Chapter 1: The Discarded Disciple of the Immortal Sect

  Early spring in March, it's just the time when spring chill is sharp. The apricot forest has just bulged out flower buds, and from a distance, there's already a hint of pink color.

  It was noon, the weather was fine and sunny, but the sun didn't shine on people.

  Outside the west gate of Sicheng, a rugged ancient road was already crowded with people. There were both nobles in brocade and drummers, all with joyful faces, stretching their necks and waiting eagerly. Next to this crowd stood another group of people, only five or six in total, including a steward and several house slaves, also waiting for someone, but looking depressed, as if the first group was waiting for the God of Wealth, while this group was waiting for the God of Plague.

  The passersby couldn't help but be curious, so they asked the person next to them. The man smiled and said: "Those people waiting over there are from the Xiao family. Their young master was chosen by a fairy seven years ago and taken to the mountain gate for cultivation. Now that he's just turned 18, it's said that he's already become an inner disciple. He's returned to Siling City specifically to visit his relatives, which is a big deal! Old Master Xiao brought a large group of people and has been waiting here since early morning!"

  "What about those other people?"

  "Haha, that group of people is also waiting for someone. Have you forgotten? Seven years ago, two people were taken away by the immortal master. Besides the young master of the Xiao family, there was another young master, Meng Xuan of the Meng family. The two of them were brought to the immortal gate at the same time and cultivated for seven years, but with different results. The young master of the Xiao family returned home to visit his relatives, while the young master of the Meng family was expelled from the immortal gate due to his poor qualifications. He happened to return today as well. Look, the steward of the Meng family has brought people here to wait, and they don't look very happy!"

  Passersby couldn't help but laugh when they heard this, pointing and gesturing at the Meng family, making their faces even more unbearable.

  About half a watch later, suddenly a auspicious cloud flew from the horizon and landed outside the city. It was the young master of the Xiao family who had returned. Old Master Xiao was overjoyed and lavishly scattered money, ordering the drummers to play with all their might. Then a large crowd surged forward, surrounding Young Master Xiao and escorting him into the Four Auspicious City amidst laughter and cheers. The more joyful their voices were, the more dismal the Meng family's faces became, sighing and lamenting in sorrow.

  "Xiao's young master has returned, but our young master is still nowhere to be seen?"

  The steward of the Meng family waited for more than half a watch and was getting impatient.

  "Probably... it's because Young Master Xiao is skilled in magic and can ride the clouds back, whereas our young master can only walk..."

  A group of servants started making wild guesses, and in their hearts, they also felt that their young master was really disappointing.

  At the same time, outside the east gate of Siling City, in a reed marsh, there was a young man in green clothes who was slowly making his way. He was about 15 or 16 years old, with a clear and handsome face, and seemed to always have a smile that made people feel close to him. He wore a pair of hemp shoes on his feet, but had a large red gourd on his back. As he walked, he admired the scenery around him, slowly entering the reed marsh as if searching for something.

  He walked for about two miles, and on a bluestone by the roadside, he saw the faintly discernible characters "jian lou". He nodded to himself, thinking: It's here!

  He took off his gourd and took a sip, then strode into the reeds.

  If outsiders were to see it, they would probably be shocked, because further inside is the forbidden area of Sicheng.

  There lives a great swordmaster named Leng Lingyu inside, whose swordsmanship has reached the realm of fusion. Everyone in Sicheng calls him Master Leng.

  He is now over eighty years old, originally this sword master's cultivation was deep and profound, living for two hundred years would not be a problem. However, more than ten years ago he contracted a serious illness, with his cultivation, he surprisingly could not dispel it. Slowly but surely, the illness grew deeper, becoming a chronic disease. Master Leng knew that he did not have many years left to live, so he left Sifang City and built a hut in this reed marsh, closing himself off to await death.

  Leng Daoshi was originally somewhat eccentric, and now with his illness worsening, he became even more erratic. He designated the area around his Sword Hut as a forbidden zone, and anyone who unknowingly entered would often be killed by him in one sword strike. After burying several corpses of those who didn't know better in this reed marsh, no one dared to enter carelessly again.

  However, the young man in green directly rushed in, with a relaxed expression, as if he was unaware of the impending doom.

  After walking for more than a mile, several thatched cottages could be seen in front, and the young man in green was about to pass by. Suddenly, an old man in white clothes came out of the reeds, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, coldly shouting: "Where did this wild kid come from? Dare to trespass on Sword Hut, don't you want your life? Take advantage of my master not having noticed yet, quickly roll out, otherwise I'll teach you a lesson and make your head and body separate!"

  This young man in green clothes was naturally Meng Xuan, the Young Master of the Meng family, who had been expected to arrive for a long time.

  He smiled and said, "Is this how Jianlu treats its guests?"

  The old man in white clothes said coldly: "What kind of guest are you? If you don't want to die, get out quickly!"

  Meng Xuan furrowed his brow and said, "You old man, your words are really unpleasant. I won't speak with you, go inform your master that the doctor has arrived!"

  "Doctor?"

  The old man in white clothes was taken aback, and then coldly smiled: "You little brat, are you trying to humiliate me?"

  Meng Xuan Dao said, "You're not some kind of beauty who can topple a city with a single glance, what's the point of stopping me? I've just arrived from afar and saw that there's an evil aura here, so I specifically came to rescue people. Don't bother talking nonsense, quickly go in and inform your master to invite me in!"

  The old man in white clothes was cold-faced and cold-hearted, but he wanted to save the young man's life. However, he didn't expect that the young man would be so ungrateful, which made him feel annoyed at heart.

  Just as he was about to speak, a cold and aged voice suddenly came from the direction of the sword pavilion: "Leng Zhu, let him in!"

  The old man in white robes sighed and said, "The master has noticed you, follow me inside!"

  Meng Xuan smiled and followed him. After entering the thatched cottage, he saw an old man with a gaunt face sitting on a taishi chair, occasionally lowering his head to cough, hunched over, with declining energy and blood, clearly a person who was already critically ill. When he heard someone coming in, the old man looked up, and for an instant, a sharp light burst out of his eyes, like two swords, piercing straight into one's heart.

  "Whose boy are you?" the old man asked in a cold voice.

  Meng Xuan smiled and said: "What business is it of yours whose young man I am? Just knowing that I'm a doctor, specially come to see you illness, would be enough!"

  Leng Daoshi was somewhat surprised that the young man appeared so relaxed in front of him. It should be known that there were countless outstanding talents in Siling City, but few could speak fluently and maintain a calm demeanor in his presence.

  After a long while, he slowly said: "I've been ill for ten years, and I haven't sought medical treatment or asked about medicine. I've taken countless spiritual pills and precious medicines, but they have all been ineffective. Even the divine doctor Xue has examined me and determined that my illness cannot be cured by medicine. You came to me today on your own initiative, speaking disrespectfully. If you are indeed a skilled physician, then it's fine. But if you're just spouting nonsense and don't understand medical principles, then don't blame me for being ruthless with my sword!"

  Meng Xuan furrowed his brow and said, "You're just here to see a doctor, why so many useless words? But rest assured, my medical skills are different from those of the divine doctors. Your illness is incurable by medicine or stone treatment, but I can cure it! However, before I examine you, I have a condition to tell you. If you agree, I guarantee that I will cure your illness. If not, then I'll turn around and leave!"

  "Hmmph!"

  Leng Daoshi sneered and said, "What conditions?"

  Zhu Yun smiled and said, "I'll cure your illness for free, without asking for money or anything precious. However, there are three rules and one decree that you must follow. First rule: after I've cured your illness, you absolutely cannot mention me to anyone else. If someone asks you, you can't say a word. And if someone else reveals the truth, you'll have to take responsibility for silencing them. For example, this old man... isn't his name Leng Zhu? If he were to reveal it, you'd have to kill him and everyone who knows about it!"

  "What nonsense are you talking about?"

  The old man in white clothes was furious when he heard the young man directly implicating himself.

  Leng Daoshi was taken aback and thought that the young man might be a bit unusual after all. He asked: "What's the second rule?"

  "The second rule is to kill three and spare one. After I cure your illness, I won't order you not to kill people in the future, but every time you kill three people, you must remember that I saved your life and spare the fourth person you want to kill as a merit for helping me. And the third rule is that after I save you, you can't ask my name or secretly investigate my background. Even if we meet on the road, if I don't greet you, you have to pretend not to know me to avoid revealing my identity... Can you do it?"

  Doctors in the world are either seeking fame or wealth, but this young man has such a strange rule that makes people puzzled.

  Leng Daishi couldn't help but feel curious too. He nodded and said, "These rules are just a matter of raising one's hand, agreeing to them is no big deal, what's the next order?"

  Meng Xuan's expression turned serious, and he took out a small black token from his bosom. The material was unclear, but the shape resembled a sword hilt with an ancient character "病" (illness) engraved in the middle. He held the token in front of Leng Dashi and said: "I will cure your illness without taking any money or your ultimate skill, but on one condition: as long as you live, if you see this 'Great Illness Token', no matter how important the task at hand is, you must immediately put it down and unconditionally do something for me!"

  "This..."

  Leng Daishi and Leng Zhu were both stunned.

  Meng Xuan also didn't speak, his eyes gazing at them lightly.

  After a while, Leng Daishi slowly nodded and said: "Alright, I will follow these three rules and one order, but if you are speaking nonsense, this sword in my hand will..."

  "Never mind, what's the point of talking about these useless things?"

  Meng Xuan interrupted him, putting down the gourd in his hand and taking a deep breath.

  He suddenly shook his body, and his feet started to tread a strange step. Then he joined his hands together, pinched a strange incantation gesture, and spat out a Sanskrit sound: "Humph!"

  Suddenly, a large amount of vital energy appeared around him, swirling and flying around his body, causing his green robe to flutter in response. At the same time, Meng Xuan suddenly took a step forward, his right hand forming a claw shape, stirring up the vital energy and swiping it towards Leng Dashi's shoulder.

  A faint dragon head image appeared at the tiger's mouth on his right hand, ferocious and frightening.

  Guan Jia Leng Zhu saw this and couldn't help but feel a shock in his heart, however Leng Da Shi didn't move at all, allowing him to grab onto his own shoulder.

  With the cultivation of a Cold Master, this young man can immediately make a sharp counter-kill if it is unfavorable to himself.

  Meng Xuan's right palm was only pressed on Master Leng's shoulder for a moment before he withdrew it, and with a slight "hiss" sound, the dragon head shadow on his hand bit out a strand of thick black air from Master Leng's body, which struggled in its mouth. Meng Xuan clenched his right fist slightly, and the dragon head had already swallowed the black air in one gulp. At the same time, Master Leng suddenly changed color and spat out a mouthful of black blood.