Chapter 2: Three Years in Shacheng

  Take back the former glory, huh! Is it really that easy?!

  Lingzhou Continent revered swords, no matter where they went, there was no difference.

  Shen Du's face was expressionless as he stood up straight, clenching his fists tightly, and said in a low voice: "I understand, Fei Lu, you must be able to see the miracle."

  Fei Lu looked Shen Du up and down, that thin figure seemed to have no strength, but those firm eyes, calm breathing, and the aura beyond ordinary people always made her more confident in Shen Du. She said lightly: "I hope you can remember today's decision, don't let me down." As she spoke, she walked towards a sword rack, lifted her foot and kicked it, a small two-finger-wide sword flew towards Shen Du.

  The speed wasn't particularly fast, and Shendu's reaction wasn't overly slow either. He easily caught the small sword, weighing it in his hand, roughly ten kilograms, with a length of no more than four feet. It was probably quite different from the previous Wanjin Sword, but the feel was similar.

  "Hey! Thanks, Feilu." Shen Du looked at Feilu with gratitude.

  Feilu however did not take the hint, his expression cold and stern as he said: "Remember what you just said, you have to show me a set of sword moves that will satisfy me, consider it repayment for my kindness."

  Shen Du heard this and once again focused her mind on the Shenmen Fifteen Swords. Could it be that she wanted him to hand over the first half of the Shenmen Fifteen Swords? She furrowed her brow and asked, "Really, there's no other request?"

  "What other requirements should I have?" Fei Lu smiled in surprise: "If I had other requirements, could you do it? For example..."

  Feilu looked at Shendu with a suspicious expression, making Shendu feel somewhat uncomfortable all over. He then pretended to be nonchalant and flicked the stray hairs on his forehead, saying lightly: "Is there anything that I, Shendu, can't do? Don't bother speaking, just listen."

  "Hehe." Fei Lu heard this, pouted and walked to Shen Dou's front, whispered: "If... okay, I haven't thought of it yet, let's talk about it later." After finishing, he left the backyard with a red face.

  Looking at Feilu's receding back, that head of black long hair was swaying rhythmically in the gentle breeze, which should have been an extremely gentle existence, but that black long gown, although it couldn't hide her slender figure, was obviously a man's attire, and somehow didn't quite suit Feilu.

  He glanced sideways at the swordsmen practicing in the backyard, each wearing a uniform gray outfit, all looking so gloomy. It was only then that he realized how eye-catching his own blue robe was here.

  "Alas!" Never mind all that, he hung his head and stared at the small sword in his hand, but for a moment forgot how to wield it.

  It's really boring, so I decided to take a walk around and get familiar with the surrounding environment. After all, it's very likely that I'll be staying here for quite some time.

  As soon as you walk out of the side door in the backyard, there is a wide street. The earth and wood buildings on both sides of the street are only one story high, and there is no shadow of a merchant.

  Walking slowly on the main street, looking around in all directions, even human shadows are extremely rare. The few people who exist are also wearing gray clothes, and they are nearly fifty-year-old disabled old men.

  There are those with crippled feet, missing arms and legs, missing ears, and missing noses.

  What a place this is! Shen Du walked down the street with a heavy heart, and at the end of it was a simple wooden archway, on which hung a sign that read "Meng Zhong Province".

  "The Mengzhou Province is really incomprehensible, why do these people want to live in such a place? Is it that this vast Empire of Zhong doesn't have any other place to accommodate them?" Shen Du shook his head and walked towards the mountain pass ahead.

  The cool breeze on the mountain pass, whizzing by, sand particles filling the air, pouring into Shen Dou's collar, hiding in his long hair draped over his shoulders, he narrowed his eyes, walking to the highest point, a faint joyful expression appearing on his face.

  Turning around and looking at the desolate scene of the allied provinces, his heart felt extremely bleak.

  A woman as beautiful as Fei Lu, how can she end her life in such a place, it's really a waste of heaven's gift. Shen Du thought so, with a sly smile on his face, he finally drew out the long sword in his hand and practiced basic sword skills in the desolate and sorrowful wind.

  Slanting slash, horizontal cut, lateral intercept, slanting sweep, upper challenge, straight hook, slanting stab, return penetration, horizontal wipe, lower sweep, lower dot, upper collapse, return hang, upper cloud...... Now, there is not a single bit of sword energy in his body, and he can't use the Shenmen Fifteen Swords at all, that kind of sword move that uses air to control the sword.

  Just focusing on practicing these simple moves, forgetting to sleep and eat.

  In his heart, he had a conviction that he must regain his former glory and take on the responsibilities that rightfully belonged to him.

  It's been three years, and I don't know what Shen Yu Xi's recent situation is like. Three years ago, he didn't have the power to help Mu Rong Ling and the others escape with a lot of time to spare, but later on, that Sword Emperor expert appeared, and surely they would be able to easily escape as well.

  Thinking so, his expression became more focused, the small sword in his hand "swish swish" swung back and forth, day after day, year after year.

  It's been three years, and now he is over twenty years old. The originally clean and white face has added two thick black mustaches. In this endless desert, the skin has also become darker and more swarthy. The only things that haven't changed are those determined eyes and that thin figure.

  "Three years have passed, and it's been three years." Shen Du sat on the mountain ridge where he practiced swordsmanship every day, let out a sigh and said: "It seems like it's time to prepare to leave this place!" He took out the rank badge that every swordsman had from his bosom, on which was clearly written "Sword Master".

  Three years later, relying on his own perseverance, he finally regained his sword master strength.

  With an air of confidence, he walked into Feilu's room and said: "Feilu, I've decided to show you a set of sword moves. If you're satisfied, will that be enough for me to repay your kindness?"

  For three years, Fei Lu has been busy with major and minor matters in the city, rarely meeting Shen Dou. As for Shen Dou's progress in swordsmanship, he had little knowledge of it, only occasionally hearing from his subordinates that Shen Dou practiced sword day and night, forgetting to sleep and eat, working harder than anyone else in the city.

  "Well, then show me what you've got."

  Shen Dou glanced around and smiled wickedly, "I'm afraid this place is too cramped. When I start swinging my sword, your precious ones will be left with no intact skin."

  "Hehe." Feilu smiled and said: "Alright, let's go to the square."

  As he spoke, he led Shen Du to the front yard. The square in the front yard was extremely empty, and there was a group of swordsmen competing with each other, filling the air with sharp sword energy.

  But Shen Dou followed Fei Lu with full confidence, still holding that small sword less than four feet long and two fingers wide.

  Everyone saw Fei Lu come forward and put away their long swords in their hands, but they discussed it in an uproar.

  "Some people said: 'How can the lord of the city walk together with a strange man?'"

  Someone said: "This can't be the city lord's little honey, right?"

  Someone even said: "That young man looks extraordinary, and he's quite handsome. He'll probably become the lord of our desert city."

  As soon as this was said, it caused everyone to burst out laughing.

  Even Lian Fei Lu was smiling, but that enchanting smile was also familiar to everyone. Perhaps there was no deep meaning hidden in that smile, just a trademark smile, or maybe it was hiding an even deeper secret, only nobody knew.

  "Everyone, please be quiet. Today, let's all come together to appreciate Shen Du performing a set of sword techniques for us." Fei Lu called out loudly with rapt attention.

  "Good!" The crowd responded in unison, also revealing the tacit understanding among the swordsmen of Shacheng.

  Shen Du piled up a smile on his face, but softly whispered in Fei Lu's ear: "Hey, what do you mean? Didn't you say you wanted me to show you some sword moves? But there are so many people here..."

  "Huh!" Feilu said with a face full of indifference: "What's the big deal? I'm here too, aren't I?"

  As he spoke, like everyone else, he dispersed from the scene, leaving Shen Dou alone, standing in the center of the vast square that stretched for tens of meters.

  Shen Du's face turned awkward, indeed the lord of Sha Cheng City. The means to deceive people were truly ingenious. He clasped his fists in a salute and slowly drew out his long sword, assuming a stance.