sinovels Chapter 51 Where did this amazing expert come from?
Chapter 51 Where did this amazing expert come from?
Night fell high, and the stars were few and far between.
A bright moon hung alone in the sky, its clear light bathing the entire Shigu Academy in a silvery frost. The moonlight reflected on it was as cool as water, and even the few bright yellow lamps hanging under the corridors appeared as small and desolate as mustard seeds under this cold, clear light.
"Brother An, look! This academy looks like a big ship moored on the river!"
Qu Feiyan's voice was clear and crisp as she spoke, while she tugged tightly at Shen An's sleeve.
What she said was true; the location of Shigu Academy was indeed exceptional. Situated on Shigu Mountain, north of Hengyang City, the mountain is actually a peninsula, jutting out from the river like the head of a giant beast. The Zheng River meanders from its left, the Xiang River flows ceaselessly to its right, and the Lei River lies across its front. The three rivers converge here, then flow majestically northward.
From a distance, it truly resembles a large painted boat on the river.
Like a bird freed from its cage, she was immediately captivated by the unique scenery upon entering the academy, looking around with great interest. Shen An followed her, silently memorizing the surroundings.
Fortunately, the academy was small and the environment was not complicated. The venue for the sword-testing tournament was a platform built on the river in front of Hejiang Pavilion at the end of the academy's extension into the water. This arrangement would not disturb the tranquility of the academy, but would also allow for a panoramic view of the magnificent confluence of the three rivers. This was probably why the academy's headmaster agreed to the Hundred Refinements Workshop's request.
Being on the water is great. As long as I stay on one side of Hejiang Pavilion, no matter how superb Tian Boguang's agility is, he will be trapped like a turtle in a jar, unable to escape.
Just as Shen An was pondering, a pair of soft little hands suddenly grabbed his arm. Qu Feiyan had run back at some point, her lips slightly pouting, her bright eyes flashing with a deliberately feigned "fear".
Seeing this, Shen An couldn't help but chuckle. This little girl was probably bored in this dark environment, where she couldn't see anything clearly except for the moon and the river. The novelty had worn off before, and she soon found it boring.
Just as Shen An was about to take her back, a melodious chanting sound drifted into his ears on the night breeze.
The voice wasn't loud, but the words were clearly enunciated, carrying a unique rhythm.
"How far I traveled south, and the green mountains also stretched southward."
How can the wild geese of Hengyang not find letters from Yantai?
Do not sing the songs of Fengpu, do not mourn at the Xiangjun Temple.
The mist and rain of Cangwu have ceased; from whom can one inquire about the Nine Doubts?
Upon hearing the poem, Shen An abruptly stopped, a look of astonishment flashing across his face.
"Brother An, what's wrong?" Qu Feiyan was startled by his reaction and asked curiously, "Is it because the poem is so well written?"
"No..." Shen An slowly shook his head, his gaze fixed on the direction from which the voice came, his voice unconsciously lowering considerably, "I don't know how the poem is written, but it... doesn't seem very good. However, the voice reciting the poem..."
His words carried a hint of disbelief and solemnity.
The voice was long and deep, its energy incredibly abundant! Each syllable seemed to resonate with a peculiar resonance, subtly harmonizing with the energy of heaven and earth. Shen An felt as if the internal energy within his body was being stirred by the chanting, threatening to surge forth, like rivers meeting the sea, or the moon orbiting the earth.
What terrifying cultivation level this is!
He could draw upon the inner strength of others simply by reciting poetry unconsciously. The depth of that strength was likely beyond his comprehension. Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng, whom he had met before, seemed like streams compared to oceans, fireflies compared to the moon, before the owner of this voice!
This sudden turn of events caused Shen An to feel a sense of panic.
A master of this caliber would never have come for such a trivial "one-sword agreement".
Upon realizing this, Shen An calmed down and seemed to understand why—Dugu Qiubai!
What could attract such a person, besides those legendary martial arts manuals, is probably only the rumor of "Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai" that I spread for marketing some time ago!
But who could it be?
Countless names flashed through Shen An's mind in an instant, but in the end, they settled on two people—Dongfang Bubai and Feng Qingyang.
With their exceptional martial arts skills and interest in Dugu Qiubai, it seems that only these two are the most likely candidates.
Shen An decided to go and see.
"Feifei, you stay here quietly and don't make a sound or run around." Shen An's expression became extremely serious. "I'll be right back."
Having said that, he took a deep breath, suppressed his aura, and activated the Ice Heart Technique to its fullest extent, walking towards the source of the sound like an ordinary night wanderer.
At the top of Shigu Mountain, which has an altitude of 69547 mm, is the Hejiang Pavilion.
Under the moonlight, a middle-aged scholar with a thin face and dressed in a simple blue robe stood with his hands behind his back by the pavilion. He gazed at the shimmering, rushing waters of the three rivers at his feet, and his entire being seemed to blend perfectly with the night, the landscape, and the solitary moon.
Shen An stood on the edge of the river a little distance away, seemingly admiring the river view, but in reality, his mind was in turmoil, caught up in rapid thinking and judgment.
He's not Dongfang Bubai. Whether he's male or female in this world, he's not that normal.
It wasn't Feng Qingyang either; he wasn't that young.
If one had to be specific, this person closely resembles the description of Ren Woxing in the original work: "tall, with black hair, wearing a blue robe, and having delicate features."
Did I create some kind of butterfly effect that caused this thing to emerge from the bottom of the lake ahead of schedule?
Whether it was Dongfang Bubai or Feng Qingyang, he was confident he could escape unscathed without provoking them, but Ren Woxing…
There is nothing difficult in the world, just give up.
Reason was trying to dissuade Shen An, but the "Solid Body Sun King Mantra" was unwilling to do so; it seemed restless, as if the scholar possessed a great opportunity.
Even Bingxin Jue said that the person in front of him had an extremely friendly aura.
Since the Ice Heart Manual has already said that...
Besides, I really hadn't heard any news about Ren Woxing's return to the martial arts world.
As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold! Let's give it a try!
Taking a deep breath, Shen An climbed the steps from the pavilion, straightened his clothes, and slowly stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting, "Watching the confluence of the three rivers at night, composing and reciting poems under the moon, you are in high spirits, sir."
The scholar turned around at the sound of the voice, saw Shen An, and his gaze swept over the sword hanging at Shen An's waist. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded in return: "So you're a fellow traveler from the martial world. You've come here so late at night, also for this river view?"
His speech and manners were gentle and refined, without the slightest air of a master.
Shen An's doubts deepened, and he decided to follow the other party's words and try to extract more information.
"Indeed. I have long heard that Shigu Academy boasts the magnificent view of three rivers converging. Tomorrow's sword-testing tournament will be held here, and I was surprised to find that I have missed seeing this place, which is truly a pity. Therefore, I came here under the cover of night to make up for my regret."
"It seems this friend is quite a remarkable person."
The scholar, however, became intrigued. His previously listless face now held a hint of curiosity and enthusiasm: "I see. Speaking of this sword-testing tournament, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you. Please have a seat."