Volume Two: The Weapon Manual Chapter 110: The Light-Splitting Shadowless Sword

“Little Baozi, could you bring out the Treasure Basin for a moment? Is it really true, as you say, that it can turn anything into something valuable?” Bored, Meng Qiaoqiao asked Shangguan Baozi for the weapon manual. She carefully examined the weapon list page by page.

She noticed that many weapons only appeared as vague silhouettes without concrete illustrations. These were either ancient beyond memory, or the artists of the Weapon Tomb didn’t know their true appearance, so they used shadows instead.

The weapon manual itself was a magical artifact that could sense the weapons drawn within a certain range. Now that the Treasure Basin was in their possession, other Spirit Restraint Masters could locate it through the same manual.

Along the way, Mashan ran back and forth, constantly alert for any signs of danger in their surroundings. At the slightest hint of trouble, he would immediately shake the iron ring on his arm as a warning.

Li Jue had even set up a golden light formation both inside and outside the carriage. Unless he personally deactivated it, Shangguan Baozi wouldn’t be able to step down.

“No way! They won’t even let me go out and play. The carriage stopped several times, and I saw my big brother’s snacks change multiple times!” Shangguan Baozi was quite upset.

“You have to protect the Treasure Basin. Once we reach the Weapon Tomb, you can go out and play. Otherwise, if someone finds out, it will cause trouble,” Meng Qiaoqiao said with a smile.

Shangguan Baozi pouted in displeasure, replying, “I’m a Spirit Restraint Master too. Besides, how often do we encounter Mountain Deer level opponents? In the Weapon Tomb, only Ghost Foxes are common! Just let me go down and play for a little while, please?”

When the carriage stopped again, Shangguan Baozi stubbornly refused to stay inside. She handed the Treasure Basin to Meng Qiaoqiao and jumped out. “Big brother! Where are we? I want something to eat!”

Looking around, they saw no sign of any rest stop or inn. Two horses stood at a fork in the road. Shangguan Baozi ran ahead and spotted a young man crouched on the ground, molding mud into a wall that stretched across the path.

Liu Xiaoyi was puzzled. This was a desolate mountain wilderness—why would anyone block the road? Judging by the youth’s appearance, he wasn’t crazy but acting deliberately.

“Brother, why do you block the way? I thought this was a public road anyone could travel,” Liu Xiaoyi said, dismounting and asking over the mud wall.

The mud wall reached only waist height. When Liu Xiaoyi got close enough to peer face to face, he noticed the young man had a sword strapped to his back—a swordsman.

“It’s not me blocking you, but this wall. There’s danger beyond it. The wall protects you. Turn back and take another path,” the swordsman replied.

Before arriving here, they had another road to choose from. Liu Xiaoyi frowned, “Brother, won’t you give us an explanation? I’m afraid this path is the only way forward.”

“This blockage makes no sense. Who do you think you are? My big brother’s going through, and you can’t stop him!” Shangguan Baozi shouted, shaking her little fists. She punched the mud wall fiercely and secretly activated her earth escape technique. Yet, she couldn’t break the wall.

Instead, the wall’s rebound force flung her far back. “Big brother, something’s off — that’s not ordinary mud!” she exclaimed.

Liu Xiaoyi drew his Green Radiance Sword. “Brother, let me give this mud wall a try.”

A waning crescent moon of energy spread from the blade and landed precisely on the mud wall. Liu Xiaoyi’s palm tingled, nearly causing him to lose grip. He staggered back three steps, his foot sinking into the earth.

“Good sword, good swordsmanship. You are still young. When you reach my age, you’ll have honed your skills well,” the swordsman said, then suddenly turned his back to them, gripping his sword’s hilt.

“Swift!” he shouted. Nine shadowy figures burst forth, scattering in different directions. Only Liu Xiaoyi could barely catch the instant of the sword strike. From the dense branches of distant trees, nine bodies suddenly fell.

Among them were three Mountain Deer and six Ghost Foxes, each struck with a fatal wound across their chests, lifeless.

Shangguan Baozi watched intently—those were Mountain Deer level Spirit Restraint Masters. This swordsman had easily defeated nine opponents at once. When the nine bodies hit the ground, he turned back as if never having left his spot.

“Are you still going forward? Both forks are ambushed. The wall can’t be broken. Proceeding means certain death.”

“Sir, may I ask your name? I, Liu Xiaoyi, will repay you someday!” Liu Xiaoyi quickly lowered his stance. The swordsman had saved their lives. Otherwise, passing through those two routes would have meant an ambush.

One Mountain Deer level adversary could be handled, but so many? There was no chance of escape once surrounded.

“I have no name, no surname. Just a mountain village man. If fate allows, we shall meet again,” the young swordsman gestured politely and continued molding the mud wall—this time facing the fork behind him.

After they bowed again and turned back, they were even more cautious, choosing longer detours and avoiding the shortcuts.

After seeing them off, the swordsman removed a mask hanging at his waist. Compared with those of the Ghost Foxes and Mountain Deer, this mask was stranger still—a grotesque unicorn horned face.

Soon, more than a dozen Spirit Restraint Masters arrived. The leader frowned at the grim scene and asked, “Sir, what is the meaning of this? The Shadow-Splitting Sword technique is yours alone in the world. You can’t deny it.”

“Killing a few troublemakers is no crime. Not pursuing their master’s responsibility is already merciful!” The Unicorn Swordsman snorted coldly. “I’m watching over that young lady. Go back and tell Jasmine this old bone can still fight a few days more!”

“Then you’d better prepare to face Lady Jasmine’s wrath. I wonder if your body is still strong enough! Let’s go!”

The Unicorn Swordsman sighed deeply as they left. “Master of the Weapon Tomb, what are you thinking? Entrusting such a heavy duty to an inexperienced girl—what if she fails? What then?”

Within the Weapon Tomb, factions were complex and far from united. After the carriage traveled some distance, Shangguan Baozi suddenly shouted excitedly, “I think I know who he is! He’s a Unicorn!”

“What unicorn?” Liu Xiaoyi asked from the carriage window, still pondering the sword technique that had slain nine men—far superior to his own.

“It’s a rank among the Weapon Tomb Spirit Restraint Masters. Ghost Fox scouts are the most numerous. Above them are the Mountain Deer, the main fighters. Then the Hair Bear, who manage daily affairs in each region. I didn’t dare to imagine just now, but that sword technique is known to only one man in the world!” Shangguan Baozi exclaimed excitedly, struggling to speak clearly. “There are only five Unicorn level Spirit Restraint Masters, and one of them wields the Shadow-Splitting Sword!”