Chapter 59: Chapter 44 The Bottom of the Valley

Lin Fang was suddenly startled and hastily retreated as the Sword Qi swept past him, cutting a large tree into two halves.

Looking at the tree that had been split open, Lin Fang felt his own arm, reckoning that if that strike had hit him, he would have been injured by now.

"What on earth are you trying to do?" Lin Fang asked somewhat angrily.

"Pick up your sword and fight me properly," White Ape said coldly.

"Why should I!"

However, White Ape paid no attention to Lin Fang’s words, rushing forward with his Treasured Sword. Lin Fang had no choice but to strike back with his sword. The swords of both clang continuously in the air, their crisp sounds echoing through the woods.

During the exchange, Lin Fang soon realized that the White Ape’s swordsmanship was indeed exquisite but his Mana was rather weak and his physique clearly lacked any training.

Therefore, Lin Fang, curious and relying on his robust Mana and strong physique, deliberately suppressed his strength to genuinely test White Ape’s swordsmanship.

It soon became clear the difference between them. Lin Fang’s swordsmanship, unguided by anyone and based solely on memories from his past life, was chaotic. In contrast, every move of White Ape’s swordsmanship was masterfully precise, using energy efficiently.

Soon, Lin Fang found himself at a disadvantage, but he wasn’t afraid, rather, he became more excited. Under this pressure, his swordsmanship gradually took shape, shedding the shadow of a beginner.

As their swords crossed again, a faint white mark appeared on Lin Fang’s body, while White Ape remained unharmed.

"Such impressive swordsmanship!" Lin Fang sighed to himself.

Yet White Ape’s expression remained cold, his gaze fixated on nothing but his sword, embodying a peerless swordsman at that moment.

With a swing of his sword, Sword Qi followed. Seemingly stimulated by Lin Fang, White Ape’s swordsmanship improved further, sending a fierce Sword Qi directly towards Lin Fang’s face, which even made Lin Fang feel threatened.

By this point, Lin Fang no longer held back. His Mana surged, and with a loud shout, he moved as fast as lightning towards White Ape, raising his sword to strike.

White Ape waved his hand, and terrifying Sword Qi met Lin Fang’s Treasured Sword. With a crisp sound, the Treasured Sword that Lin Fang had stolen from Ling Xuzi’s treasury finally succumbed to the burden, saying goodbye to its lifespan, and broke into two pieces.

Lin Fang threw away the remnants of his Treasured Sword, feeling no regret, since he truly wasn’t a swordsman; the sword was just an ordinary weapon to him. He didn’t possess an obsession for swords; he only carried one because it looked rather handsome.

Seeing Lin Fang discard his Treasured Sword, a flicker of anger passed through White Ape’s eyes. His Treasured Sword tore through the void, carrying fierce Sword Qi. Lin Fang, however, merely smiled, Mana surging around him, manifesting a barrier out of thin air, blocking the intense Sword Qi. Then he punched, striking White Ape in the chest.

The tremendous force sent White Ape flying backward, breaking several large trees that normally required four people to encircle before he finally stopped.

White Ape spat out blood, looking at Lin Fang with an incredulous expression. He seemed bewildered as he looked at his Treasured Sword, then raised it towards his own neck to stab himself.

Lin Fang was shocked by this, finding White Ape’s behavior bizarre. To choose death upon defeat was too extreme. He quickly shot a Gravel, knocking the Treasured Sword out of White Ape’s hand.

He asked in surprise, "Why resort to suicide?"

"Failure is a swordsman’s disgrace!" White Ape gently said.

"Nonsense, failure is the mother of success," Lin Fang retorted.

White Ape lifted his head to look at Lin Fang, eyes filled with disbelief, as if what this guy said somehow made some sense.

"A fine swordsman grows gradually through constant failures, faces danger without fear, and encounters failure without despair. You, who cannot even face failure bravely, can only be considered a coward," Lin Fang said disdainfully.

These words sparked an indescribable look in White Ape’s eyes, as if he had found a new direction to move forward.

Struggling to rise, he respectfully bowed to Lin Fang. "Thank you, sir, for solving my confusion!"

"No need for thanks; I see your swordsmanship is exceptionally exquisite, a rarity among monsters," Lin Fang sighed.

White Ape, however, sighed gently and said to Lin Fang, "Follow me."

Lin Fang followed behind White Ape, who nimbly navigated through the dense forest. Before long, they reached the top of a cliff. White Ape looked back at Lin Fang and then jumped off the precipice.

Lin Fang was shocked by the sight. With White Ape’s current strength, such a height was practically suicidal. On closer inspection, he noticed that the cliff was covered in thick vines acting as a lifeline which White Ape clung to, occasionally looking back, seemingly signaling Lin Fang to follow.

At that moment, Lin Fang leapt down without grabbing onto the vines, heading straight for the cliff’s base. White Ape, with eyes wide opened, hurriedly chased after him.

But just as Lin Fang was nearing the bottom, a cloud of mist appeared beneath him, cushioning his fall gently towards the ground.

At the base, Lin Fang discovered a hidden sanctuary, a quaint thatched cottage right before his eyes, seemingly inhabited.

Soon, White Ape joined Lin Fang, looking at the spot with a sorrowful expression. He pointed softly at the thatched cottage and said, "This is where I learned my swordsmanship."

Lin Fang entered the hut, which was quite spartan, with wooden stools and a table apparently made by a novice—very rough with a thick layer of dust indicating it had not been inhabited for a long time.

"Where is the owner?"

White Ape led Lin Fang behind the house, where they saw a solitary grave with a tombstone standing over it.

Reading the inscription on the tombstone, Lin Fang learned that the occupant was named Ancient Sword One, once the top swordsman of Chechi Kingdom. Obsessed with swordsmanship, he had been unbeatable against many Martial Forest masters throughout the kingdom.

In his old age, due to martial world conflicts, he fell into despair after losing his family, retreated here to live in seclusion, spending his days with White Ape as his companion for the rest of his life. After his death, he entrusted White Ape to bury his body and sword manual, waiting for someone destined, with the only request being to find and take care of his estranged child.

Seeing this, Lin Fang sighed lightly. Glamorous lives often face harsh endings; the once spirited swordsman couldn’t escape the passage of time, ending up buried alone in this valley. If not for White Ape, there may not have even been anyone to retrieve the body.

"Are you suggesting that I inherit this sword manual?" Lin Fang asked, surprised.