Return Of The Sword God

002

Zilong directly rose to stand. His body which earlier was crushed now felt as light as cotton, yet as dense as steel. While clenching his hand, he felt the flow of the ancient purple Qi surging violently inside his new meridian paths which were far sturdier. Without wasting time, he took steps leaving the ancient altar.

"Now... I only need to search for a way out..."

One hour later...

In only a short time, Zilong succeeded in finding an ancient gap sloping up to the surface, cutting the forest route and directly pointing toward the outer border of the Qing clan territory.

His hemp cloth clothes were still tattered and stained with dry blood, yet his line of sight, sharp as a sword tip, was capable of hiding his physical condition.

He walked sturdily toward the residence center. However, his step slowed down when drawing close to the clan's Main Hall.

'Something is not right...' Zilong's inner mind thought, his eyebrows interlocking.

Usually, at an hour like this, the Main Hall was only filled by several elders looking after logistics or the clan's daily reports. Yet today, the atmosphere around the hall felt so gripping.

Zilong then narrowed his eyes. From a distance of dozens of meters, he could see the hall yard filled by horse-riding guards and dozens of young disciples from another clan wearing luxury cloaks embroidered with golden thread.

That was the emblem of the Shi Clan.

Zilong froze for a moment, staring at the Shi Clan emblem carved on the cloaks of the outer guards. A flash of memory directly crossed in his mind. The Shi Clan was an ally clan that since long ago possessed a highly close relationship with the Qing Clan. In fact, so close was that relationship, Zilong had been matchmade since childhood with their genius daughter.

Without even a slight hesitation, Zilong took steps out from the shadow of the pillars. His tattered hemp clothes covered in dry blood fluttered blown by the afternoon wind. With steps that were calm yet weighty, he walked passing the line of Shi Clan guards who stared at him with looks of disgust and confusion, then directly pushed the grand door of the Main Hall.

BANG!

The thudding of the door opening wide instantly cut all conversation inside the hall. Dozens of pairs of eyes directly pointed toward the entrance direction.

"Zilong?!"

A voice full of hoarseness and surprise escaped from the mouth of Qing Tian, the Leader of the Qing Clan as well as Zilong's father. The middle-aged man rose from his main chair with a mixed face, between relieved seeing his son still alive, yet also anxious because Zilong returned at the most inappropriate time.

On the other side of the hall, sat the party from the Shi Clan led by an elder with a tight face. Precisely next to that elder, stood a young girl in light blue silk clothes who was highly captivating. Her face was beautiful like a jade carving, yet her flash of eyes was excessively cold and arrogant. She was Shi Nian, Zilong's fiancée since childhood.

As soon as Shi Nian saw Zilong's figure which was messy, tattered, and filled with blood stains, a meremehkan smile directly was carved on her thin lips. The girl took steps forward twice, staring at Zilong from top to bottom with a view as if looking at an insect.

"Hah, excessively timely you arrive, Qing Zilong," said Shi Nian, her voice sounding loud yet laden with a piercing mockery.

"Look at yourself. I newly discussed with your father to conclude our matchmaking joke, and you arrive with an appearance that is even worse than a street beggar. From where have you been? Begging in the forest until being beaten by wild beasts?"

A minor laugh with a mocking tone was heard from the guards and Shi Clan elders present inside the hall.

Shi Nian folded both of her arms over her chest, then continued with a tone growing increasingly rising, "Qing Zilong, realize your place. Three years ago when you were still the 'number one genius', I might still have considered this matchmaking as an honor. But now? You are only a disabled piece of trash with ruined meridians who cannot even flow one single drop of Qi!"

"Whereas I? Next month I will officially become a core disciple at the Sky Sword Sect. You and I are already inside two different worlds. Becoming my husband? Let alone dreaming, bringing your name aligned with my name alone is the grandest insult for the Shi Clan!" sneered Shi Nian, concluding her sentence with a highly demeaning look.

The Main Hall suddenly fell silent. The Qing Clan elders clenched their fists, feeling insulted yet helpless because their clan's position indeed was currently sliding down. Zilong's father appeared to close his eyes, withholding a storm of emotion in his chest.

"Ooh so you came only to cancel that matchmaking?" Zilong's voice broke the gripping silence.

The tone of his speaking was so calm, even excessively calm for someone who had newly been rained upon by brutal insults. There was no anger, there were no tears of fear, and there was no despair that they expected.

Zilong took steps forward. Every tap of his footstep on top of the hall's porcelain floor radiated a subtle invisible pressure.

He walked passing Shi Nian just like that, as if that genius girl were only a passing gust of wind. Zilong's destination directly pointed to the sandalwood table in the middle of the hall, the place a red silk cloth scroll, the official marriage agreement document of both clans, lay open grandly.

"Zilong, what do you want to perform?!" The Shi Clan Elder snapped, feeling ignored.

Zilong did not answer. With a casual movement, he extended his hand which was still stained with dry blood, took that silk scroll, then turned facing Shi Nian.

RIPPP!

Without hesitation, without a burden, both of Zilong's hands moved in opposite directions. The sacred document binding their fates since childhood ripped into two parts in front of Shi Nian's very eyes. Its red silk fibers released, hovering falling to the floor like fallen flower petals.

The entire crowd inside the hall gasped. Shi Nian widened her eyes, her beautiful face instantly turning crimson withholding shock and anger.

"You... how dare you, disabled trash!"

"Do not misunderstand, Shi Nian," cut Zilong coldly. He threw that cloth piece down beneath the girl's feet. Zilong's pair of eyes which earlier were dim now flashed deep purple for a split second, radiating a sharp aura making Shi Nian gasp backward one step reflexively.

"Not that you will cancel this matchmaking. But I, Qing Zilong, am the one dumping you."

Zilong straightened his body, staring straight into Shi Nian's pupils with a look far more arrogant than what that girl could perform.

"You are correct, we indeed are inside two different worlds. You are proud becoming a core disciple of the Sky Sword Sect? To you that is the peak of the sky, but to my line of sight, that place is no more than a small mound of soil. Becoming your husband? Heh..." Zilong chuckled cynically, a laugh laden with the ancient authority of the Sword God.

"Precisely you are the one unfit to align with me. Let alone becoming my wife, even to become my sword-washing servant in the future, that talent and bad character of yours do not at all fulfill the requirements!"