Song of Adolescence

Ever since Bai Xiao Hall published the Hundred Weapons List and listed the five sword immortals under Heaven, nobody had ever witnessed their duels in person.

When Li Hanyi was younger, she once crossed swords with Zhao Yuzhen and fell in love. f𝚛e𝚎𝘄𝒆𝚋𝚗𝚘ѵ𝑒𝚕.𝑐𝘰𝑚

When Xie Xuan was younger, he once tested his sword against Li Hanyi.

When Luo Qingyang and Yan Zhantian were younger, they fought a total of three times.

At the time, they were all youths who had first entered the martial world and had yet to become renowned under Heaven. Back then, nobody was interested in these duels and later, they became legends that were frequently repeated by people in teahouses. And now, two actual sword immortals at their peaks were about to cross swords in Heavenly Revelations City, right outside the imperial palace gates.

How could it not attract an audience?

The news was quickly spread by the swordsmen hiding nearby, so the buildings which were only occupied by the Imperial Army before, quickly became filled with spectators. And, the Imperial Army also received orders to allow them to enter.

Of course, even if they didn't allow it, they were helpless to prevent it. Because, the people who came included…

The Emperor's younger brother, regent of the state, the golden Lanyue Marquis.

From the Yong'an Prince Residence, Xiao Se, Lei Wujie, and Ye Ruoyi.

From the Qingzhou Mu Family, Mu Chunfeng.

Guests of the Directorate of Astronomy, Confucian Sword Immortal Xie Xuan and his disciple, Li Fansong.

From the White Prince Residence, Xiao Chong and his page boy.

From the Red Prince Residence, Xiao Yu and his attendant, Long Ye, as well as the mysterious black-robed man. Of course, the Hidden River Patriarch, Su Changhe, came with them as well.

The Eunuch of Incense, Jin Xian, who hadn't shown his face for a long time, and who didn't like such occasions, also made an unexpected appearance. Perhaps in his heart, he still regarded himself as a swordsman, and was drawn to watch the duel between the sword immortals.

There were also people from the martial world who had been hiding themselves in Heavenly Revelations City and had not really exposed themselves. Such as the Western Breached Sword Luo Jia, Chen Ze of Sword Killing Sect, Luo Tian of Nine Swords Mountain Villa… Nearly all the martial experts within Heavenly Revelations City rushed over within a stick of incense after the news came out.

Wushuang and Su Muyu were hiding among these people, appearing somewhat inconspicuous. Wushuang grinned. "If I want to understand Heavenly Revelations City, I only need to understand the people here, right?"

Su Muyu nodded. "That's about right."

Wushuang glanced up and saw Xiao Se and others sitting on the second floor of a teahouse. He chuckled. "I see some old friends."

"I thought the person you were acquainted with was the White Prince Xiao Chong." Su Muyu had also noticed Xiao Se.

"They're all friends, all friends." Wushuang shrugged. 𝒇𝙧𝚎𝐞𝙬𝒆𝑏𝑛𝑜v𝚎𝒍.c𝑜m

"Have you seen the sword of the Wrath Sword Immortal Yan Zhantian?" Su Muyu asked.

"That day, outside Snow Moon City, this Wrath Sword Immortal brought a sword from the west. It clashed with my shixiong's spear, and broke it. But, my shixiong's martial arts are only so-so. It wasn't surprising that his spear broke. But, I still remember that power. There are few others like it under Heaven," Wushuang said.

Su Muyu nodded and said, "If we consider only the power of the sword, then indeed, I have not seen anyone stronger than Yan Zhantian. But if a sword only has power, that's not enough."

"Your sword, though, is quite lacking in power." Wushuang glanced at the oil-paper umbrella.

Su Muyu didn't refute, but said, "What I use is the art of murder, not really sword arts."

Upstairs in the teahouse.

Lei Wujie's Heart sword couldn't stop vibrating, and Xiao Se knocked on the table impatiently. "Lei Wujie, can you get it to be quiet?"

Lei Wujie smiled bitterly. "It's not me. There are two sword immortals about to fight there. This sword has the purest sword heart in the world and it can't help but become excited."

"Then it should only get excited when it's its turn to fight." Xiao Se lost his patience and pressed down on the sword. Immediately, the Heart sword went silent.

"What do you think? It took us one stick of incense to rush over, and we've been drinking tea for another stick of incense already. Why haven't the two of them started fighting? Are they waiting for everyone to get here?" Lei Wujie said helplessly.

"Did you think a fight between sword immortals is the same as the fights you people get into? You lift your head and make a sword move, I dodge it, whirl around in a flash, make another sword move, then you dodge, and turn back to stab…" Xiao Se narrated but he was suddenly interrupted by Lei Wujie, "Then I jump up, raise my huge sword, the sword comes down, and all you see are thousands of sword immortals emerging from a celestial gate as they raise their swords into the sky and slash down on your head!"

Ye Ruoyi burst out laughing. "You two can go tell stories together."

"Hey, that's because this Heavenly Revelations City is so boring. You didn't see us when we first wandered the martial world. First, we met ranking assassins, Yue Ji and Ming Hou, and then we got involved with the young sect leader of the Demonic Cult. After that, we had a huge battle with the Hidden River, then went on to Lei Clan Fort and had another huge fight with the Tang Clan. After that, we went out to sea and met an immortal. He was a true blue martial expert of the Spirit Wandering Profound Realm. With a wave of his hand, he could raise thousands of tidal waves from the sea. But, after we came to Heavenly Revelations City? Every day, we just meet a bunch of masked killers. When they can't beat us, they run away. Take some drugs and come back again. Besides that, we had to face an army of hundreds or thousands or ten thousands, who just wanted to outnumber us. What's so interesting about that? What's so interesting?" Lei Wujie's voice was full of grievances. "Now, we have the rare occasion of two sword immortals about to fight here so we're just really excited!"

"It's just you. Don't use 'we' so casually." Xiao Se knocked on the table.

Sitting at the table next to them were Xie Xuan, Li Fansong, and Mu Chunfeng. After hearing Xiao Se and Lei Wujie's habitual bickering, they couldn't help but snigger.

Li Fansong laughed. "Lei-xiongdi always speaks his mind freely. He's such a carefree guy."

Mu Chunfeng yawned. "I'm not really interested in swords anyway. I came to Heavenly Revelations City and paid my respects to the genius doctor as my teacher, so I think it was worth it. But, a duel between sword immortals is indeed quite interesting. It's just… why aren't they fighting yet?"

Everyone had been chatting for a long time, but the two sword immortals below were still standing there facing each other.

Yan Zhantian put his hand on the hilt of his sword and bowed slightly, as if he might explode into action any time.

Luo Qingyang touched the tip of his fingers lightly on the hilt of his sword, and the expression on his face remained indifferent.

"Yan Zhantian's true Wrath Sword Style has only three moves. Sword Drawn with Fury, Sword Decapitates with Fury and Sword Withdraws with Fury." Xie Xuan sipped his tea, his tone mild. "He usually doesn't use his Wrath Sword Style when facing opponents not worth his time. He would swing his sword carelessly and kill his opponent. But, now his opponent is Luo Qingyang, so he will only use these three sword moves. Since he can only use three swords, of course he has to cultivate sufficient power before he strikes."

"Cultivate sufficient power?" Mu Chunfeng asked.

Lei Wujie and Li Fansong nodded slightly when they heard Xie Xuan's explanation. Li Hanyi and Zhao Yuzhen had both taught them the same principle.

"Every swordsman powerful enough to be called a sword immortal has their own sword power. You can get a rough idea from the name Ji Ruofeng labelled us with. My sword power has a Confucian aura, Luo Qingyang's has a sense of desolation. Also, Yan Zhantian's is wrath, Zhao Yuzhen's was Dao, and Snow Moon Sword Immortal Li Hanyi's is a sense of nature and of the mountains and rivers. Each sword power is unique to each of us. The stronger the sword power, the more powerful the sword." Right after Xie Xuan finished, he raised his eyebrows. "It's coming."

Everyone upstairs felt a sudden gust of wind and all the teacups on the table rocked gently.

Then there was a flash of silver light.

Yan Zhantian had drawn his Army Destroyer sword.

Sword Drawn with Fury!