Immortalis

Tong Xue I

Datong, Fifteenth Year of Yongzhao. Westwind Town at the foot of Boundless Mountain.

It was originally a small town. Over the past fifteen years, although martial artists seeking to cultivate their swordsmanship on Boundless Mountain often passed through, never had so many arrived at once. Within just a few days, every inn in town was fully occupied. Many stranded warriors had no choice but to cram into the dilapidated temple outside the town, forming layers upon layers of crowds, creating a bustling scene.

Of course, the residents of Westwind Town were not entirely ignorant. Everyone here knew that Boundless Mountain housed the Boundless Sword Manor, one of the Old Four Seas Alliance. The old manor lord, Zhuang Tianyou, had dominated the martial world with his broken sword. Living at the mountain's base all these years, the townsfolk didn't need storytellers to relay tales of the jianghu—vendors and street performers in every alley could share a few anecdotes.

For instance, the young master who first checked into the inn immediately demanded the best room, the Heaven Chamber. Though he brought no attendants, his arrogant speech and flamboyant attire marked him as none other than Zhou Huai, the only son of Zhou Jinglei—leader of the White Rainbow Tower, the wealthiest faction in the jianghu—afflicted with the Evil Sickness.

Then there were the women in bamboo hats, hurrying along with veiled faces, each a stunning beauty. Yet no one on the street dared to look twice, for they all hailed from the Jade Pavilion.

Rumors said the Jade Pavilion's leader, Lei Shuang, was a hot-tempered widow who once split her unfaithful husband in half with a single palm strike and fed him to dogs. Consequently, any woman who joined the pavilion was forbidden to marry lightly. Those caught eloping with men would see their lovers devoured by Lei Shuang's twelve mastiffs in front of the female disciples, leaving not even bone fragments.

Now that both the White Rainbow Tower and Jade Pavilion had come to the Boundless Sword Manor, Medicine King Mountain, another member of the Old Four Seas Alliance, would not be left out.

Within two days, stalls were set up in the southeast corner of Westwind Town.

Medicine King Mountain adhered to its usual practices: offering free clinics for three taels of silver per prescription. Its disciples traveled far and wide, not only curing all ailments but also seeking rare herbs. By integrating with the locals, they ensured future inquiries for people or medicines would yield swift results.

What earth-shattering event was happening on the mountain?

The townsfolk of Westwind grew increasingly curious.

After all, since the Great Upheaval in Datong fifteen years ago, when the third prince, Prince Qi, ascended as the Son of Heaven, the Four Seas Alliance had splintered, each faction operating independently, never reuniting.

Who could have imagined that within days, these major sects would gather in Westwind Town?

Not only that, but numerous minor sects also flocked to join the excitement, with the northern Thousand Cliffs Fortress contributing the most members, overwhelming the inns.

That day, the innkeeper pleaded earnestly, explaining that the last two premium rooms had been given to two solitary guests. Spreading word of bullying the few would tarnish their reputation, finally persuading the group to settle in the dilapidated temple, where they stayed.

Everyone seemed to be awaiting a grand occasion.

Finally, someone in Westwind Town, unable to contain their curiosity, went to the inn to inquire. Unfortunately, the innkeeper kept his lips sealed, and the waiter was mute. In the end, a girl in red sitting in a corner interjected with a cheerful laugh.

"Don't you know? After fifteen years, the Boundless Sword Manor is hosting a martial assembly to recruit talents for the Four Seas Alliance through a martial competition."

The girl rested her chin on her hand, two dazzling golden bracelets shimmering on her wrists.

"The Old Four Seas Alliance... is reforming."

"Young Hero Shen wins again!"

Today was that grand day.

Just past the hour of Chen, the dueling grounds of the Boundless Sword Manor were already abuzz with noise and excitement.Numerous martial artists sat encircling the arena, dozens of pairs of eyes fixed upon the slender young man in blue robes at the center. Murmurs rippled through the crowd, yet no one could decipher his origins.

After all, this man traveled alone without attendants, and even his techniques were peculiar—beginning like swordplay yet ending like blade work, his footwork seemingly borrowing from various schools yet defying classification into any known sect's internal martial arts.

As another female disciple from Jade Pavilion fell to the ground, one of the Immeasurable Seven Swords on the observation platform finally spoke up: "Young Hero Shen, may we inquire which sword style you practice?"

The young man lifted his head. Despite having fought six opponents under the scorching sun, not a single bead of sweat dotted his forehead. He replied calmly, "Just ordinary swordplay, as nameless as myself."

"And this martial prowess of yours..."

"I lost both parents in childhood and was raised by various benefactors. Some taught me martial arts, but I never learned their true names in the martial world. Perhaps the dangers of the jianghu made them unwilling to keep me, so ultimately they all abandoned me."

Shen Qingshi gazed directly at the Seven Swords on the platform and continued, "I've heard that joining the Four Seas Alliance grants access to all worldly knowledge. I came specifically to find them. As you elders stated earlier, defeating one more opponent will grant me alliance membership."

With these words, he effortlessly twirled his longsword in a floral pattern and turned toward the arena's edge. "Who else wishes to test my skills? Please step forward."

Another wave of whispers swept through the crowd.

Originally, the Four Seas Alliance's reorganization and Boundless Sword Manor's hosting of this martial gathering to recruit talents should have been prime opportunities for scions of major sects to distinguish themselves.

After all, everyone in the martial world knew that merely becoming a disciple of the four founding families wasn't enough to become a true member of the Four Seas Alliance.

During the alliance's heyday, membership wasn't determined by lineage but martial prowess. Though the alliance had existed in name only in recent years, its rules remained unchanged: only those passing the martial trials could truly join.

The so-called martial trials required winning seven consecutive matches at the host's tournament.

Today marked the first martial trials since the alliance's reorganization, hosted by Boundless Sword Manor. Many renowned young talents had arrived, yet unexpectedly, numerous disciples who had dismissed Shen Qingshi as masterless and sought to use him as a stepping stone now lay defeated before this slender youth.

"See, I told you we seemingly rootless ones aren't to be trifled with. You fools keep testing his limits—consider yourselves lucky to only get knocked down."

A young woman in red suddenly spoke up cheerfully from the arena's edge.

With a light tap of her toes, she perched atop a massive bronze sword embedded beside the dueling ground, deftly twirling a pure gold thumb ring between her fingers.

"Miss Yang, you shouldn't be there."

The Seven Swords presiding over the event had anticipated many unconventional participants after fifteen years, but never expected them to be this unruly.

Before Shen Qingshi, this woman who had effortlessly defeated seven opponents similarly claimed no sect affiliation. Throughout her matches, she had only properly introduced herself as Yang Wujian, spending the rest of her time teasing opponents and even frightening two Boundless Sword Manor disciples into fleeing mid-duel.Fortunately, the weapon Yang Wujian used was quite conspicuous. The moment those two gleaming golden steel rings appeared, even without her saying a word, everyone knew she must be the descendant of the Crescent Moon Blade, who had taken her own life at the Hero's Tomb over a decade ago.

"I've won the martial contest, with one foot already in the Four Seas Alliance. Let me climb high and enjoy the view."

Yang Wujian sat perched high up, swinging her legs, the thumb ring in her hand having vanished at some point.

Her gaze fell upon the young man in the arena, and she laughed, "Don't look at me—fight him! But he's very skilled. I advise those of you thinking of challenging him to weigh your chances carefully, or you'll lose badly."

"..."

Hearing this, Shen Qingshi on the stage merely glanced at her from a distance. For some reason, Yang Wujian's face felt familiar to him, but before he could ponder it further, a clear voice rang out from the Sword Viewing Platform.

"Perhaps I shall test this young brother's skills."

Shen Qingshi turned to look and saw that it was Dong Zhu, the Green Rain Sword, one of the Immeasurable Seven Swords.

It was widely rumored in the martial world that although the Green Rain Sword was not the leader of the Seven Swords, his talent was so exceptional that even after years of taking on numerous disciples, no one had yet mastered the final four forms of the Green Rain Sword technique.

Due to the old manor lord's high regard, the Green Rain Sword had been making frequent public appearances in recent years. His entry into the arena now caused an uproar among the onlookers.

Dong Zhu smiled and said, "After waiting so long with no one else stepping up to challenge, the time for the contest is nearly over. The rules set by the Four Seas Alliance cannot be broken. Since Young Hero Shen is eager to find someone, why not exchange a few moves with me? If you can withstand them, I'll consider you the victor against the seventh opponent."

No sooner had these words been spoken than Shen Qingshi was already in front of the Green Rain Sword, before the crowd below could even react.

"I ask for your guidance, Senior."

Facing one of the Seven Swords, Shen Qingshi seemed to finally awaken. His sword moves became faster than before, carrying an air of determination to compete with the Green Rain Sword.

"With such a pretty-boy face, who would have thought he's a martial fanatic at heart..."

Watching from above, Yang Wujian yawned listlessly, her hand hidden in her sleeve flipping over as she produced a golden bracelet from who-knows-where.

Who would have thought that even the dogs raised by the imperial court were so skilled now? Facing one of the Immeasurable Seven Swords, he hadn't been quickly defeated.

Yang Wujian rested her chin on her hand, recalling last night.

Just after midnight, awakened by the sound of rain, she had caught a faint scent of blood permeating the second floor of the inn.

It was the smell of blood and death.

With the West Wind Town so lively these past two days, who would dare to kill right under the noses of so many martial arts experts?

At this thought, Yang Wujian couldn't help but grow curious. She pushed open the window and climbed onto the roof. The bloody scent mixed with the damp air grew stronger. Using the heavy rain for cover, she crouched like a cat and pried open a gap between the tiles.

There were no candles in the darkness, but Yang Wujian had grown up in lightless places and had long trained a pair of Night Eyes. With one glance, she saw two people locked in struggle inside the room. One was tightly covering the other's mouth, a sword having already run completely through their body.

"You are... from the Zhaoming Division..."

The dying person's words were muffled.

Zhaoming Division?

Yang Wujian froze in surprise, then heard a clattering sound as if something had fallen to the floor. The blood-soaked young man in the room naturally heard it too. He quietly laid down the corpse in his arms, bent to pick up the object, and wiped the blood from it.

It was an iron token.

Squinting, Yang Wujian could just make out the imprint of a tiger's head on it.The Zhaoming Division, tiger head...

Could it be the Bi'an Department of the Zhaoming Division?

It's said that the Son of Heaven specially established the Zhaoming Division to suppress corrupt officials. Under the Southern Zhaoming Division, there are the Chaofeng and Chiwen departments, skilled in intelligence gathering, serving as eyes and ears. Under the Northern Zhaoming Division, there are the Bi'an and Ya Zi departments, skilled in interrogation, serving as claws and teeth.

These dogs raised by the emperor—aren't they only supposed to handle court affairs?

Yang Wujian sneered inwardly. He hadn't expected that this time, with the Four Seas Alliance reorganizing and recruiting talents, even people from the imperial court would come to take a share.

Could they also be targeting the Longevity Palace?

Yang Wujian subconsciously tightened his grip on the Golden Rings, but then he saw the person inside the room put away the token and, with practiced ease, take out an oilcloth. Then he drew his sword, and in less than half an incense stick's time, the bloody corpse from earlier had been reduced to a pile of dismembered limbs and flesh.

A seasoned hand.

Yang Wujian had long heard of the Zhaoming Guard's methods, but seeing it today, they were even more cold-blooded and cruel than the rough outlaws of the martial world.

She watched as the person wrapped the dismembered limbs in the oilcloth as if bundling up radishes and cabbage, then began wiping the bloodstains from the floor in the dark. The entire process was utterly silent.

He must have killed people like this countless times before.

The rain had stopped, and the clouds obscuring the moon dispersed. Moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the young man's profile.

That was... the Jade-Faced Ghost.

Yang Wujian snapped back to reality. The incense on the stage was nearly burnt out. It was clear that Green Rain Sword hadn't used his full strength, yet Shen Qingshi was much more serious than before. Amidst the clashing sword lights, the two were evenly matched.

This guy's martial arts foundation is quite solid—he can even exchange a few moves with Green Rain Sword. That unlucky fellow last night who tried to steal from this kid really brought eight lifetimes of misfortune upon himself.

Yang Wujian thought to himself, though he had no idea what schemes those old fools in the Four Seas Alliance were plotting. At least the people from the imperial court wouldn't share their interests—perhaps they could be used.

With a clang, Dong Zhu blocked the final thrust coming at him, secretly astonished by Shen Qingshi's bizarre footwork and internal energy. He sheathed his sword and said, "Truly, heroes emerge from the young. Young Hero Shen, your skills are remarkable. For the Four Seas Alliance to gain such assistance is a blessing for the alliance."

"You flatter me, senior."

Shen Qingshi glanced at the incense burner beside the dueling ground. The incense had burned out, meaning this year's martial examination for the Four Seas Alliance had concluded.

This was the first recruitment in fifteen years. Although many had come, only three had ultimately passed the martial examination.

"Finally, are we getting to the main event?"

A sword attendant struck the bronze bell. Yang Wujian also flipped down from the giant sword. Unfortunately, someone suddenly stood in the spot where she had intended to land. Seeing this, Yang Wujian didn't avoid them but instead stepped directly onto the person's shoulder. Then, before the other could curse, she let out a soft "aiya" and, like a nimble bird, fell into their arms.

"You..."

The newcomer was dressed in luxurious robes, his handsome face flushed red—not from embarrassment at holding a beauty, but from the sheer weight straining his arms. He gritted his teeth and said, "How can a girl be so heavy..."

"You, how can you say such a thing."

Yang Wujian jumped down from the person's arms, giving him a reproachful look, then pulled out two heavy Golden Rings from her person. "Gold, of course it's heavy."

"Red paired with gold—so tacky."

The newcomer looked her up and down, then actually had the audacity to roll his eyes unabashedly and turned his back, clasping his hands behind him.

Judging solely by his attire, he seemed less like a martial artist and more like some idle, spoiled young master.After all, wearing overly extravagant clothes was one thing, but this person actually had a bunch of exorcism prayer bead bracelets stacked on his wrist, as if afraid others wouldn't know his birth characters were exceptionally weak and he was prone to encountering ghosts when going out.

"You're criticizing me while dressed like that? Young Master Zhou of White Rainbow Tower."

Yang Wujian picked up the sword tassel of this person, feeling dizzy from the gaudy mix of colors. It was hard to imagine that this peacock had just defeated seven opponents consecutively in the sword competition arena. His true identity was actually Zhou Huai, the only son of Zhou Jinglei - leader of White Rainbow Tower and one of the Old Four Seas Alliance.

"You know who I am yet still dare to step on my shoulder?"

Zhou Huai glared angrily, immediately about to throw a young master's tantrum. Unexpectedly, Yang Wujian changed expressions faster than him: "Young Master, you're not going to make me pay compensation, are you?"

"You..."

"My entire family is dead, my only possessions are these golden rings. Young Master, you wouldn't make me use my family heirlooms to compensate for your clothes, would you?"

Yang Wujian stared at him pitifully, his red robes making him appear even more delicate and vulnerable. Zhou Huai was rendered speechless for a moment, but before he could speak, Green Rain Sword's voice came from the observation platform.

"Congratulations to the three of you for passing the martial examination. According to the alliance's past rules, those who pass the martial examination are considered members. However, today is different from before. The Manor Head said that if we want to prevent Four Seas Alliance from becoming scattered again, everyone must share the same righteous cause from the very beginning. Therefore, this year we're adding another test besides the martial examination."

Shen Qingshi raised his eyes: "What's being added?"

"You should all know that fifteen years ago, taking advantage of the turbulent times when evil ways ran rampant, for their own selfish desires, they captured innocent people and threw living humans into alchemy furnaces to make elixirs, throwing the martial world into a state of panic that has lasted fifteen years without peace... It can be said that if this evil isn't eliminated, the heavenly way won't tolerate it. Therefore, Four Seas Alliance is reorganizing today precisely to capture them all and completely eradicate them."

Green Rain Sword looked down at the platform below, his expression stern.

"The Manor Head said this additional test for this year is called: Seeking Longevity."