Chapter 421 - 230: Outer Dao Demonstration

Chapter 421: Chapter 230: Outer Dao Demonstration

The two left the ferry crossing. They hadn’t gone far when they suddenly spotted a small boat beneath a slanted willow tree.

A fisherman in a straw raincoat was lying in the boat, a fishing rod in his hand. He didn’t seem to need to watch it, however, as his face was covered by a bamboo hat. He wasn’t fast asleep; a faint sound came from under the hat, as if he were humming a little tune.

He Zaida’s gaze flickered, and he instructed, "Xuan, go ask that boatman."

He Xuan nodded slightly. Reaching the riverbank, he bowed first, regardless of whether the fisherman could see him, and called out, "Excuse me, boatman. Are you for hire?"

"Hmm?" The boatman shifted his hat aside slightly, revealing half of an old, weathered face. One eye swept up and down He Xuan before glancing at the Daoist on the bank. "Where are you headed?" he asked.

He Xuan smiled faintly. "My master and I wish to travel to the Tai Su Orthodox Sect."

The boatman fanned himself with his hat. "If you’re visiting the Orthodox Sect, you can just take the treasure ship with everyone else tomorrow."

He Xuan faltered. Just as he was about to turn and ask his master, He Zaida had already walked up slowly. He bowed to the fisherman and said, "I had originally planned on that, but I suddenly had a feeling that tonight might be the right time. That is why I have come to trouble you, sir."

"Oh? So you’re a Great Cultivator with a keen intuition," the boatman said, his face showing no particular awe. He mulled it over for a moment, then said, "I can take you, but the fare will be double."

"And if the Orthodox Sect isn’t receiving guests at night when we get there, there’s nothing I can do about it."

He Zaida, of course, didn’t care about a small fare. He smiled. "Excellent."

He Xuan hadn’t expected to find passage so easily. As he followed He Zaida onto the small boat, he thought, ’Even if Yunmeng Marsh is calm, can a tiny boat like this really reach the Tai Su Orthodox Sect? It might have been faster to just wait for the treasure ship tomorrow...’

But with a single, casual push of the oar, the fisherman sent the boat shooting forward. WHOOSH! In a flash, they were far from the bank. Only then did He Xuan realize the fisherman before him was a hidden master.

’The Tai Su Orthodox Sect is truly full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons...’

He Zaida was clearly not surprised and had already settled down cross-legged. He Xuan considered for a moment. ’The boat is fast, but Yunmeng Marsh is vast. It’ll probably be a while before we reach the Tai Su Orthodox Sect.’ And so, he too sat down cross-legged.

The fisherman rowed casually a few more times, the small boat moving faster and faster. He then suddenly lay back down, took out his fishing rod again, and with a flick, cast the line into the marsh.

He Xuan couldn’t help but ask, "How can you possibly catch fish when the boat is moving so quickly?"

The fisherman didn’t seem to mind the question. He chuckled. "Kid, let me tell you, fishing is also a way of comprehending the Great Dao. Reeling in nothing at all can also be a form of mental cultivation..."

He Zaida couldn’t help but glance at the fisherman. He Xuan, none the wiser, laughed. "Though I can’t discern your level of cultivation, sir, anyone who can speak such words is definitely no ordinary cultivator."

"Heh!" the fisherman said. "I’m just an old angler in Yunmeng Marsh, nothing more."

With nothing better to do, He Xuan started talking with the old angler. Surprisingly, the fisherman didn’t mind and chatted idly with him for quite some time. Before he knew it, the boat had traveled a great distance. Suddenly, He Xuan raised his eyes.

Under the moonlight, a hazy island appeared up ahead. That in itself was quite ordinary. What astonished He Xuan was what looked like a treasured sword on the island, its edge laid bare. An astonishing Sword Qi shot straight into the heavens, reflecting the light of the stars and moon, and could be seen from miles away.

"What is that?" He Xuan couldn’t help but ask. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. ’Seeing that astonishing Sword Qi, it must be some expert from the Tai Su Orthodox Sect refining a Flying Sword. It’s not something an outsider should be asking about.’

The old angler didn’t seem to mind, however. He just glanced in that direction and said, "Oh!—"

"That’s a strand of Sword Qi left behind by the Tai Su Orthodox Sect’s Venerable Dao Miao. It’s like this every night. You can’t even see it during the day!"

"They say that Sword Qi contains a Swordsmanship technique he created, left specifically for the sect’s outer disciples..."

’Sword Qi left by Venerable Dao Miao!’ He Xuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he whipped his head around to look at his master.

He saw He Zaida gazing into the distance at the Sword Qi that pierced the heavens, remaining silent for a long, long time...

A few moments later, the small boat had sailed past that spot. Although they could still see a faint glimmer of light, they could no longer feel the Sword Qi. The old angler then said, "The Tai Su Orthodox Sect is just ahead."

He Xuan was about to look up, but He Zaida suddenly said, "There’s no need."

"Ah?" He Xuan shot him a sidelong glance. He Zaida’s face was unreadable, but he sighed faintly. "One glimpse is enough to see the whole picture. The profundity of Venerable Dao Miao’s Dao is beyond my imagination."

"Exchanging insights with Venerable Dao Miao would benefit me greatly right now, but I have no confidence I could offer him any inspiration in return. That is not a true discourse on the Dao."

"As for the Tai Su Orthodox Sect... we will come back another day."