Chapter 64: A Single Staff Challenges the Kingdom

The spring river was gradually warming. More than ten days had passed since Qin Mu and the Wu girl broke through the ice dam. The riverbanks were now shaded by green willows, filled with the singing of birds and the scent of flowers, and the ice floes were gone.

In the middle of the river, Qin Mu, who had been running, suddenly stopped. Yet, his body did not sink; instead, he stood on the water's surface. Ripples emanated from beneath his feet, spreading outwards in an appealing pattern.

He was using his Black Tortoise vital qi to control the water, enabling him to stand on the surface as if on solid ground, without having to run. He had already mastered the technique of controlling water with Black Tortoise vital qi and could now use it with ease.

*Whoosh—* The sound of a sharp sword cutting through the air reached him. In the middle of the river, Qin Mu pointed and drew his sword. The Junior Protector Sword swept upwards, leveled, and chopped downwards. His body moved with the sword, performing only the simplest movements.

During this period, he had been learning the most basic sword-wielding techniques from the Village Chief. Besides thrusting, he had also learned chopping, lifting, hanging, clouding, pointing, collapsing, intercepting, shearing, and wiping. However, the Village Chief had not taught him any specific sword techniques, only having him practice the simplest movements, day after day.

Meanwhile, by the riverbank, the Blind man stood motionless, leaning on his staff, like a statue.

After Qin Mu parted ways with the Wu girl in the valley, he returned to the village and told the villagers about releasing her. When he mentioned the Little Thunderclap Monastery, Elder Ma and the others forbade him from leaving the village, insisting that even if he stepped outside, he had to be accompanied by a villager.

On the river surface, the sound of the wind grew louder. Each time Qin Mu wielded his sword, he stirred up waves. The most basic sword-wielding movements taught by the Village Chief erupted with astonishing power in his hands! With each repeated practice, the waves in the river grew larger and swifter. When he thrust his sword, the river surface would split for dozens of meters, over three meters deep, and the large fish and river beasts at the bottom of the water dared not approach.

When Qin Mu wielded his sword to lift, the river water shot into the sky, turning into a torrential spray that fell. Then, with another sword sweep, the river water transformed into a water dragon, surging diagonally outwards. Although it was the simplest form of vital qi-infused swordsmanship, its power in his hands was terrifyingly strong. He had practiced these most basic movements for over two years, deeply ingraining them, yet the Village Chief still hadn't taught him any complete sword forms.

Suddenly, the Blind man's ears twitched. He called out loudly, "Mu'er, stop! A boat is coming."

Qin Mu sheathed his sword, placing the Junior Protector Sword into the scabbard on his back. He looked up and saw a multi-decked boat drifting downstream from upstream. He was startled, recognizing it as the very vessel that had been mapping the Yong River's geography. This multi-decked boat was returning from upstream, indicating it had likely completed mapping the waterways of the Yong River. He moved his feet, stepping aside from the boat's path.

The multi-decked boat, moving swiftly with the current, soon reached his position. A voice from the boat exclaimed in admiration, "Standing motionless on the river, what impressive skill, what profound vital qi!"

Qin Mu looked towards the sound and saw General Qin standing at the bow. Beside him was a somewhat chubby young man holding a folding fan, who was also looking at him.

"Dragon Palace Profound Ice!" Qin Mu felt a chill in his heart. He saw a massive block of profound ice, inside which a dragon pearl hung suspended, gripped by a hand! He only saw these, as the objects beneath the ice were obscured by the ship's side. But even so, he knew where the profound ice and the hand came from.

Evidently, while General Qin and his party were mapping the Yong River's geography, they discovered the Dragon Palace at the river's bottom. They went there and then found Gu Lihuan and the young dragon, sealed by the dragon pearl! At this moment, the young dragon was likely also inside the profound ice. General Qin probably hadn't killed the Dragon Mother's soul; instead, he likely collected it, thereby maintaining the profound ice in its unthawed state. His goal was likely the young dragon in the ice, as if the profound ice melted, the young dragon would die. He was probably planning to take the profound ice to Yankang Nation to have a master heal the young dragon, which is why he hadn't rescued Gu Lihuan.

"It's the young man who stood on the mountain peak with the demon ape," said the chubby young man. He said in surprise, "I didn't expect his vital qi to be so vast, stronger than mine."

Suddenly, Gu Lihuan's voice came from within the ice, saying, "I feel my Junior Protector Sword! General Qin Feiyue, stop the boat! My Junior Protector Sword is nearby, and that brat who tricked me is also nearby!"

The multi-decked boat stopped, and General Qin's gaze fell upon Qin Mu. He asked, "Did you trick the Crown Prince's Junior Protector out of his Junior Protector Sword?"

Qin Mu replied, "He tried to eat me, so I tricked him out of his sword. Since you got him out of the Dragon Palace, could you also get the scabbard for me? It's only a complete set with the scabbard."

Qin Feiyue's eyes flickered. He said, "Give it to you? This is a sword of the imperial court; it cannot be given to you. Please return the Junior Protector Sword to the court."

Qin Mu shook his head, puzzled, and asked, "I obtained it by my own skill, why should I return it?"

The chubby young man, who was none other than "Seventh Young Master," chuckled upon hearing this. He remarked, "This young man speaks quite amusingly."

Qin Feiyue let out a cold snort and said indifferently, "Tricking an imperial official and seizing an imperial official's treasure—do you know how great a crime that is?"

"There's no imperial court in the Great Ruins," Qin Mu said, puzzled. "In a lawless place, who can convict me?"

"You're fearless; it seems you have some backing." Qin Feiyue looked towards the riverbank, his pupils contracting sharply. He said in a deep voice, "This junior, Qin Feiyue, a disciple of the Yankang Imperial Preceptor and a Fourth-Rank Loyal Martial General of Yankang Nation, asks how the senior by the river is called?"

The Blind man, leaning on his bamboo staff, chuckled. "Just a blind man," he said. "What else can I be called? Just an old cripple."

Qin Feiyue's expression darkened. He looked around, catching sight of Disabled Elderly Village, and smiled slightly. "Three years ago, Mu Beifeng, the Prefect of the Five Miao Prefecture in Yankang Nation's Southern Frontier, led many experts from the Lijiang Sword Sect into the Great Ruins, reportedly to seek revenge," he said. "Later, someone found his and the Lijiang Sword Sect experts' bodies beneath the river. I personally examined Mu Beifeng's body; he was pierced by a spear, but the killer didn't use a spear, but a bamboo staff. Senior, do you also use a bamboo staff?"

The Blind man, leaning on the bamboo staff in his hand, said with a smile, "What else can a blind man use if not a bamboo staff? This bamboo staff is for feeling my way, so I don't get lost or kick a hard rock with my blind eyes."

Qin Feiyue heard the hidden meaning in his words and became even more certain of his suspicions. He sneered, "Senior, Mu Beifeng must have died nearby, correct? Did senior see anything at that time?"

The Blind man said sorrowfully, "I am blind, what could I see? Young General, you jest. I have heard of Mu Beifeng's name; to think he met such a tragic end? It pains my heart... 'Gibbons mourn ceaselessly on both banks, heroes' tears soak their robes for ages!' It pains my heart, what a pity!"

He raised his bamboo staff and tapped the river surface. The surface of this great river was surging with waves. The entire great river suddenly throbbed violently a few times, and waves on both banks of the Yong River rose over thirty meters high. The immense waves seemed to tear the air, causing even the multi-decked boat to sway precariously. The many soldiers on board were jolted back and forth, unable to stand steadily!

Beneath the river surface, the vast water suddenly parted to both sides, revealing the enormous, dark, greenish-black spine of a colossal beast. It was as if a small island had suddenly emerged in the middle of the river. The Yong River shook, and even this colossal beast was shaken out of the water, flying into the air before crashing back into the water with a *boom*. Qin Mu immediately saw that this colossal beast was bound by chains, the other end of which was fastened to the multi-decked boat. The boat's extremely high speed was presumably due to this colossal beast.

Oddly enough, while other parts of the river surface trembled violently, the water beneath Qin Mu's feet remained calm and still, without any ripples.

Seventh Young Master quickly gripped the ship's railing to avoid falling into the river. He couldn't help but call out loudly, "Old Senior, it's 'He died before his task was done, making heroes' tears forever flow!' You said it wrong."

Qin Mu couldn't help but say, "Young master, his meaning is that if you all die here, then it would be 'He died before his task was done'. But since you are still alive, only shouting and yelling, then naturally it's 'gibbons mourn ceaselessly'. If you insist on prying further, then you'll die first. Grandpa Blind is actually very learned."

The Blind man's face was full of smugness, and he chuckled, "Only Mu'er understands me. If it were those scoundrels, the Cripple and the Deaf man, they'd probably mock me for being sentimental again."

Qin Feiyue's eye twitched. The Blind man's formidable strength was somewhat beyond his expectations. Just now, the Blind man had merely tapped the Yong River; thankfully, it was just a tap. If he had lifted it, he feared the entire river surface would have been hoisted up by him! Gu Lihuan, inside the profound ice, also fell silent. Evidently, from the Blind man's tap on the river with his bamboo staff, she inferred his strength, realizing he was not to be trifled with. If she insisted on getting her sword back, she would likely die there.

"Leave the Junior Protector Sword here for now. Let's go, set sail!"

At Qin Feiyue's command, a soldier immediately took out a horn and blew it with a booming sound. The horn's sound was deep and astonishing. The colossal beast underwater, hearing the horn, immediately stirred up waves. The river water suddenly rose like a mountain of water, far higher than the rest of the river's surface, lifting the multi-decked boat as it surged downstream with a roar!

"General Qin," Seventh Young Master asked curiously, poking his head out from among the palace maids who surrounded him, "weren't you just asking that blind man who killed Mu Beifeng? Why are you leaving without getting an answer?"

"Young Master, I have already found out," General Qin said with a sneer. "Mu Beifeng died at the hands of that blind man just now. The dignified God of Spears, now blind, actually secluded himself in this small village! So, what terrifying beings are secluded with him? This subordinate cannot pacify this small village; I can only request reinforcements!"

His armor clanked loudly, and the light in his eyes was like clashing blades and spears. "Under the vast sky, there is no land that is not the king's; within the four seas, there is no one who is not the king's subject!" he declared. "This Great Ruins is also imperial territory, not a lawless land! Mu Beifeng was an imperial official; how could he die at the hands of common folk? This village must be subdued, must be destroyed, only then can our nation's might be displayed, our Imperial Preceptor's power be shown, and His Majesty the Emperor's prestige descend upon the Great Ruins!"

"What great pomp," a voice suddenly said. General Qin's hair stood on end. He slowly turned his head to look and saw a Cripple who had appeared behind him at some unknown point, leaning against the ship's railing with a simple, honest smile on his face.

Qin Feiyue's eye twitched violently. The Cripple's figure vanished and was now pressed back-to-back against him. How the Cripple had vanished and reappeared behind him, he simply couldn't discern! Cold sweat streamed down Qin Feiyue's forehead. His hand was already on the hilt of the sword at his waist, but he dared not move a muscle.

"Your tone is so arrogant, does the Imperial Preceptor know?" The Cripple bent down, looking at the maps of the Yong River's geography on the boat. He chuckled, "Did the Imperial Preceptor send you to draw maps of the Yong River's geography because he plans to wage war on my Great Ruins? Tsk tsk, this little dragon is so pitiful. Huh? Gu Lihuan, why the long face? I've taken your scabbard. Your banner is quite good, I'll take that too... This little fellow here, your jade is nice, and your fan too... Pah, pah, it's actually a girl! Bad luck!"

Qin Feiyue suddenly spotted a faint opening. He spun around like lightning and drew his sword, but the Cripple behind him had already vanished! The Cripple's laughter echoed from dozens of miles away: "Go back and tell the Imperial Preceptor to take good care of my leg; don't lose it. I'll come to retrieve it myself!"