There’s No Such Thing as Love in a Swordsman’s Heart

Chapter 6 – Rock X2

I just hate that you are like a rock

The Still Water Sword Sect was on the side of Lingxi Mountain, so it was only a few days away from the Wulin Alliance. The Wulin Alliance Leader, Sheng Hechen, had set the Wulin Conference for the 20th day of the first month, so they could still spend the Yuanxiao Festival in the sect before leaving. 

In the past, Wulin Assemblies were mostly held in either the second or third month of the year. This was the first time it had been brought forward to the first month of the year. Jiang Su knew that Sheng Hechen did this to discuss the matter of the Lingxi Mountain landslide revealing the secret room “Invincible Heavens.” He also knew the results of the discussion from the book, so he was not worried. What he was more worried about now was the matter of giving away a sword.

Although he had already confirmed it with Mu Yichuan, he was secretly very reluctant to part with one of his swords. The past few days, he had desperately wanted to stay in his Sword Collection Pavilion all day and go through the swords he had accumulated over the years one by one. Each sword had its own characteristics, and he could even come up with a different moveset for every single sword. Each sword… he was reluctant to part with.

On the day of the Yuanxiao Festival, while everyone was hanging up colorful lanterns outside, Jiang Su’s heart was like dying ashes. 

Mu Yichuan had already been able to walk for a few days now; he was a young person who had a good foundation in martial arts since childhood, so he recovered extremely quickly. Today, Jiang Su had asked Mu Yichuan to come to his Sword Collection Pavilion to pick up his sword. He waited outside the Sword Collection Pavilion with an unhappy expression. Disciples came and went in front of him, and during this time, no one had the courage to talk to him. 

He waited for a long time, and finally Mu Yichuan came.

Today, Mu Yichuan had changed into the new clothes that Zhang Wenxue had prepared for him. Although his wound was still not fully healed and his right hand was still unable to move, you wouldn’t be able to tell by the look of him.

He had already raised his hand to greet Jiang Su at a distance, and he looked very happy—Yes, Jiang Su thought, of course he’s happy to take away a wife who I have doted on for many years. 

But Jiang Su was not happy.

He led Mu Yichuan into the Sword Collection Pavilion dejectedly, waiting for Mu Yichuan to choose a sword from among them. However, Mu Yichuan looked at the collection Jiang Su had built over many years spread out in front of him, entranced as though he had seen some kind of unprecedented magnificence. His eyes were wide, and he couldn’t help but marvel at his surroundings. He looked around for a moment, then carefully took a sword from a sword rack. He looked back at Jiang Su, and said, “This is the Jade Rainbow Sword.”

Jiang Su did not expect that Mu Yichuan could recognize his treasure at a glance. Somewhat surprised, he nodded, and said, “Yes.”

Mu Yichuan asked, “You can use flexible swords?”

Jiang Su smiled and replied, “As long as it’s a sword, there is nothing I haven’t tried.”

Mu Yichuan put the Jade Rainbow sword back, and raised his hand to touch another sword. Compared to the Jade Rainbow sword, this sword was huge and as tall as a person. Before he could even ask, Jiang Su answered, “This is the giant cleaver of the Sword Forging Villa.”

He could already tell. 

Like him, Mu Yichuan was also a person who knew how to appreciate swords. 

If all the treasures in his room were displayed, he thought that Mu Yichuan would be able to recognize seven or eight out of ten of them. This was the first time since he had transmigrated into this book that he had met a person with such a similar temperament and preferences as himself. If he had to gift a sword to such a person, Jiang Su suddenly didn’t feel as distressed. 

However, though Mu Yichuan, with a happy look, walked around the Sword Collection Pavilion, he never took down any swords or took the initiative to select one. He just said, “In order to collect these famous swords, Sir Jiang must have spent a lot of time and effort.”

“It was alright.” Jiang Su said, “With the help of my shixiong and some friends, it went pretty well.”

Mu Yichuan actually looked more envious now and murmured, “Yes, people like Sir Jiang will have many friends wherever they go.”

He was different.

He had no friends, nor should he have any.

He looked at the swords. Even if he was full of envy and fondness, he could only swallow all his words back and said, “I have already have many swords at home. These are all things that Sir Jiang loves–”

Jiang Su however had seen through him. 

“Your father again?” Jiang Su raised his eyebrows and repeated Mu Yichuan’s words back to him, “To achieve supreme swordsmanship, all outside things have to be rejected”

Mu Yichuan: “…”

Jiang Su saw that Mu Yichuan didn’t answer, so he looked around. That day, he had seen that Mu Yichuan’s sword technique was swift and ruthless. When he acted, his moves were all filled with the intent to kill. It was a very fierce sword technique, so he thought that there should be a sword that matched it.

He stepped into the inner room, where there were two swords set on a high platform. He took one of them off and handed it to Mu Yichuan. “Do you know what sword this is?” he asked.

The scabbard was pitch black, and it seemed to be engulfed by a violent spirit which made people unable to tear their gaze away. Mu Yichuan stared at it for a moment, but seemed surprised. Finally, his eyes went wide, and he said in astonishment, “The Nameless Sword.”

This was the sword of Xie Wu, the former leader of the Demonic Sect.

Back then, Xie Wu had been invited over by the lord of the Still Water Sword Sect, Wen Qingting, and had left his sword outside Lingxi Mountain. He went to this appointment alone, but Wen Qingting exchanged his life for Xie Wu’s death.They died together in [Invincible Heaven], and Xie Wu’s sword stayed in the Still Water Sword Sect, but he didn’t know that… It was Jiang Su who had it.

“Your swordsmanship is quick and fierce, and this sword matches you.” Jiang Su could not help but begin to lecture on swordsmanship. He said, “However…. if you abandon all defense and just focus on offense in your swordsmanship, when you meet an expert, you will encounter difficulty.”

As if he was seeing some rare treasure, Mu Yichuan rubbed his hand on the Nameless Sword. If all the famous weapons in the Jianghu were to be ranked, this sword might not be ranked too high, but this was, ultimately, still a sword that Xie Wu had used. Mu Yichuan stroked the sword, thinking that from the sword, he could definitely absorb some of the sword spirit of their former leader.

Father always said that he was not innately talented enough, and Mu Yichuan agreed

If he had even half of Xie Wu’s spirit, how could he have achieved nothing after all this time and made his father so worried?

He sighed, looked up again, and his eyes were drawn to the other sword on the high platform, which was different from Xie Wu’s sword. Just looking at the sword, he could almost see how the sword owner was like a clear wind and the bright moon. He held Xie Wu’s sword respectfully in his hands, and asked carefully, “Is that Wen Qingting’s Wuzhi Sword?”

“Yes, this is my Shizu’s sword.” Jiang Su took the sword down, held it in his hand, and said, “This sword should have been kept by my shixiong, but he knew I greatly admired Shizu, and when I came of age, he gave it to me.”

The story in the Jianghu was that Wen Qingting and Xie Wu were originally good friends.

But later, one of them took charge of the Still Water Sword Sect, and the other became the leader of the Demonic Sect. Their ideologies could not be reconciled and their paths diverged from that point on until they finally died together. Who could have guessed that their swords would actually be put together decades later.

Jiang Su looked at Mu Yichuan’s eyes, and his heart suddenly thumped. He switched the Wuzhi Sword over to his left hand and asked Mu Yichuan, “Have you thought of exchanging some blows?”

Mu Yichuan was somewhat stunned. “Exchanging blows?”

Even before he had finished speaking, the Wuzhi Sword was already unsheathed and coming straight towards him. Although Mu Yichuan had not returned to his senses, his body had already reacted. He brought up his sword to block Jiang Su’s move, pulled it out of the sheath without any hesitation, and stabbed back.

The energy from the swords in the room was gleaming and cold; it seemed that neither of them were holding back, but they weren’t trying to kill each other either. When the edge of the sword touched the other party, the blade always deliberately deviated a few essential inches.

It seemed that they always knew where the other side’s sword was going to stab next, and they could always just block the other side’s sword. This match didn’t have enough killing intent, and in the end, it looked as though they were dancing with the swords, flowing freely like water and clouds, nimble and elegant, while the swordsmen——

Were indulging themselves. 

Mu Yichuan was injured after all, so he lost against Jiang Su after a few moves, and the sword qi cut his shirt. He stepped back and looked up to see Jiang Su resheathing the sword. Jiang Su laughed and said in delight, “Joyful!”

Mu Yichuan was still a little stunned and asked, “Joyful?”

He carefully resheathed the sword, his heart was pounding. He thought, he had actually just used Xie Wu’s Nameless Sword to fight against Wen Qingting’s sword. He had an indescribable sense of tacit understanding with Jiang Su, as if they had become one with their swords. It was somewhat unbelievable, but who knew how many times this situation could happen in a person’s life. 

Thinking of this, he touched his clothes that had been cut by the sword and murmured, “These are the new clothes that Sect Lord Zhang has just prepared…”

“Never mind, I’ll go and talk to him later about it.” Jiang Su said, “He won’t be angry.”

After he said this, he caught a glimpse of figures outside from the corner of his eye. Turning around, he saw Zhang Wenxue and Qi Du both outside, seemingly coming to find him together. Qi Du was also carrying a basket in his hands for Zhang Wenxue. Jiang Su was in a good mood and asked, “Shixiong, when did you guys arrive?”

Zhang Wenxue had been driven to distraction and kept murmuring, “First come, first served… In love, how is there any first come, first served….”

Jiang Su: “Ah? What are you talking about, Shixiong?”

He turned his head and looked at Qi Du, but he saw that Qi Du was also completely distracted. 

Qi Du was in a daze. “My martial arts are poor… Why are my martial arts so poor…”

Jiang Su: “?”

Seeing the two of them standing outside, Mu Yichuan remembered that he had torn the clothes that Zhang Wenxue had prepared for him, and he was rather embarrassed. He scratched his head, and sincerely apologized to Zhang Wenxue, saying, “Sect Leader Zhang, these clothes –“

Zhang Wenxue, however, seemed not to be listening at all, but just murmured some more.

“Childhood friendships…what use are childhood friendships….” Zhang Wenxue said in a daze, “First come…what use is first come…”

Mu Yichuan was confused. “….Ah?”

He looked at Jiang Su blankly, but he saw that the eyes of Qi Du, who was standing beside Jiang Su, were already red. Qi Du wiped at his eyes, his tears on the brink of falling. At the same time, Zhang Wenxue turned around and immediately saw that Qi Du’s appearance was as lost as his—a look that he couldn’t be more familiar with.

Wasn’t this the exclusive expression of the lovelorn?!

Zhang Wenxue was silent.

He looked at Qi Du and then turned to look at Jiang Su. An idea that he should not have had gradually emerged in his mind.

Qi Du shouldn’t also…

Zhang Wenxue held onto Jiang Su’s hand for support, reluctantly endured the bleeding in his heart, and managed to squeeze out the words, “It doesn’t matter, Sir Mu. If you tore your clothes, we can just make more.”

Jiang Su was always slow. Seeing Zhang Wenxue say that, he naturally thought that his shixiong was fine. He pulled Mu Yichuan over, raised the Nameless Sword in Mu Yichuan’s hands, and said, “Shixiong, I want to give this sword to Sir Mu.”

Zhang Wenxue: “…”

Qi Du: “…”

Jiang Su saw that a strange look pass over their faces, and hurriedly added some more words. 

“Although it’s a possession of the former master of the Demonic Sect, it has been so many years. I’ve used this sword in Wulin Assemblies before too, so it should be fine.” Jiang Su thought for a moment, worried that Zhang Wenxue thought Mu Yichuan was not worthy of the sword, so he praised Mu Yichuan, “I have already tried Sir Mu; his sword style is fierce, and this sword technique is perfectly suitable for the Nameless Sword. Treasure swords go with heroes, and Sir Mu suits it very well.”

Zhang Wenxue: “You have already tried…”

Qi Du: “Treasure swords go with heroes…beauties also go with heroes….”

Jiang Su: “…Ah?”

Qi Du really started crying. 

He wiped at his tears, put the food box on the table, and hurried out. Zhang Wenxue saw him go, and finally confirmed the thoughts in his mind. For a moment, he felt very confuddled.

What exactly does this count as?

He ignored the world’s feudal ethics and fell in love with his own shidi, but he could only hide his infatuation. Completely unexpectedly, his disciple also ignored the world’s feudal ethics and fell in love with his shishu.

How could he be in love with the same person as his disciple?

He definitely couldn’t admit it. Anyway, he had long ago already made a decision in his heart; as the sect leader of Still Water Sword Sect, he would never let his heart be known to his shdi. 

Jiang Su looked confused. He took Mu Yichuan’s hand and raised the Nameless Sword. He looked at it carefully, and after a long time, he murmured, “So Qi Du wanted the Nameless Sword that badly?”

Zhang Wenxue: “…”

Jiang Su frowned and racked his brains. “But didn’t I already get his sword back? Why does he want a new sword?”

Zhang Wenxue: “…”

Jiang Su tried his best to come up with another idea. “It can’t be that he got hurt so is crying again?”

No response from anyone.

Mu Yichuan was thinking about the clothes he had torn, so he felt too guilty to say anything at the moment. Zhang Wenxue was silent for a long time. He wordlessly stepped forward, put the food box in his hands on the table, and looked at Jiang Su faintly.

Jiang Su got goosebumps from this look, but he still insisted on expressing his opinion from a few days ago, saying “Shixiong, spoiling disciples isn’t good. Look at Qi Du. He suffered some internal injuries, and for some reason, he keeps crying these past few days.”

Zhang Wenxue murmured, “I hate that you are a rock.”

Jiang Su: “Huh?”

Zhang Wenxue had already turned and left.

Jiang Su was in a daze for a long time. He really couldn’t think of the meaning of Zhang Wenxue’s words. Only then did he turn around, look at Mu Yichuan, and ask, “This… what does my shixiong mean?”

“He said that you’re like a rock.” Mu Yichuan thought for a while and got the answer, “Sir Jiang, your shizhi is injured, but you don’t care about him at all and still just want him to go train with his sword.”

Jiang Su frowned and said, “If you have poor martial arts, then go train. What’s the problem with that?”

“That’s why your shixiong said that. You are too strict, like an emotionless rock.” Mu Yichuan told him earnestly, “This is not good, so what about this? Let me accompany you to comfort your shizhi!”

—

Juurensha: I think Qi Du’s eyes are going to be permanently swollen between these two sword-for-brains.

Opal: Lighting a candle for Qi Du’s tear ducts.