"Chang City, Jiangyang."
Lin Fei reclined on a modest skiff. By this time, he had bidden farewell to Jiangyang and said his goodbyes to Middle State.
Nineteen states under the heavens, a realm rich in resources and vast in territory. Great Chang, truly, was a kingdom flourishing in prosperity. Hence, the scope of merely two states, Lin Fei's Heavenly Saber Art had already attained a mastery of 60%. It could be acclaimed his gains were abundant.
However, the sole thing inducing a twinge of regret within Lin Fei was that in the entirety of Jiangyang and even throughout the whole of Middle State, not a single soul had comprehended the essence of the saber.
Thus, Lin Fei continued to navigate downstream. This time, he was venturing towards a place of utmost importance.
Saber City! This city bore the name of the saber. There was no other reason than this place had given birth to a revered saber saint!
Fifteen hundred years ago, this place had given birth to an unrivaled saber saint. He was also the most widely acclaimed saber saint throughout the entirety of Great Chang.
Every person in Great Chang knew of the Hidden Sword Sect and the Sword Saint. But little did they know, Great Chang had also fostered a saber saint. Even more so, there existed a noble lineage of saber saints, continuing the bloodline of the saber saint, residing in Saber City!
In Lin Fei's aspirations to become the "Number One Saber Under Heaven" and even to facilitate the birth of saber essence within his Heavenly Saber Art, he must necessarily journey to Saber City. And now, he wasn't far from Saber City. Or rather, this very river also fell within the confines of Saber City.
The ferryman, a man of sixty winters, upon reaching midday, pulled out the fish stored in the cabin, using a kitchen saber, he swiftly gutted the fish.
"Swish, swish, swish."
With each rise and fall of the ferryman's hand, his speed and proficiency were remarkable.
Lin Fei, in tranquility, observed the ferryman carving the fish. In a muted voice, he uttered, "Old man, your skill with the saber is adept. With such mastery of the saber, if you held a deadly saber instead of a kitchen one, you would undoubtedly be a saber master!"
The ferryman, hearing this, couldn't help but chuckle, "Honored guest, you flatter me too much. However, having been born and raised in Saber City, I've been steeped in its traditions since my youth. Wouldn't it be a joke if I didn't know a few saber techniques? In Saber City, there's not a soul who doesn't know how to wield a saber."
The elderly man seemed quite proud.
"Oh? Every person in Saber City is skilled in saber techniques? Do you, old man, know of the Saber Saint?" Lin Fei inquired.
"Of course, I do! The story of the Saber Saint, even if I narrated it for three days and nights, wouldn't be enough. From my youth, I've been familiar with the tales of the Saber Saint. He's the pride of our Saber City!"
Merely mentioning the Saber Saint sent the ferryman into a wave of enthusiastic storytelling, seemingly without end. Tales of sabers splitting mountains, of sabers breaking rivers, of the change in heaven and earth with a single swing of a saber, and more.
To the common people, these were all figures akin to demigods. Naturally, the tales were as exaggerated as they could possibly be.
Lin Fei didn't interrupt the ferryman's passionate discourse. He silently listened to the narratives about the Saber Saint.
After a long while, the ferryman's mouth turned dry from talking. Lin Fei passed him a cup of tea, then continued his inquiry, "Does the old man know about the noble lineage of Saber Saints within Saber City? Being descendants of the Saber Saint, they must possess many top-class saber masters, right? After all, they are the bloodline of the Saber Saint, surely their legacy is substantial."
The ferryman's face darkened slightly, then he shook his head and said, "The lineage of the Saber Saint... the current lineage has long lost the spirit of the Saber Saint. I've heard it said that the beneficial influence of a good man ceases after five generations. As the common saying goes, wealth does not pass through three generations. But the lineage of the Saber Saint? They've been continuing for over a thousand years. Heh, continuing for a millennium, is that so easy? The intricacies within... Well, it's better not to speak of the Saber Saint lineage."
Every time the ferryman mentioned the "lineage of the Saber Saint," he shook his head. He seemed quite unsatisfied with the lineage, or perhaps, many people in Saber City were dissatisfied with them. This was also normal.
A millennial lineage, how could there not be degenerates? Over a thousand years, the Saber Saint lineage had become an overwhelming entity, its reach extending to every facet of Saber City.
However, what the Saber Saint lineage amounted to had nothing to do with Lin Fei. Lin Fei needed that mastery, even perfect, in saber techniques – the top-class saber masters. Therefore, regardless, he needed to visit this lineage of Saber Saints.
Soon, the ferryman finished preparing the fish. "Honored guest, come and taste how well this old man's craft fares," he warmly invited Lin Fei for a taste.
"Hm?"
Lin Fei suddenly looked up. His eyes narrowed slightly. At that moment, on the distant river surface, a ship stretching several dozen meters slowly approached. Hanging on the ship was a banner.
Upon seeing it, the ferryman's face subtly changed. In a low voice, he said, "It's a ship from the lineage of the Saber Saint. We should steer clear."
The ferryman immediately began to paddle, steering the small boat away from the lineage of the Saber Saint's massive ship. However, the large ship unexpectedly adjusted its course slightly. Its destination was directly towards Lin Fei's little boat.
"Is the person aboard the small boat ahead the 'Immortal Slayer Saber' Master Lin Fei?"
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the large ship.
Lin Fei narrowed his eyes slightly. He moved to the front of the boat and responded loudly, "It is indeed Lin, who are you?"
"We are members of the Saber Saint lineage from Saber City. We heard that Master Lin is here to engage in a saber meet, aiming for the title 'Number One Saber Under Heaven.' Our Saber Saint lineage has come specially to welcome Master Lin."
"Welcome?"
Lin Fei's gaze turned cold. He looked at the huge ship, "If you're here to welcome me, why do you bring so much oil and ax saber wielders?"
At this, the faces of the people aboard the ship from the Saber Saint lineage changed dramatically. The Saber Saint lineage gave a wave of their hand, no longer concealing their intentions. A large number of archers poured out from the ship's cabin, holding strong bows. Furthermore, the arrowheads were soaked in oil, ablaze with roaring flames.
One by one, the "fire arrows" aimed at Lin Fei's small boat. At this moment, the ferryman's face turned deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Disaster, disaster!" He murmured repeatedly.
He was just a small ferryman, earning a living by ferrying boats. How could he have anticipated running into such a disaster today? Judging by the posture of the Saber Saint lineage, they were not merely trying to intimidate.
"Those martial artists want to kill me for the Heavenly Meridian Pill. I can understand this point. But you, the Saber Saint lineage, even without the Heavenly Meridian Pill, should have no shortage of martial artists, right? You even have Innate Masters. Why are you trying to kill me?"
Lin Fei's tone remained calm.
"Why? You're just too confident, Master Lin. You want to claim 'Number One Saber Under Heaven,' and we, the Saber Saint lineage, do not object. But you should not have come to Saber City. This Saber City is the Saber City of our Saber Saint lineage!
Once you arrive at the Saber City, you'll inevitably challenge us. Given the strength of your 'Immortal Slayer Saber,' we, the Saber Saint lineage, have enough self-awareness to know we can't resist. If our lineage loses its prestige, how can we stand in Saber City? So, we have no choice but to take action."
Lin Fei finally understood. In the end, it all came down to "fame and profit."
The Saber Saint lineage had managed to continue for over a thousand years primarily because of its prestige. Their word was law in Saber City. However, if Lin Fei were to topple the Saber Saint lineage, what prestige would they have left? Over time, the Saber Saint lineage would slowly decline in Saber City.
This was the power of "fame and profit"!
"But aren't you afraid of me?"
"Hahaha, who doesn't know the fame of 'Immortal Slayer Saber'? If we were on land, of course, we'd fear you. However, on this vast river, even the mighty 'Immortal Slayer Saber' can only succumb!"
Lin Fei looked around. Indeed. Here he was at the center of a great river, surrounded by endless water, with no sight of the shore.
Martial artists were not Qi cultivators. They didn't have magical artifacts and couldn't fly. If they fell into the water, even the strongest martial artist wouldn't be able to exert much power.
Apparently, the Saber Saint lineage had been keeping an eye on Lin Fei all along, hence their decision to strike now. This was their only chance to kill Lin Fei!
"Your plan is impeccable, and your arrangement meticulous. It seems the Saber Saint lineage has some wise individuals. However, no matter the amount of scheming or strategizing, we, as martial artists and saber practitioners, rely ultimately on our sabers!"
With that, Lin Fei jumped directly into the water.
"Huh?"
Everyone, whether from the Saber Saint lineage or the old ferryman, showed surprise on their faces.
Instead of staying on the boat and fighting for his life, Lin Fei voluntarily jumped into the water. Was he trying to commit suicide?
However, when Lin Fei leaped off the small boat, he stepped on the water's surface.
Immediately, ripples appeared on the water's surface. Even under Lin Fei's feet, a whirlpool formed. Lin Fei, step by step, walked on the water's surface as if he were on land, heading directly towards the Saber Saint lineage's large ship.
"He's walking on water!"
"How is this possible?"
"The records left by our Saber Saint lineage say that only those who have achieved physical perfection can walk on water without sinking."
"Could it be, Lin Fei has achieved physical perfection?"
"But there have been no traces of exotic beasts, so how could he achieve physical perfection?"
For a moment, the people from the Saber Saint lineage were shocked.
"No, he hasn't achieved physical perfection. His Innate True Qi is extremely rich, and there's a rumor that Lin Fei doesn't cultivate Innate True Qi, but Saber Qi! He's using his thick Saber Qi to walk on water! We must stop him, shoot the arrows, kill him!"
Despite their shock, the people of the Saber Saint lineage had to take action. They had no other choice.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."
Suddenly, a rain of arrows was launched toward Lin Fei.
A layer of saber energy enveloped Lin Fei, bouncing off the arrows that struck him. They fell into the water.
Lin Fei stood with his hands behind his back, walking on the water just like a land-bound immortal, completely at ease. The rain of arrows couldn't touch him at all.
Step by step, Lin Fei was nearing the colossal ship of the Saber Saint lineage. A glint of peculiarity flashed in his eyes.
"I have heard that the original Saber Saint could split the river with a single slash of his saber. Today, I, Lin Fei, would like to emulate the Saber Saint. Let's see if I can split the river with my saber."
Lin Fei's voice was calm, but it resonated clearly in everyone's ears.
"Boom."
The next moment, Lin Fei's saber energy burst forth, and two hundred and fifty meters long saber energy suspended in mid-air.
This was Lin Fei's condensed Heavenly Saber!
The martial artists on the giant ship were all from Saber City, and almost every one of them carried a saber. However, in the presence of the Heavenly Saber, all of their sabers were trembling. Regardless of how hard they tried to pull their sabers out, they were unable to do so.
"Splash."
The sabers actually flew out of their hands, ascending into mid-air as if drawn by an invisible force. The scene looked as if the sabers were showing their "submission" to the Heavenly Saber. Everyone was stunned as if they couldn't believe their own eyes.
"Heavenly Saber Art, Slash!"
In the next moment, Lin Fei waved his hand. Instantly, the two hundred and fifty meters long Heavenly Saber, carrying the might of overturning the heavens, slashed fiercely toward the giant ship below.
"Boom."
In an instant, the giant ship was cut in half from top to bottom! Simultaneously, the horrifying saber energy even cut several hundred meters long and thirty meters wide trenches into the river, deep enough to see the bottom.
Such power was akin to the divine!
"Can... can a saber really split the river? Is it true?"
The old man who witnessed this scene was wide-eyed, seemingly unable to believe it!
"Old man, I'll be on my way now."
With that, Lin Fei tossed a silver ingot. He didn't even glance at the people of the Saber Saint lineage floating in the water. Instead, he continued his leisurely walk on the water, heading towards Saber City.
Five days later, news spread from Saber City.
"Immortal Slayer Saber" Lin Fei, walked on water, split the river with a single saber strike, annihilated the Saber Saint lineage, and defeated all the Saber Masters in Saber City!
Tens of thousands of saber practitioners in Saber City willingly acknowledged Lin Fei as the Number One Saber Under Heaven!
As the news spread, Saber City was shocked! The martial arts world was shocked!
"Chang City, Jiangyang."
Lin Fei reclined on a modest skiff. By this time, he had bidden farewell to Jiangyang and said his goodbyes to Middle State.
Nineteen states under the heavens, a realm rich in resources and vast in territory. Great Chang, truly, was a kingdom flourishing in prosperity. Hence, the scope of merely two states, Lin Fei's Heavenly Saber Art had already attained a mastery of 60%. It could be acclaimed his gains were abundant.
However, the sole thing inducing a twinge of regret within Lin Fei was that in the entirety of Jiangyang and even throughout the whole of Middle State, not a single soul had comprehended the essence of the saber.
Thus, Lin Fei continued to navigate downstream. This time, he was venturing towards a place of utmost importance.
Saber City! This city bore the name of the saber. There was no other reason than this place had given birth to a revered saber saint!
Fifteen hundred years ago, this place had given birth to an unrivaled saber saint. He was also the most widely acclaimed saber saint throughout the entirety of Great Chang.
Every person in Great Chang knew of the Hidden Sword Sect and the Sword Saint. But little did they know, Great Chang had also fostered a saber saint. Even more so, there existed a noble lineage of saber saints, continuing the bloodline of the saber saint, residing in Saber City!
In Lin Fei's aspirations to become the "Number One Saber Under Heaven" and even to facilitate the birth of saber essence within his Heavenly Saber Art, he must necessarily journey to Saber City. And now, he wasn't far from Saber City. Or rather, this very river also fell within the confines of Saber City.
The ferryman, a man of sixty winters, upon reaching midday, pulled out the fish stored in the cabin, using a kitchen saber, he swiftly gutted the fish.
"Swish, swish, swish."
With each rise and fall of the ferryman's hand, his speed and proficiency were remarkable.
Lin Fei, in tranquility, observed the ferryman carving the fish. In a muted voice, he uttered, "Old man, your skill with the saber is adept. With such mastery of the saber, if you held a deadly saber instead of a kitchen one, you would undoubtedly be a saber master!"
The ferryman, hearing this, couldn't help but chuckle, "Honored guest, you flatter me too much. However, having been born and raised in Saber City, I've been steeped in its traditions since my youth. Wouldn't it be a joke if I didn't know a few saber techniques? In Saber City, there's not a soul who doesn't know how to wield a saber."
The elderly man seemed quite proud.
"Oh? Every person in Saber City is skilled in saber techniques? Do you, old man, know of the Saber Saint?" Lin Fei inquired.
"Of course, I do! The story of the Saber Saint, even if I narrated it for three days and nights, wouldn't be enough. From my youth, I've been familiar with the tales of the Saber Saint. He's the pride of our Saber City!"
Merely mentioning the Saber Saint sent the ferryman into a wave of enthusiastic storytelling, seemingly without end. Tales of sabers splitting mountains, of sabers breaking rivers, of the change in heaven and earth with a single swing of a saber, and more.
To the common people, these were all figures akin to demigods. Naturally, the tales were as exaggerated as they could possibly be.
Lin Fei didn't interrupt the ferryman's passionate discourse. He silently listened to the narratives about the Saber Saint.
After a long while, the ferryman's mouth turned dry from talking. Lin Fei passed him a cup of tea, then continued his inquiry, "Does the old man know about the noble lineage of Saber Saints within Saber City? Being descendants of the Saber Saint, they must possess many top-class saber masters, right? After all, they are the bloodline of the Saber Saint, surely their legacy is substantial."
The ferryman's face darkened slightly, then he shook his head and said, "The lineage of the Saber Saint... the current lineage has long lost the spirit of the Saber Saint. I've heard it said that the beneficial influence of a good man ceases after five generations. As the common saying goes, wealth does not pass through three generations. But the lineage of the Saber Saint? They've been continuing for over a thousand years. Heh, continuing for a millennium, is that so easy? The intricacies within... Well, it's better not to speak of the Saber Saint lineage."
Every time the ferryman mentioned the "lineage of the Saber Saint," he shook his head. He seemed quite unsatisfied with the lineage, or perhaps, many people in Saber City were dissatisfied with them. This was also normal.
A millennial lineage, how could there not be degenerates? Over a thousand years, the Saber Saint lineage had become an overwhelming entity, its reach extending to every facet of Saber City.
However, what the Saber Saint lineage amounted to had nothing to do with Lin Fei. Lin Fei needed that mastery, even perfect, in saber techniques – the top-class saber masters. Therefore, regardless, he needed to visit this lineage of Saber Saints.
Soon, the ferryman finished preparing the fish. "Honored guest, come and taste how well this old man's craft fares," he warmly invited Lin Fei for a taste.
"Hm?"
Lin Fei suddenly looked up. His eyes narrowed slightly. At that moment, on the distant river surface, a ship stretching several dozen meters slowly approached. Hanging on the ship was a banner.
Upon seeing it, the ferryman's face subtly changed. In a low voice, he said, "It's a ship from the lineage of the Saber Saint. We should steer clear."
The ferryman immediately began to paddle, steering the small boat away from the lineage of the Saber Saint's massive ship. However, the large ship unexpectedly adjusted its course slightly. Its destination was directly towards Lin Fei's little boat.
"Is the person aboard the small boat ahead the 'Immortal Slayer Saber' Master Lin Fei?"
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the large ship.
Lin Fei narrowed his eyes slightly. He moved to the front of the boat and responded loudly, "It is indeed Lin, who are you?"
"We are members of the Saber Saint lineage from Saber City. We heard that Master Lin is here to engage in a saber meet, aiming for the title 'Number One Saber Under Heaven.' Our Saber Saint lineage has come specially to welcome Master Lin."
"Welcome?"
Lin Fei's gaze turned cold. He looked at the huge ship, "If you're here to welcome me, why do you bring so much oil and ax saber wielders?"
At this, the faces of the people aboard the ship from the Saber Saint lineage changed dramatically. The Saber Saint lineage gave a wave of their hand, no longer concealing their intentions. A large number of archers poured out from the ship's cabin, holding strong bows. Furthermore, the arrowheads were soaked in oil, ablaze with roaring flames.
One by one, the "fire arrows" aimed at Lin Fei's small boat. At this moment, the ferryman's face turned deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Disaster, disaster!" He murmured repeatedly.
He was just a small ferryman, earning a living by ferrying boats. How could he have anticipated running into such a disaster today? Judging by the posture of the Saber Saint lineage, they were not merely trying to intimidate.
"Those martial artists want to kill me for the Heavenly Meridian Pill. I can understand this point. But you, the Saber Saint lineage, even without the Heavenly Meridian Pill, should have no shortage of martial artists, right? You even have Innate Masters. Why are you trying to kill me?"
Lin Fei's tone remained calm.
"Why? You're just too confident, Master Lin. You want to claim 'Number One Saber Under Heaven,' and we, the Saber Saint lineage, do not object. But you should not have come to Saber City. This Saber City is the Saber City of our Saber Saint lineage!
Once you arrive at the Saber City, you'll inevitably challenge us. Given the strength of your 'Immortal Slayer Saber,' we, the Saber Saint lineage, have enough self-awareness to know we can't resist. If our lineage loses its prestige, how can we stand in Saber City? So, we have no choice but to take action."
Lin Fei finally understood. In the end, it all came down to "fame and profit."
The Saber Saint lineage had managed to continue for over a thousand years primarily because of its prestige. Their word was law in Saber City. However, if Lin Fei were to topple the Saber Saint lineage, what prestige would they have left? Over time, the Saber Saint lineage would slowly decline in Saber City.
This was the power of "fame and profit"!
"But aren't you afraid of me?"
"Hahaha, who doesn't know the fame of 'Immortal Slayer Saber'? If we were on land, of course, we'd fear you. However, on this vast river, even the mighty 'Immortal Slayer Saber' can only succumb!"
Lin Fei looked around. Indeed. Here he was at the center of a great river, surrounded by endless water, with no sight of the shore.
Martial artists were not Qi cultivators. They didn't have magical artifacts and couldn't fly. If they fell into the water, even the strongest martial artist wouldn't be able to exert much power.
Apparently, the Saber Saint lineage had been keeping an eye on Lin Fei all along, hence their decision to strike now. This was their only chance to kill Lin Fei!
"Your plan is impeccable, and your arrangement meticulous. It seems the Saber Saint lineage has some wise individuals. However, no matter the amount of scheming or strategizing, we, as martial artists and saber practitioners, rely ultimately on our sabers!"
With that, Lin Fei jumped directly into the water.
"Huh?"
Everyone, whether from the Saber Saint lineage or the old ferryman, showed surprise on their faces.
Instead of staying on the boat and fighting for his life, Lin Fei voluntarily jumped into the water. Was he trying to commit suicide?
However, when Lin Fei leaped off the small boat, he stepped on the water's surface.
Immediately, ripples appeared on the water's surface. Even under Lin Fei's feet, a whirlpool formed. Lin Fei, step by step, walked on the water's surface as if he were on land, heading directly towards the Saber Saint lineage's large ship.
"He's walking on water!"
"How is this possible?"
"The records left by our Saber Saint lineage say that only those who have achieved physical perfection can walk on water without sinking."
"Could it be, Lin Fei has achieved physical perfection?"
"But there have been no traces of exotic beasts, so how could he achieve physical perfection?"
For a moment, the people from the Saber Saint lineage were shocked.
"No, he hasn't achieved physical perfection. His Innate True Qi is extremely rich, and there's a rumor that Lin Fei doesn't cultivate Innate True Qi, but Saber Qi! He's using his thick Saber Qi to walk on water! We must stop him, shoot the arrows, kill him!"
Despite their shock, the people of the Saber Saint lineage had to take action. They had no other choice.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."
Suddenly, a rain of arrows was launched toward Lin Fei.
A layer of saber energy enveloped Lin Fei, bouncing off the arrows that struck him. They fell into the water.
Lin Fei stood with his hands behind his back, walking on the water just like a land-bound immortal, completely at ease. The rain of arrows couldn't touch him at all.
Step by step, Lin Fei was nearing the colossal ship of the Saber Saint lineage. A glint of peculiarity flashed in his eyes.
"I have heard that the original Saber Saint could split the river with a single slash of his saber. Today, I, Lin Fei, would like to emulate the Saber Saint. Let's see if I can split the river with my saber."
Lin Fei's voice was calm, but it resonated clearly in everyone's ears.
"Boom."
The next moment, Lin Fei's saber energy burst forth, and two hundred and fifty meters long saber energy suspended in mid-air.
This was Lin Fei's condensed Heavenly Saber!
The martial artists on the giant ship were all from Saber City, and almost every one of them carried a saber. However, in the presence of the Heavenly Saber, all of their sabers were trembling. Regardless of how hard they tried to pull their sabers out, they were unable to do so.
"Splash."
The sabers actually flew out of their hands, ascending into mid-air as if drawn by an invisible force. The scene looked as if the sabers were showing their "submission" to the Heavenly Saber. Everyone was stunned as if they couldn't believe their own eyes.
"Heavenly Saber Art, Slash!"
In the next moment, Lin Fei waved his hand. Instantly, the two hundred and fifty meters long Heavenly Saber, carrying the might of overturning the heavens, slashed fiercely toward the giant ship below.
"Boom."
In an instant, the giant ship was cut in half from top to bottom! Simultaneously, the horrifying saber energy even cut several hundred meters long and thirty meters wide trenches into the river, deep enough to see the bottom.
Such power was akin to the divine!
"Can... can a saber really split the river? Is it true?"
The old man who witnessed this scene was wide-eyed, seemingly unable to believe it!
"Old man, I'll be on my way now."
With that, Lin Fei tossed a silver ingot. He didn't even glance at the people of the Saber Saint lineage floating in the water. Instead, he continued his leisurely walk on the water, heading towards Saber City.
Five days later, news spread from Saber City.
"Immortal Slayer Saber" Lin Fei, walked on water, split the river with a single saber strike, annihilated the Saber Saint lineage, and defeated all the Saber Masters in Saber City!
Tens of thousands of saber practitioners in Saber City willingly acknowledged Lin Fei as the Number One Saber Under Heaven!
As the news spread, Saber City was shocked! The martial arts world was shocked!
