Prelude to the Sword Trial Conference 2

Thinking about it, although I, Ya Jiu, have a penchant for drinking, getting so dead drunk is a very rare occurrence. Logically speaking, we sword spirits don't need to excrete, but chugging down so much alcohol means it has to go out somewhere. Thus, I was awakened by the urge to pee.

I groggily opened my eyes, just about to climb down from the sword rack to go to the toilet, when I realized that the surrounding situation wasn't quite right.

Colorful tassels swayed overhead, and the surrounding space was narrow, lined with colorfully embroidered brocade. I sat up, discovering that I was actually still in human form. My raven feather mask and true body were neatly placed right by my hand. At the same time, I felt this small room slowly rising and falling, as if it were moving. I hurriedly got up, pulled back the curtain on the side that looked like a window, and was dumbfounded.

Drifting elegantly past the window were clusters of pure, snow-white... clouds?!

I looked down, only to see a massive white crane wing tipped with black feathers. Those feathers rustled and fluttered in the cold, quiet high-altitude air, gliding smoothly and lightly over one cloud peak after another.

I took a deep breath to keep myself calm, put the raven feather mask back on the right side of my face, and staggeringly crawled from my seat to the front of the carriage, pushing open the two closed mahogany lattice doors. The person sitting upright with his back to me had hair like splashed ink, fluttering in the void along with his nine-colored luxurious robes. Hearing the noise, he didn't even turn his head. He calmly stroked the giant crane's neck and simply replied, "You're awake?"

That large crane also stretched its neck and let out a cry, a cry that was exceptionally unpleasant to hear. This goes to show that while things like immortal cranes might look ethereal and otherworldly, they absolutely must not open their mouths...

Filled with righteous indignation, I said, "Your behavior is considered theft!"

"Don't put it so harshly. My son said you miss your master so much you're about to turn into a vengeful spirit; I'm just helping you," the Bixie Palace Master said, shooting me an extremely seductive glance. "My son said you couldn't go on your own against your master's wishes, so if I steal you away, it doesn't count as you defying your master, right?"

'It seems what he said makes some sense...' But I was still extremely displeased that the brat had sold me out so easily...

I leaned against the carriage carried on the immortal crane's back, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Would you be so kindhearted?"

"My heart has always been very good. Otherwise, how could I make so many beauties in the world go crazy for me?"

I let out a disgusted "Ew—", brushing the goosebumps off my body. He, however, smiled seductively, "Alright, I actually do want to go play at that Sword Trial Conference. Hearing that there's a sword in the name, I ought to bring a sword with me; otherwise, what if they don't let me in? So, we are even."

I rolled my eyes. As the grand Bixie Palace Master, who would dare stop him from entering? But it wasn't my loss anyway. Who knows, maybe Master would even get a little jealous seeing me in someone else's hands?

Although I was satisfied in my heart, I still said, "Hey, can we land for a bit?"

He raised his brow in dissatisfaction, "I've already put it this way, and you're still unwilling?"

I said unhurriedly, "Willing, I am. It's just that if I don't find a place to relieve myself of those two jugs of wine from last night, I'll have to piss on your immortal crane."

The immortal crane let out a tragic cry and began its descent immediately, without even waiting for the Palace Master to give the order...

We landed by Taihu Lake. At this time, the feeling of spring was strong and mellow. A layer of clear emerald green rippled on the lake water, and the weeping willows on both banks clustered with green leaves, sweeping across the water and leaving layers of clear ripples. While smelling the fragrance of winter jasmine permeating the air, I created water pollution by the lake, comfortably shivering. The Palace Master, looking very disgusted, stayed a hundred and eight thousand miles away, sitting in a pavilion on a small hill and flirting with decent women admiring the flowers. Those young women were blushing coyly in various ways, looking as if their hearts were fluttering... Sigh... Humans are always blinded by appearances...

Speaking of which, it had been a long time since I went down the mountain. The shores of Taihu Lake were bustling with crowds, and inns stood in great numbers. The sounds of string and woodwind instruments, along with lutes, drifted from the intricately carved and painted pleasure boats on the lake, where beautiful dancers fluttered about on the pavilions. It was very lively. I suddenly recalled that I had also come to Taihu Lake with Master before. At that time, Master was still young. Although he wasn't old now either, he was so tender back then... so tender you could practically pinch water out of his skin... Master had just obtained me back then and treated me like a treasure, even holding me when he slept. Master's chest muscles were firm and springy, making for a very comfortable sleep. It truly made one miss it intensely...

But that wasn't the main point. The main point was that Master and I had drunk the Honey Peach Wine here. It was said that honey peaches were added during the brewing process. When you drank it, it tasted sweetly of fruit, and the aftertaste lingered in the nasal cavity for a long time without dissipating. After downing a jug, there wouldn't even be the smell of alcohol in your mouth, only the refreshing, lingering fragrance of peaches. That taste really made one drool just thinking about it... I also remembered that it was one of the few times Master had gotten drunk. I recalled how passionate and unrestrained the drunk Master was, his cheeks flushed red, his eyes seductive and silky, kissing everyone he saw...

Huh... why is my nose bleeding...

I tore a piece of clothing, stuffed it up my nose, and went looking for the love-struck Palace Master, intending to drag him to drink with me. In that hexagonal pavilion, a graceful beauty with a maidservant by her side was talking to the womanizer, half shyly and half expectantly. Listening closely, it seemed they were composing poetry.

"You overpraise me, Young Master. This humble girl is entangled in chronic illness, merely a lingering life. Once spring ends, beauty fades; as flowers fall and people pass, neither knows of the other."

'Oh my, why does she speak so tragically?' Even though the girl's small frame was a bit weak, she didn't look like someone about to die. Her cheeks were still flushed pink.

The womanizer produced a rose out of nowhere and smoothly pinned it to the beauty's temple. With profound, captivatingly bewitching eyes, he said, "Why worry about what the future holds? Falling flowers and stormy weather only cause more sorrow for spring; it is better to cherish the person right in front of you."

'Ew... so disgusting...' Did this guy have any morals, chasing after Master while flirting with a young girl at the same time? I wouldn't be able to live with my conscience if I didn't enforce justice on behalf of heaven...

Thus, I took off my mask, transformed into a bright red outfit, and fluttered into the hexagonal pavilion like a butterfly darting through flowers. With the "grace of a fairy gliding over waves," I landed delicately right between the Palace Master and the beauty. I turned my face slightly, looking at the Palace Master pitifully, an endless sorrow spreading across my face.

"You surnamed Yin, didn't you promise me that you would never seduce women again?"

In an instant, both the Palace Master and the beauty were petrified.

I turned around again to look at the clearly frightened beauty. "A man's solemn pledges of love are ultimately just empty promises... Miss, please take good care of him for me. I'll just live on my own with our child." After saying that, I opportunely squeezed out two teardrops and loudly recited, "Sorrow upon sorrow, there's no need to weep at marriage; I only wish to find a single-minded person and never separate until our hair turns white! Yin, our ties of affection are severed!"

That girl and her maidservant both lost their composure. "You... you two men... have a child?!"

The veins on the Palace Master's forehead were noticeably bulging. I was secretly enjoying the sight when he suddenly raised the corners of his mouth into a devilishly charming smile. "Little Yaya, don't be jealous. I was merely exchanging a few words of idle chat with this young lady~"

'Little... Little Yaya?!'

Before I could even react, I saw the Palace Master gazing at me with deep affection. He took a few steps forward, reached out to lift my chin, and then...

And then he kissed kissed kissed kissed kissed kissed kissed me!!!!!!!

I let out a tragic scream, but unfortunately, with my mouth blocked, I couldn't scream loudly at all. And the moment I opened my mouth, his tongue slipped right in!!! Don't let his two small arms look thin in those clothes; damn it, they were pure muscle, and I couldn't break free at all!

My entire sword self was dumbfounded. Feeling something moving around in my mouth, pulling at my tongue with lingering intimacy, the hairs on the back of my neck were about to stand on end.

'How did the plot develop into this...'

'My first kiss is just gone like this!!!'

The moment I thought of this sorrowful fact, my whole body was suddenly filled with strength, and I kicked him away. Looking to the side, the beauty had long been scared off...

I aggressively spat on the ground several times, wiping my mouth in a fluster with my sleeve. He, on the other hand, leisurely sat down on the railing to the side and even licked his lips. "Hmm, tastes not bad."

"I'll fucking kill you!!!" I grabbed and unsheathed my true body, swinging out a furious wave of sword qi. The entire pavilion was split in half by this sword qi and collapsed with a crash. He drifted upward like a light breeze and pale clouds, not even fighting back as he dodged every wave of sword qi I swung with the lightness of a feather. In an instant, fierce winds whipped up across the entire mountain, leaves fell like rain, flowers and plants were broken, and sand and stones flew, scaring a few people who were climbing the mountain for a spring outing into fleeing with screams.

As he dodged, he blinked innocently, "You're allowed to ruin my romantic encounters, but I'm not allowed to strike back?"

"You number one pervert in the world, do you just want to take advantage of everyone you see?! Watch me slice you to death, you menace!" After saying that, I unleashed three consecutive waves of sword qi again, slicing off a piece of his sleeve. Seeing this, he let out a heartbroken cry, "Ah! You actually ruined my clothes!!"

"I'm gonna strip you bare, too!"

"Try it if you have the guts?" His expression changed slightly, his devilish smile gone, and his eyes turning dangerous. His long hair and robes fluttered without wind, spiritual energy roiling around his body. For a moment, the surroundings fell utterly silent.

'Why does this guy care so much about his clothes? He's not some young maiden; what's the big deal if his clothes get a little torn? Could it be something very important, like clothes sewn for him by his deceased wife or something...'

'Oh no... if that's the case, wouldn't I have to apologize? But at such a tense, explosive moment, how could anyone bring themselves to say it?'

Just as this massive battle was on the verge of breaking out, he suddenly restrained all of his aura and slowly landed back on the ground. After a long moment, he looked up at me, his charming eyes having regained their usual frivolous and flirtatious look. "Alright, let's stop messing around. I was the one in the wrong first."

'Oh my? He actually apologized... This plot twist is a bit too fast...'

'Does he have such high self-awareness?'

But since he had already bowed his head first, I was too embarrassed to be unrelenting. Although, no matter how I thought about it, trading my first kiss for a piece of his sleeve was a massive loss, I still couldn't be that petty. After all, as a divine sword with great class, I couldn't haggle over every ounce.

Therefore, I also withdrew my sword and dropped down, saying in a huff, "It was also my fault for ruining your clothes; I'll compensate you."

He chuckled softly. "These clothes are very expensive, you know. If you really want to compensate me, I'm afraid you'll have to pledge yourself to me and become my personal sword."

I rolled my eyes, my sense of guilt vanishing without a trace in an instant. "Is that so? Then this divine sword won't compensate you after all."

Using spiritual energy, I dyed the crimson on my robes back to ink-black, put my mask back on my face, and turned to leave the small hill that had already been left in shambles and devastated by our tussle, heading in the direction of Taihu Lake. Although there had been a bit of unpleasantness, wine still had to be drunk; otherwise, who knew how long it would be until the next time I came to Taihu Lake.

'If only I had come with Master... Back then, I clearly agreed with Master that we would come to Taihu Lake to drink again in the future.'

"Hey, you look pretty good without the mask; why do you insist on covering your face?" These slightly melancholic thoughts were interrupted by the noisy question of a certain undignified Palace Master behind me.

"You don't even understand this?" I shot him a glance and gave him an enigmatic smile. "Because I'm handsome!"