Peace Order-Chapter 1650 - 43: United in Brotherhood

With light and leisurely steps, he returned to the office.

Today, Wen He is not in the residence.

Refreshing!

...

Murong Qiushui sighed and said, "Gone again, having just returned for less than half a year, now leaving again, really..."

Murong Longtu was practicing his swordsmanship.

The old man, for the first three years, although alive, was merely living an ordinary life, unable to easily engage in martial prowess. Usually, he just went fishing, played chess, and played the zither, calling it cultivating the body and nurturing the mind, living a life he never had before.

However, after successfully repairing the Life Extending Gu a year ago, he no longer touched the zither upon returning, only calmly holding the sword, even as a Sword Master, he merely practiced swordsmanship.

Freely wielding.

Such days are most suited for him.

Every day, he discusses martial arts with the sword, tastes tea, and discusses the Tao in leisure, never opening his eyes to look at the nobility. In the days of free wanderings across the world, having family by his side, a sword in hand, companions during debates, and opponents during sword fights, enjoying to the fullest, this year was much more satisfying than the past three years.

Upon hearing Murong Qiushui’s gentle complaint, he merely smiled and said, "Guan Yi has his own path to walk, and moreover, as he said, only when the world is at peace can there truly be long-lasting peaceful days together."

"In peaceful times, prepare for potential danger."

"If one is confined to a corner, even with ten or twenty years of stability, in the long run, it will ultimately fall into others’ hands."

Murong Qiushui propped his chin, picking up a chess piece with his hand.

Casually tapping the chess piece, what landed was spring flowers.

Sword Madman Murong Longtu, caressing his long sword, pinching the sword tip, tapping with his finger, heard the low hum of the sword: "That youngster, yet let the old man stay in Jiangnan."

The Sword Madman and General Xue, stationed in Jiangnan.

One has supreme battle intent, while the other possesses the means of strategizing, piercing through tactics, and coordinating with city defenses. Even if Jiang Su returns, they can still hold on for a while, belonging to a steadily advancing strategy.

Murong Longtu raised his sword, looking at his own eyes reflected on the sword blade.

Nowadays every day is wielding the sword beyond the limit of his lifespan, every day moving forward without any concerns after the natural end of his lifespan. Thus, he feels an inexplicable and exhilarating satisfaction; his life’s span has ended, every remaining day is without concern.

Just wield the sword.

During the time when the Sword Madman’s natural lifespan was ending, the reclusive and seclusive Martial Arts Legend Taoist Sect came to Jiangnan to pay respects but saw the lively, freely wielding sword, able to engage in fierce battles with the Ancient Red Dragon, Sword Madman Murong Longtu, which startled the Taoist Sect.

General Xue, with sharp eyes, noticed the Taoist Sect’s eyebrows raised in that moment.

The Taoist Sect knew why the Sword Madman broke temptations, silently astonished for a long time—because using the [Imperial Pole Worldly Scripture] to predict, the old man at this moment had already shattered swords and experienced soldier disintegration, yet seeing the Sword Madman like this, he clearly was in some kind of state, stepping past the lifespan limit still in his prime.

So the Taoist Sect asked Murong Longtu, and debated the Tao once with Murong Longtu.

Murong Longtu no longer seemed to be the Sword Madman fixated on the sword, not the one who grasped the sword out of hatred, achieved the path through slaughter, comprehended the ruthless Sword Dao, becoming the Martial Arts Legend, later forgetting passion to gain passion, challenging the world, becoming the Sword God of two-forgetting the Martial World.

Murong Longtu told the Taoist Sect, saying.

He no longer insists on being a swordsman.

Holding a sword is naturally true.

"To have an earth-shattering battle is indeed exhilarating; but to grow old with family in Jiangnan is also satisfying."

"Both are so, what difference does it make?"

The White-haired Taoist Sect gazed at the Murong Longtu before his eyes, even he could no longer see the destiny of Murong Longtu before him, the Sword Madman’s natural lifespan had ended, and now each passing day was considered breaking through fate.

The Sword Madman might still rely on the Life Extending Gu of the witchcraft lineage, living three to five more years.

Perhaps reaching the Life Extending Gu’s limit of seven years.

Or perhaps passing away the next day.

But, he could not see through it.

The Taoist Sect’s tone carried a ripple and fluctuation: "With hatred you grasped the sword, with slaughter you became a grandmaster, forgetting feelings to regain emotions, becoming a Martial Arts Legend, now, have you progressed further, have you attained the Tao?"

"Sword God."

Murong Longtu looked at the Taoist Sect.

The Taoist Sect saw a trace of pity in Murong Longtu’s eyes.

"No."

"What?"

"Being fixated on the Tao, isn’t it also using [Tao] to restrain yourself?"

The Taoist Sect’s expression rippled with change, Murong Longtu lifted a sword, said: "You saw Wang Tong, saw Zu Wenyuan back then, you saw their destinies, gave them opportunity, you did not enter the game yourself, but if you entered, would it have been different?"

"You think you have seen the Tao."

"But when you follow others’ destinies, you yourself have been restrained."

"You think it was your debate with the green-robed Zhang Ziyong that led him astray, but Taoist Sect, you respect the Tao, adhere to the Tao, yet Zhang Ziyong, though extreme in conduct and the first to deserve death, never believed in the Tao in every step he took this life."

"In this step, you are not as good as him."

The Taoist Sect’s expression was complex, silent for a long time, finally just laughing freely, said: "The great Tao is boundless, how can it be summarized by a single one? You jumped out, I went in, you wield a sword, I walk the Tao, who can define, whose is superior or inferior?"

He raised his hand, casually brushed a character on the nearby white paper with his finger.

Beside the two elders, pouring tea, was Stick Monk Thirteen.

This big monk glanced at it, clearly just a finger writing in the air but with clear handwriting, he saw, it was plainly the [Immortal] character of an immortal.

The Taoist Sect sighed with emotion:

"What I saw today, the realm of the Sword Madman, freeing the sword, abandoning madness, surely deserves a word of Immortal."