Even with Solitary Gall in hand, it would have been impossible to cleave that massive bronze bell without a profound foundation of internal power.
Technique and sword—both were indispensable.
The bronze bell had crashed down with the force of a thunderbolt. Yet, watching Sang Chencao unsheathe and sheathe the blade with such casual ease, it didn’t look as though she had exerted any effort at all. It became increasingly difficult for anyone to see through the true depth of her abilities.
Feng Yun’ai caught Solitary Gall and drew the blade from its scabbard, her gaze slowly tracing the metal from hilt to tip.
There wasn’t a single nick. The blade was perfectly intact, and the purple light shimmering upon it remained as eerie and unsettling as ever.
It was a complete sword, and it was indeed the same Solitary Gall that had been snatched from her hands.
Feng Yun’ai had never expected that this woman, after seizing the sword and fleeing at such speed, had done so merely to chop down a bell. Even more surprising was that she would actually return the weapon.
Such a legendary tool, should it fall into the hands of others, would likely never be returned so easily.
However, just as Sang Chencao had claimed, this was indeed the most effective way to lure out Wen Lanxin.
The commotion of the bronze bell hitting the ground was loud enough to startle the entire city of Haosi. If Wen Lanxin was within the city walls, she would undoubtedly hear of it.
Feng Yun’ai had spent so much time agonizing over how to draw her target out, yet Sang Chencao’s earth-shattering stunt had actually managed to help her.
But such behavior was bound to invite trouble.
Feng Yun’ai stared fixedly at Sang Chencao, a faint chill rising at the back of her neck. This woman’s words and actions transcended the norm; she was far more eccentric and unpredictable than Feng Yun’ai had initially imagined.
Sang Chencao was still smiling, leaning in exceptionally close. Her eyes were nearly pressed against Feng Yun’ai’s white veil, as if trying to discern the expression of those grey eyes hidden beneath the fabric.
Just then, a group of monks rushed out from Cuiyu Temple, each wielding a staff and looking quite formidable.
Sang Chencao abruptly pulled back, scoffing, “We’ve broken someone else’s bell, and I’m afraid neither of us can afford to pay for it. Are we leaving or not?”
The figure in white remained motionless.
Sang Chencao teased, “Surely you don’t intend to offer your sword as compensation?”
Feng Yun’ai didn’t answer. Before she could make a move, she was grabbed by the woman beside her and pulled into a sudden sprint, leaving her no time to even glance at the approaching monks.
Under the azure sky, two figures moved like drifting mist. Without even needing to push off solid ground, they tread upon the air and covered a hundred feet in mere moments.
Sang Chencao let out a light, cheerful laugh. No matter how much the monks on the mountain shouted behind them, she didn’t slow her pace. She remarked leisurely, “The fault lies with Solitary Gall for being too sharp, and their bronze bell for failing to be indestructible.”
She spoke with such flippancy, dismissing all blame in just a few words.
Feng Yun’ai thought for a long time before she recalled a term she had once seen in a book.
Despicable and shameless.
Back then, even with the stories in the book acting as annotations, she hadn’t fully understood the phrase. She had only vaguely gathered that a despicable person was surely not a good one. Now, she finally had a concrete understanding of what it meant.
“Once word of this spreads, we won’t have peace in Haosi City. Those monks will surely come looking for us,” Feng Yun’ai’s cold voice was nearly drowned out by the wind.
Sang Chencao replied dismissively, “What do a few monks matter? Once this gets out, it won’t just be monks knocking on our door. There will be countless people coveting this precious sword. Are you afraid?”
She paused and let out a chuckle before continuing, “The Hero Recruitment Meet is approaching. Having a fine sword is as good as winning half the battle.”
Feng Yun’ai’s expression remained icy, but with her eyes obscured by the white veil, all she projected was a sense of distant coldness.
“Things are about to get lively.” Sang Chencao swept toward the inn, her hand gripping the white-clothed woman’s wrist bone tightly. She had no intention of running anymore; in fact, she seemed to be enjoying herself.
In Haosi City, many people were still looking up at the sky. Although the martial world was full of talented eccentrics, those with such exceptional lightness skills were few and far between.
Before the word “immortal” could even spread, someone rode a horse through the bustling market in a panic, shouting at the top of their lungs, “Cuiyu Temple’s bronze bell has fallen! The sound nearly deafened me!”
“Who did it?” someone asked from afar.
The person on the horse replied, “An indigo-clothed woman streaking across the sky! She sliced that bell down with a single stroke of her sword!”
So, it wasn’t an immortal, it was—
“A demoness!”
“What kind of sword was it?”
The rider had already bumped his way into the distance, leaving behind a faint reply: “I couldn’t see it clearly!”
By this time, Feng Yun’ai and Sang Chencao had already returned to the inn. Fortunately, they hadn’t broken the window on their way out, and since both had been restrained in their use of internal power, the room wasn’t in total disarray.
The “indigo-clothed woman” currently being talked about by the whole city was now sitting leisurely at the table, pouring herself a cup of cold tea to moisten her throat. She said, “I don’t particularly care for the word ‘demoness.’ I clearly helped you, yet I’m treated as if I’ve committed a grave sin.”
Feng Yun’ai stood by the window, speechless. This woman’s thought process was not something a normal person could untangle. Her heart was clouded with worry as she cast a secret glance out the window.
The bell hitting the ground and the subsequent clamor meant that the sword’s sharpness would soon be known throughout the city. Because of that, people were bound to come looking.
“Are you really scared?” Sang Chencao sipped her tea, her peripheral vision flickering toward the window.
Feng Yun’ai spoke coldly, “You act without regard for the consequences. If those who come are people we cannot handle, what then?”
Sang Chencao scoffed, “I never intended to ‘handle’ them. You are the one who wants to take a blade on credit, and you are the one who wants to see Wen Lanxin. Why drag me into it?”
This rebuttal made Feng Yun’ai’s ears ring and her heart thud with frustration.
Before Feng Yun’ai could think of a response, there was a knock at the door. It wasn’t the waiter, but the innkeeper.
She had a good memory; she remembered his voice after hearing it just once.
The innkeeper lingered outside, and after two soft knocks, he asked cautiously, “Are the two guests in the room?”
Feng Yun’ai glanced at Sang Chencao. Seeing that the woman had no intention of answering, she said, “Does the manager have something to say?”
The innkeeper sounded quite flustered outside the door. He hesitated for a moment, clearly gritting his teeth before gathering his courage. “I wonder if you two just visited Cuiyu Temple?”
Feng Yun’ai had no intention of hiding the truth. Since they were staying here, they would inevitably bring trouble to the inn. She replied, “We have just returned.”
“This…” The innkeeper hesitated, his words trailing off. “This inn was on the verge of closing years ago. It took several years to build up a reputation and finally see some profit. The commotion you two caused at Cuiyu Temple was not small. Our inn really… we really don’t dare…”
The innkeeper didn’t finish his sentence, fearing he might offend them further, and simply sighed.
Feng Yun’ai turned away from the window. She had no desire to implicate innocent people. Since no one had come looking for them yet, the inn might still escape disaster.
However, the indigo-clothed woman, who had been silent for so long, suddenly spoke up. “I’ve never seen an inn with a ‘good reputation’ drive guests away like this.”
The innkeeper outside took a sharp, panicked breath.
Sang Chencao set her teacup down with a heavy thud. “During our stay, we will certainly not damage your inn. If any monks come to the door later, the two of us will go outside to reason with them. Though, it might not just be monks from Cuiyu Temple; there might be those who covet our precious sword as well.”
That was exactly what the innkeeper feared. A sword that could slice through iron like butter was a weapon every person in the martial world dreamed of.
Sang Chencao let out a mocking laugh and looked toward the door. “If anyone wants to borrow the sword for a look, please do me a favor and pass on a message, Manager. This sword of ours is not for sale or for loan. We only lend it on credit to those destined for it.”
Feng Yun’ai had met very few people in her life, but one who disregarded the safety of others and stubbornly refused to leave—this was the first.
