Becoming a Sage Starts From Condensing the Essence of Time

Chapter 34: I See How Charming Green Mountain Is, One Umbrella, One Sword, White Clothes

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Looking at this broken bamboo sword, An Le really didn’t know what to say.

If not for the fact that the old man’s Age Qi was swaying enchantingly like seaweed and was densely packed, An Le would really think that he was making fun of him.

The spring rain made the small courtyard silent.

An Le took the bamboo sword from the old man. It floated in his hand and was naturally much lighter than a metal sword. The hilt, sword prominence, and blade were all made of bamboo. It looked like a toy bamboo sword that his grandfather had cut with a firewood knife to coax his grandson.

“Why? Are you disappointed?”

The old man seemed to notice An Le’s shock and laughed mischievously.

“I dare not decline a gift from an elder.” An Le held the sword and said, “Moreover, a bamboo sword is also a sword. Since Senior has given me a sword, it’s a gift. How can I show my disappointment because I’m dissatisfied with the gift?”

The old man looked at An Le as if he could read An Le’s mind. “I know you want a good sword. The quality of this bamboo sword is indeed not good, but it has accompanied me for a long time. I want to find a good owner for my old friend.”

“Your Water Ink Bamboo Stone Painting suits my taste quite well. You can see the proud temperament of a gentleman in the painting. Perhaps you will be a good sword-bearer. You can be considered a good owner of this bamboo sword.”

“If you’re really suitable, you’ll naturally discover the good of the bamboo sword.”

The old man retracted his wet sleeves and stared at the bamboo sword. There was a hint of reluctance and even unwillingness in the depths of his eyes.

An Le’s gaze landed on the bamboo sword. It looked ordinary no matter how he looked at it.

The bamboo sword was 2.7 feet long. It was not considered a long sword, but it still had the posture of a sword. The bamboo sword did not have a sheath or even a sharp edge. It was unknown if it could cut through the skin of a cultivator.

However, the old man’s words made An Le take it seriously. This was not a simple sword, but an entrustment from the old man.

“I will protect this sword well.” An Le said solemnly as if he was making an oath.

When the old man heard this, he immediately stroked his beard and laughed. “You’re so interesting. Although it’s a bamboo sword, it’s not delicate and doesn’t need protection. If it should be taken out, slash it. If it should collide, collide. Don’t be afraid of damaging the sword.”

“If the number one expert in the world can’t break this broken bamboo sword, what are you afraid of?”

“A sword is a sword. It’s a weapon used for killing. Protecting a sword is an insult to the sword.”

The old man looked at An Le and lectured.

When An Le heard this, he immediately understood and nodded. His eyes also changed slightly. Since the old man had said so, this sword must be extraordinary.

“This sword is originally nameless. It was created by a green bamboo by chance. It’s named ‘Green Mountain’. It’s related to the poem written in your Bamboo Stone Painting. It can be considered fate. Green Mountain has accompanied me for many years, but to you, it’s a new beginning. You can change the name of the sword.” The old man was very carefree.

“I see how charming the green mountains are, and the green mountains should feel like this when they see me.” An Le suddenly thought of something and chuckled. “The name of the sword is quite good.”

The old man was stunned. His eyes sparkled as he stroked his beard and laughed.

Then, he stopped talking about swords. He would not choose to take back the sword he had given away.

Looking at An Le, the old man smiled and said, “You still have to work at the Lin Residence, right? Remember to apply for leave in three days. I’ll bring you somewhere.”

When An Le heard this, he nodded without asking where he needed to go.

“I’m leaving. I’ll come back tonight to talk to you about the Water Ink Bamboo Painting. Remember to prepare the dishes and wine. The old yellow wine from the wine shop in Yanchun is delicious, but the meat is only so-so. The best shop for beef is in Dingya Alley. It’s delicious.”

The old man waved his hand and left the small courtyard with an umbrella. He chuckled and said, “I see how charming the green mountains are…”

As soon as he left the courtyard, hurried footsteps sounded in Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley.

The constable of the Black Office, Huang Xian, was dressed in his official uniform. His body was drenched by the rain as he rushed to the small courtyard. When he saw the plain-clothed old man walking out of the alley, he did not pay much attention to him. After all, the old man did not have any spiritual energy fluctuations. He was just an ordinary person.

“Young Master An…”

When Huang Xian saw that the courtyard door was wide open, he quickly stepped in and called out to An Le.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, the first thing he saw was the headless corpse on the ground. The words he shouted immediately froze in his throat.

“Constable Huang, you came at the right time. I was just about to look for you.”

An Le held a yellow bamboo sword in his hand. When he saw Constable Huang, he immediately smiled.

Constable Huang couldn’t smile. His expression was solemn. “Hu Jingang?”

An Le bathed in the spring rain with a gentle smile on his face. He nodded slightly like an otherworldly immortal.

“You killed him?” Constable Huang took a deep breath, his tone laced with disbelief.

An Le walked into the house and took a towel to dry his hair. He said, “Hu Jingang came last night and said that he wanted to kill me because of the wanted portrait I made. He couldn’t handle the pursuit and wanted to kill me.”

“Of course, I can’t sit still and wait for death. I can only defend myself and kill him.”

Huang Xian slowly calmed down. In the morning, the Black Office received a report from the night watchman that there was a nameless head on Qingbo Street. After confirming his identity, it was actually the bandit Hu Jingang. Therefore, this case was handed over to the Black Office.

Huang Xian led a team over and realized that they were at the entrance of the Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley. He couldn’t help but think of An Le and rushed over immediately. In the end, Hu Jingang was really killed by An Le.

“Young Master An, it’s good that you’re fine. Hu Jingang has committed a heinous crime. Killing him can be considered punishing evil and promoting good. The Black Office won’t pursue the matter and will even reward you.” Huang Xian knew that this was the first time An Le had killed someone, so he comforted An Le.

An Le drew a few sketches for the young masters in the Lin Residence and obtained a lot of wealth. He did not pay much attention to the bounty. He entered the house and changed into a clean set of white clothes. There was a tattered bamboo sword at his waist. He took out an oil-paper umbrella and was about to go to the Lin Residence to work.

“Constable Huang, Hu Jingang is a suspect from the Black Office. Get someone to deal with this corpse.”

An Le opened the umbrella. Raindrops fell and landed on the umbrella with a muffled sound.

Huang Xian, who was wearing a bamboo hat, smiled and said, “Don’t worry, leave everything to me.”

After a while, he called for someone to deal with Hu Jingang’s corpse. Huang Xian did not say anything and only cupped his fists at An Le. He thought even more highly of An Le.

Although this child had completed his cultivation enlightenment at the age of 18, he was like a hidden dragon that had emerged from the abyss and would bloom with extraordinary splendor!

“I’ll come back another day to drink and eat with Young Master An. I’ll personally thank Young Master An for killing this evil Hu Jingang.”

Huang Xian cupped his fists seriously and An Le returned the greeting.

When Huang Xian and the constables disappeared into the alley, An Le locked the courtyard door. With an umbrella, a sword, and a white robe, he walked out of the rainy alley and headed straight for the west side of West Lake.

From afar, one could see his eyebrows knitted together. It was strange that spring did not come with such coldness.

The misty rain in West Lake was decorated with circles of ripples, giving it a unique flavor.

The scholars waited for a while in the group of guests, but Fairy Yun Rou’s sword did not appear, so they felt regretful.

He could not get the first wisp of Age Qi today.

Without seeing Fairy Yun Rou, the misty rainy scenery of West Lake became more uninteresting. An Le did not stay on the bank of West Lake for long, he turned around and went to the Lin Residence.

As usual, the maidservant, Liu Xiang, opened the door every day. Looking at An Le, who was dressed in snow-white clothes in the spring rain, the young girl’s eyes were filled with yearning.

“Miss Liu Xiang, please inform Madam Hua that I have something to discuss with her.”

An Le smiled gently.

Liu Xiang blushed. “Young Master An, Madam Hua said that if you want to find her, you can go to the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion.”

An Le nodded. After bidding farewell to Liu Xiang, he held an umbrella and headed towards the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion. With a bamboo sword at his waist, his white robe fluttered in the wind, making him look even more dashing.

In the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion, spring rain poured down from the sky like billions of crystalline ice beads that fell to the mortal world.

It hit the four-cornered black-tiled pavilion, producing a series of crisp sounds.

In the main hall, the spring breeze in the hall carried a few drops of water vapor from the spring rain. It blew in a misty manner, lifting the gauze skirt under Madam Hua’s beautiful clothes lying on the bed.

Madam Hua would brew tea and read in the main hall of the Water Pavilion every morning. This had been her habit for many years.

An Le put away the umbrella and entered the main hall of the Water Pavilion. The tip of the umbrella left a thin trail of rain on the ground.

Madam Hua put down the book and looked at the young artist who had come to visit.

What?

Madam Hua was stunned because she could not sense An Le’s Body Tempering Qi Blood and Spirit Refinement mental power in her Primordial Spirit.

It was as if there was a blurry veil covering An Le’s cultivation realm, preventing her from investigating.

Such a situation was truly rare.

Madam Hua’s long eyelashes trembled slightly. She shifted her gaze from An Le’s handsome face to her waist and saw a tattered and yellow bamboo sword.

At first glance, Madam Hua thought that it was just an ordinary bamboo sword.

However, after observing carefully, her Primordial Spirit trembled as though he had thought of something.

A shocked expression appeared on Madam Hua’s exquisite and elegant face.