Sword Among Us

The forest was incredibly damaged.

Not a single shrub of complete bamboo could be seen in a circular area of 164 feet. The ground around the area had streams of blood flowing on it, and it looked like hell on earth.

Happy was dressed in Golden Armor, and he stood in the middle with a calm expression. He ignored everything around him, too focused on trying to understand the chilling cold spreading out of Heavenly Sword.

He released a faint hiss of heat from his mouth.

“Heavenly Sword, what a great sword!”

He had never fought against the person who had Heavenly Sword in his previous life. That person used a lot of money to hide his fame and kept the sword a secret, so Happy had never understood the true might of it.

Heavenly Sword:

High-grade divine weapon.

Increase attack by 2,000 points. Increase all attributes by 20 points. Cannot be blocked. Can easily destroy normal weapons. Can easily reduce the durability of masterpieces. With sword will, can trigger defense breaking effect and instantly destroy enemy’s body fortification.

Hidden attribute: Hand over Heavenly Sword together with Dragon Saber to Zhou Zhiruo, and you will obtain Book of Wumu as well as Nine Yin Manual.

Lacks a sheath. Cannot be put into an item bag.

Quest item: Cannot be placed in the bank. If you die, it will drop.

‘It will really help me get Book of Wumu and Nine Yin Manual…’

Happy turned around, shifting his gaze away from Heavenly Sword. He looked up to stare at Xie Xun. The latter had stopped chasing after him once Happy seized Heavenly Sword, and while holding Dragon Saber, he continued to pay attention to Zhang Wuji fighting fiercely against the Persian Ming Cult’s Holy Fire Order messengers.

“Young Swordsman Happy.”

Zhou Zhiruo was ignored by everyone. When she saw that Happy had indeed safely retrieved Heavenly Sword, she jogged over with great joy on her face.

The system gave Happy a notification.

“Ding!

“Will you return Heavenly Sword to Zhou Zhiruo?

“If you return Heavenly Sword, you can continue with the hidden quest for Book of Wumu and Nine Yin Manual. If you refuse, you must immediately take Heavenly Sword and flee Spirit Snake Island. Once you leave Spirit Snake Island, Heavenly Sword will be yours.”

Right when the system notification came to an end, Zhou Zhiruo jumped into the air with great joy and excitement on her face and landed in front of Happy.

Even though Happy had been slightly tempted, when he saw Zhou Zhiruo’s pretty and charming face, along with her pure trust, he smoothly returned Heavenly Sword to her.

“It’s indeed a sword without a match!” He sighed in amazement, which attracted Xie Xun and Zhang Wuji’s attention.

“Young Swordsman Happy, you are very kind. I, Zhou Zhiruo, will remember your kindness on behalf of Emei Sect!”

Zhou Zhiruo returned the sword to its sheath once she regained her mistress’ item. Then, she held up the sword, and she was so worked up that she wept.

“Miss Zhou, you’re being too polite.”

Happy stared at Zhou Zhiruo with a myriad of emotions in his heart while she was incredibly touched by his actions. “Now that you’ve regained Heavenly Sword, don’t lose it so easily again. I’m weak, and that means that while I can protect it for a time being, it’ll be impossible for me to protect it forever.”

When he finished speaking, crazed laughter suddenly rose from the bamboo forest.

“Hahahaha… you’ll be able to protect it for a time being, but not forever? Well said, you’re pretty smart, boy.”

Xie Xun and Zhang Wuji shot next to the duo while the three Persian Ming Cult’s Holy Fire Order messengers had their weapons struck flying. Xie Xun’s voice was loud when he spoke.

“You’re smart, and you aren’t ignorant of the matters around you, unlike the other wanderers. They’re weak, but they dream about dominating the world of martial artists. They dreamt day in and day out, and they lost their lives in vain in my hands because of it. Hmph! This alone cements the fact that you will certainly become someone great in the future!”

“Senior Xie, don’t mock me. I’m not someone courageous. Even if it were not for the fact that you are Young Swordsman Zhang Wuji’s foster father, the brother-in-name of Zhang Cuishan, who is the fifth hero of Wudang Sect, and had concentrated on reflection before you repented on your ways while you were alone for many years in Ice Fire Island, I would have been able to understand just how great you are.”

His words were neither humble nor arrogant, and Xie Xun nodded slowly.

A strange light shone in Zhang Wuji’s eyes when he looked toward Zhou Zhiruo.

“Miss Zhiruo, your sect is fortunate to have a friend such as Young Swordsman Happy.” He stopped talking for a moment before he continued. “I obtained Heavenly Sword from Zhao Min, and now that it has returned to your hands, I can be considered to have returned the item to you in perfect condition.

“But there are plenty of people on Spirit Snake Island, and the Holy Fire Order messengers from Persian Ming Cult’s headquarters are here as well. I believe that it is best for us to leave this place in a hurry.”

“He’s right!” Xie Xun nodded.

“Those Holy Fire Order messengers have a strange and amazing martial art. I am not their opponent either. We shan’t delay in this matter. We must leave first.”

“Miss Zhou, you are not safe with Heavenly Sword in your hands. It is best that you come with us.”

“I’ll go with Young Swordsman Happy.”

Zhou Zhiruo’s words caused Happy to be happy, but he did not show it on his face.

It was worth it for him to have delivered Heavenly Sword!

If he could move together with Zhou Zhiruo, he would enter her quest line. However, not only would he need to take care of Zhang Wuji and Xie Xun later, he would also have to handle the cunning and ruthless Zhao Min. If he took the wrong step, he would be doomed eternally.

As expected, once Zhang Wuji heard Zhou Zhiruo’s words, he immediately invited Happy to leave together with them.

“If that’s the case, it’d be best for me to show my respect by obeying.”

Happy was neither humble nor arrogant. He walked behind Xie Xun and Zhang Wuji together with Zhou Zhiruo and headed to the depths of Spirit Snake Island.

Once the four left, another group of people walked out one after another from the depths of the bamboo forest.

There was surprise and bewilderment on their faces while they looked at each other at a loss.

“Who’s that?”

“NPC?”

“NPC, my foot! That person is Happy…”

The other person fell silent.

“No wonder.”

“I didn’t expect that he would be here as well.”

When they heard that the person who snatched Heavenly Sword and displayed his might was Happy, everyone in the area instantly fell silent.

“Let’s go.”

“We have no hope anymore.”

Many players instantly became dejected and dispirited.

Even an idiot would be able to tell at that point that Happy had already received Zhou Zhiruo, Zhang Wuji, and Xie Xun’s approval. He had entered the greatest quest in Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber, while they were a group of people who were excluded from it.

If they continued to stay in Spirit Snake Island, they might not just gain Happy’s hostility, they might even cause Chivalry Sect, who dominated the south, to regard them with hostility.

The players left Spirit Snake Island in a continuous stream. They returned to their ships and left.

*****

“Found it!”

A few strange shouts suddenly rose from the depths of the forest in Spirit Snake Island. There was some degree of joy in those voices, and the speakers gathered together around the person who had shouted out.

Three Holy Fire Order messengers in strange attire had found all six Holy Fire Order Plates.

Their gazes landed on the Chinese martial artist who had a faint smile on his face.

Just then, when the large group of martial artists fought in the forest, he had seized two Holy Fire Order Plates and handed it to them, which was why the others from Holy Fire Order had not taken them out of Spirit Snake Island.

The two men and women bent their backs slightly and bowed to him politely.

“Holy Fire Order Plates are very important to us. Sir, we are very grateful for your aid to Ming Cult.”

“You’re welcome. Returning the things we find have always been the tradition of the people in my time.”

The young swordsman had an indifferent look on his face, as if Holy Fire Order Plate was just an ordinary piece of metal. His answer was also incredibly strange.

Fortunately, the Holy Fire Order messenger was about the same as him in terms of his weird accent. His moustache at the side of his face curled up and quivered when he smiled.

“My friend, what is your name?”

While they were watching the fight by the side, they had noticed that even though this person’s qi realm was low, his sword technique was extraordinary. They did not dare look down on him.

The young swordsman had his hands behind his back. He smiled faintly and said two words calmly, “One Emperor.”