The Reticent Blade-Chapter 83 - Black Umbrella Ah San

Not too far away from the awkward dinner Ye Beizhi and Chi Nanwei were trapped in, Impending Sword and Alluring Elegy were facing a different sort of crisis.

On a road just tens of miles from the capital, a man blocked the path of Baili Gucheng and Yang Lu.

"I am called Ah San. My surname is Ah, my given name is San."

"Ah San? Why are you in the way?" Baili Gucheng asked coldly, looking at the man ahead.

The man, dressed in a full-body black suit and carrying a giant black umbrella, looked like a specter emerging from the night.

The umbrella was particularly striking. Its entire surface rippled with dark light, and the edge was studded with razor-sharp blades.

Baili Gucheng scrutinized this man named Ah San more closely, his expression growing grave. That man was dangerous.

He had yet to notice that Alluring Elegy had turned pale behind him; her eyes showing a mix of fear and anger.

Whoosh— Ah San opened the black umbrella and rested it on his shoulder.

"If you are headed to the capital"—Ah San twirled the black umbrella in his hand—"then you should just turn back."

"How arrogant," Baili Gucheng said, gripping the hilt of his sword, "In this world, there is nobody who can stop me from going where I wish."

"Hahaha!" Ah San burst into laughter, as if he had heard the funniest thing in the world. "Oh Impending Sword, whether I can stop you, just ask the person behind you."

"Hmm?" Baili Gucheng was puzzled and was about to turn to look at Yang Lu when suddenly a furious shout came from behind.

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"You filthy animal!"

A graceful figure shot out swiftly from behind him with a furious shout!

Alluring Elegy, held an umbrella in one hand and thrust it straight at Ah San's chest. Ah San's eyes flashed sharply, and he swiftly extended his hand, adjusting his black umbrella to meet hers!

Ping!

The sharp tip of Yang Lu’s umbrella was blocked by the surface of the black umbrella. Unable to pierce through, it produced an ear-piercing screech.

Ah San’s eyes grew even more fervent, and he laughed crazily, "Haha! My little Junior Sister! Long time no see... You still haven't improved! Stop embarrassing yourself... and get lost!"

Ah San gripped the umbrella handle with both hands, angling the black umbrella downward to deflect the force of Yang Lu’s thrust. He instantly closed it to transform into a staff, striking heavily upward!

Boom!

Yang Lu was struck across the face and her entire body flying backward like a kite with a broken string.

Thud—

Alluring Elegy landed on the ground by Impending Sword’s feet.

This exchange happened in an instant. Before Baili Gucheng could offer any help, Yang Lu had already been sent flying back.

"Brat! Don’t be so arrogant!" Baili Gucheng’s sword-like eyebrows furrowed deeply. Enraged, he reached for his waist to draw his sword!

"Don’t!" A delicate hand suddenly pressed on Baili Gucheng’s hand as he was about to draw his sword. Yang Lu grabbed onto him for support as she stood back up. "Cough cough... Don’t fight—"

"Why are you stopping me?!" Baili Gucheng glared at Yang Lu.

Yang Lu stared right back at the furious man. "I won’t allow you to fight... your injuries aren’t healed yet!" Her firm tone left no room for argument.

Baili Gucheng narrowed his eyes. "I know my own injuries. I can kill him with a flick of my wrist, so don’t stop me!"

"I won't let you do it!" Yang Lu firmly held down the man’s sword, her eyes showing a hint of pleading. "We’ve nearly reached the capital. Using internal energy now will only worsen your injuries. I won’t allow it...

"Besides, besides—"

"Besides what?!" Baili Gucheng stared at his companion's blanched face.

Yang Lu’s gaze faltered slightly. "Besides... you can’t beat him..."

"What?!" If Baili Gucheng had a semblance of calm before, he was now truly enraged. "Are you underestimating me?!"

"N-No... it’s not like that." Yang Lu shook her head, looking towards the man with a mirthless smile. "He is the filthy animal who killed my master... my Third Senior Brother, Ah San."

Baili Gucheng was stunned. "It’s him?"

"That's right." Ah San chuckled indifferently. "I am Ah San, the man who killed his own master."

Yang Lu gritted her teeth, looking at the sneering Ah San, and continued, "He and I are from the same master, and both practice the Wind Controlling Techniques, but his skills are superior to mine..."

"That’s right." Ah San planted his umbrella on the ground, and taunted Baili Gucheng, "So if you wish to fight me, all you are doing is seeking your own death. Moreover, what Little Junior Sister has not told you is that her skill is the gentle Spring Zephyr Art, which is a technique for saving people..."

Ah San licked his lips, and narrowed his eyes at Baili Gucheng. "And I... have learned the merciless Winter Gale Art... an art exclusively made for fighting and killing..."

Ah San thought Baili Gucheng would balk upon hearing this, but Baili Gucheng merely sneered and shook his head. "Heh... Spring Zephyr? Winter Gale? So what. A fight is never decided by words alone!"

Fearing a turn for the worse, Alluring Elegy Yang Lu’s cried out, "You can't—"

Clang!

His sword sounded like a dragon's roar and a vortex of sword qi exploded from around Baili Gucheng’s body!

"We can only know after we fight!"

Baili Gucheng pointed his sword at Ah San, and several bursts of tyrannical sword qi shot toward the man blocking his way!

Ah San's face darkened as he muttered, "What a reckless fool."

He opened the giant black umbrella with a whoosh and swung it, causing the incoming sword qi to vanish into nothingness.

"I have long heard of the famous Concealed Sword Art." Ah San bared his teeth, his eyes filled with fervor. "I have long wanted to experience it for myself!"

The sword qi swirled rapidly around Baili Gucheng, howling.

His white hair fluttering wildly in the wind, Baili Gucheng coldly looked at the man in black and swung his sheathed sword. "Well said! Today, you can die in peace!"

Baili Gucheng pulled his sword flat against his chest.

As the sword intent reached its peak, the sword qi around him suddenly erupted, rushing forward with the force of wind and thunder toward the man in black!

"Good one!" Ah San roared. He faced the sword qi with his black umbrella, which began to spin rapidly!

The sword qi struck the umbrella, making a series of muffled sounds, but had no effect.

Ah San’s figure emerged from behind the umbrella, his tone dripping with derision. "Your sword qi might be a great threat to others, but to me—Hmm?!" As Ah San peered out, his face changed color instantly.

Baili Gucheng was nowhere in sight!

"Heh..." A soft laugh came from behind the black umbrella.

Ah San’s heart suddenly filled with alarm!

Whoosh!

A sheathed sword shot out swiftly from under the black umbrella, cutting through the air, and struck Ah San’s jaw! Bashed by the iron sheath, Ah San was sent airborne.

"What?!" Ah San was even more horrified by the pain, struggling to look down, just in time to see Baili Gucheng leaping up from the ground, rapidly closing in!

Baili Gucheng gave him no chance, leaping from the ground and rising above Ah San, brandishing his sword behind him, ready to strike! He was using his sword like a staff!

Baili Gucheng’s iron sword had already swung out with great force before Ah San could reorient himself to react!

Boom!

Ah San was clobbered in the face again. The heavy blow sent him crashing back to the ground.

"Die you filthy animal!"

Leaping through the air, Baili Gucheng’s eyes were wide with rage. He held his sword by the hilt and pointed the tip straight down. He was preparing to execute a thousand-pound drop to skewer Ah San directly to the ground!

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal reverberated for a long time.

As the dust settled, Baili Gucheng knelt with one knee on the black umbrella, still holding his sword in a thousand-pound drop position. The iron sword sheath was pressed against the umbrella, but was unable to penetrate further.

Ah San also knelt on one knee. One hand was braced against the ground and the other held his black umbrella to his shoulder. There were traces of blood at the corner of his mouth. He chuckled dryly, keeping his head down.

"Cough cough... It's true that no Nihil-ranker is ever an easy target."

Ah San’s hand gripping the umbrella handle trembled slightly.

"Hehe... Impending Sword, it seems that you forcibly used your internal energy. You are already on your last legs, so you will surely die if we continue. Once your injuries have healed, I will come to fight you again."

"Ugh, pfft..." As Ah San finished speaking, Baili Gucheng spat out a mouthful of blood onto the black umbrella, his body going slack and falling into the dust.

Ah San closed the umbrella and stood steadily, ignoring the anxious Yang Lu rushing toward them. He looked down at Baili Gucheng, who lay on the ground. The silver-haired man's face was pale but his eyes were still staring coldly at Ah San.

Ah San frowned slightly. So softly that only Baili Gucheng could hear him, he whispered, "Trying to kill the Prime Minister with just the two of you; all you are doing is seeking death. Take care of yourselves..." Ah San turned and said in an almost inaudible voice, "You... take care of her."

Ah San looked back at Yang Lu not far away, his lips rearranging themselves into a cold sneer again.

"Little Junior Sister, I won't be so easy to talk to next time... We will meet again."

Having said all he needed, Ah San opened the black umbrella, shrouding himself in shadows. With a few nimble movements, he vanished at the end of the road.