never dulled despite claiming countless lives. He himself had broken through his vital energy twice, holding a position as third mate on a large ship. With a single swing, he could cleave a monstrous fish’s skull, break stone as easily as glass.

But now, his blade had snapped against the youth’s left shoulder?

Even with the added protection of sharkskin armor, this was terrifying enough to instill fear in the swordsman.

“What kind of monster is this? Is it some iron-scaled beast that’s become sentient?”

He cursed inwardly. Though experienced and ruthless, in the face of such a creature, his only thought was flight.

Fight? If he broke another dozen blades and shattered every bone in his hand, he doubted he could even scratch the youth’s skin.

“You think you can escape?” the youth finally spoke, his voice still distant. In a flash, his body moved—the force of a cannonball—he shot forward!

A hand, dark blue and black, rose like a shadow that eclipsed the heavens, enveloping the area as it descended!

Boom!

With one palm strike, the swordsman’s sheath shattered, splinters scattering like sand. Another strike knocked away his long blade.

“Damn!”

He tried to dodge again, but his right arm was numb with shock. Before he could react, the youth’s palm landed gently atop his head—driving it into his chest.

Thud.

The headless corpse stood upright, feet sinking several inches into the earth—a testament to the terrifying force that had pressed him down. The body swayed briefly, then collapsed, and blood flowed in a steady stream, pooling into a small creek.

“What fool dares break into my home and attack me?”

Bai Xuan’s expression remained cold as he withdrew his left hand, still pale and flawless.

The intruder had attacked with flying blades, and even the most patient would be furious in such circumstances. Bai Xuan was no exception; his killing intent surged, and he responded with ruthless, deadly force.

It had been two months since his last period of secluded training.

During these two months, Bai Xuan had accumulated six points of Dao Insight.

Four points were invested in Bronze Skin, reaching the “mastery” level and progressing to about sixty percent. His skin was now truly unbreakable—even the blood-energy blade techniques left no white scars, only a resonant clang.

The power of “Azure Scale Technique” and “Iron Sand Palm” had also risen to new heights; with one palm, he could defeat ten men—possibly even crush a giant shark’s skull to powder.

However, Bai Xuan now sensed his skin had grown so strong it was like a massive cocoon wrapping him. If he didn’t cultivate other aspects, this cocoon would seal his vital energy, preventing further breakthroughs.

Thus, he allocated the remaining two points to Iron Bones, just breaching the level of mastery.

“Bronze Skin and Iron Bones… Now, ordinary practitioners with two breakthroughs can’t even scratch me.”

Invincible, domineering—this was true external martial cultivation!

Moments later, Bai Xuan rummaged through the swordsman’s corpse, extracting fifteen taels of broken silver, five flying blades, a vial of poison, a pouch of sleep powder, and a blowpipe.

“This sleep powder comes with a prescription, claiming it’s a top-grade secret medicine. Blown through a window, it renders everyone unconscious within half an hour, and they won’t wake for four hours.”

Bai Xuan pocketed the sleep powder. “I already have shark-attracting secret medicine for disposing of bodies—now with sleep powder, I’m even more formidable… These are essential medicines for surviving the martial world.”

He sighed, then summoned the constables to report the crime.

On Thousand Mountain Island, unlike at sea, killing was not tolerated. For example, when Bai Xuan dealt with Instructor Wang, he merely disciplined him.

“He broke into your home, attempted violence, and during the struggle, you killed him with a single palm?” Several constables measured the corpse in the courtyard. The speaker was a middle-aged constable, his expression icy and commanding.

Yet even he couldn’t help but twitch his eyelids at the sight of the headless body.

“Exactly,” Bai Xuan replied, his justification clear.

“Well, this man’s name was Zuo Hu, practitioner of ‘Savage Tiger Blade Technique,’ with two vital energy breakthroughs. He had previously slaughtered entire families on the island and repeatedly escaped capture. Rumor has it he colluded with the ‘Star Hunter Bandits.’”

“You killed him—there’s a bounty. Take these fifty taels of silver.”

The constable retrieved a wooden box from his subordinate and handed it to Bai Xuan. “Additionally, here is the Blade Catcher Token, representing official status as a government blade catcher. I see you’re capable of slaying Zuo Hu—if you encounter fugitives listed on the bounty board, you may present this token and apprehend or kill them!”

“Understood.”

Bai Xuan accepted the token—a broad copper badge with “Upright Authority” engraved on the front and “Grand Law” on the reverse. It felt heavy in his hand.

He’d heard of the Blade Catcher Token, usually given to martial instructors or escort captains—a way to earn extra money by dealing with martial outlaws.

“Farewell!”

The middle-aged constable and his men carried Zuo Hu’s corpse out.

“Is there any other news?”

Bai Xuan drew out a brown leather envelope from the side door and opened it.

…

Afternoon.

“Brother Bai Xuan, my parents finally transferred me off the ship today. I wanted to celebrate with friends, but fearing I’d disturb your training, I wrote you instead. I’m glad you came!”

In front of a lavish restaurant, Bai Xiaozhen led Bai Xuan, face alight with excitement.

Bai Xiaozhen had no talent for external martial arts; he’d never even entered the Azure Scale Technique, and his ambitions for the vast sea had faded. Leaving the whaling ship was only a benefit for him.

Upstairs, several guests had already arrived in the private chamber.

“Let me introduce everyone,” Bai Xiaozhen said, pointing. “This is Yang Mingyue, Zheng Yuan—son of Chief Constable Zheng. That’s Wang Liuxin, a direct descendant of the Wang clan; her father is Wang Yuanlian, the Shark-Slaying Sword. And…”

“This is Bai Xuan—Brother Xuan, my good friend from the whaling ship!”

Bai Xiaozhen’s tone grew serious as he introduced Bai Xuan. He didn’t mention that Bai Xuan had once saved his life; in his upbringing, such gratitude was seldom spoken—great favors need no thanks!

The whaling ship?

These guests were all from prominent families; their smiles faded slightly upon hearing Bai Xuan’s origin. They were used to wealth and status, and could see from Bai Xuan’s attire and demeanor that his background was not on par with theirs. As for the whaling ship… If he had any real ability, he’d already have left it behind to manage family affairs, as Bai Xiaozhen had done. Only distant relatives remained on the ship as laborers.

Bai Xuan sensed this, but remained calm. Bai Xiaozhen, oblivious, took his seat and raised a delicate porcelain cup, adorned with subtle blue patterns—elegant and refined.

“Brother Xuan, my first toast is to you: may martial arts flourish, may you hunt whales across the sea!”

Bai Xiaozhen spoke earnestly.

“I’ll toast you with tea instead of wine—congratulations on escaping hardship,” Bai Xuan replied, raising his cup.

He abstained from alcohol, as it disturbed the precise movement of his vital energy—even a slight deviation was unacceptable.

This was one of the finest restaurants on Thousand Mountain Island. At their table, a screen stood decorated with snowy carvings, while behind it, strings and flutes played softly, and graceful figures danced in and out of view.

Looking down from the window, crowds swirled below, laughter and conversation mingling with the scent of flowers and cosmetics, as if they sat in the heart of a ten-mile floral street.

Here, the world was utterly different from the vast, desolate sea.

Bai Xuan raised his porcelain cup and drained it; the tea was emerald and translucent, lingering long on the palate—a mountain-grown tea costing a hundred taels of silver per pound, beyond the reach of ordinary folk.

“Since ancient times, wealth is the greatest eroder of ambition,” Bai Xuan reflected inwardly.

The riches here did not sway his heart. Even as he dined, his mind remained fixed on martial cultivation.

Only strength could protect him in this world; if a thief’s blade struck him down, or he perished on the boundless sea, all wealth would turn to dust!