Chapter 107: As Vast as the World May Be, It Is Not as Vast as the Piece of Wit You Lack

Chapter 107: The Vastness of the World Is No Match for the Piece of Mind You’re Missing

"Should I just tell Yan Shisan that Xie Xiaofeng is faking his death?"

Zheng Jian was caught in a dilemma. Perhaps, as Yan Shisan had implied, deep down, Zheng Jian still felt a tremor of fear toward him. However, what Zheng Jian feared was not the Thirteen Swords of Death, nor the fourteenth, but the fifteenth sword. He had every reason to be afraid; even Xie Xiaofeng, the God of Swords, could do nothing but close his eyes and await death when faced with the fifteenth sword. It was a technique that arguably should not exist.

In the original story, it wasn't until ten years after his duel with Yan Shisan—when Xie Xiaofeng had grown old and was challenged by Ding Peng of the Crescent Moon Blade—that Xie, having lived in seclusion at the Hidden Sword Cottage, finally shattered the shadow of Yan Shisan’s fifteenth sword and truly ascended to the rank of Sword God. The current Xie Xiaofeng was a monarch among swordsmen, but not yet a god.

As for Yan Shisan, he was a demon among swordsmen, and the fifteenth sword was a poisonous dragon that even he could not control. Zheng Jian estimated that his current strength was, at best, on par with Yan Shisan’s first fourteen swords. Blocking the fifteenth was still beyond his reach. Yet, deep down, he harbored a profound desire to cross blades with Yan Shisan. It was a contradictory state of mind—fearing the fifteenth sword while simultaneously yearning to witness it.

Ultimately, Zheng Jian suppressed the urge to fight him for now. The reason was simple: he believed that at this stage, Yan Shisan was slightly stronger than Xie Xiaofeng. Xie Xiaofeng could block the fourteenth sword, which was his current limit, but Yan Shisan, when pushed to his edge, was capable of unleashing the fifteenth. Zheng Jian knew the fifteenth sword was an invincible technique, but he wanted to challenge his own limits. If he could use Yan Shisan’s fifteenth sword to ignite his own potential, that would be his ultimate achievement.

Therefore, his plan was to face Xie Xiaofeng first. If he could win, it would mean he was worthy of witnessing Yan Shisan’s masterpiece. A duel between masters of the sword at the Xiantian realm relied not on moves or internal energy, but on the state of one's mind. The battle with Xie Xiaofeng would be a process of sharpening his own spirit. Meanwhile, he also wanted to trade for the "Undying Seal of Dharma"; with that miraculous technique, his confidence in facing Yan Shisan would be significantly higher.

"Master Yan, as you said, I am still lacking a little bit. So, could we fight once I have made up for that deficiency?" Zheng Jian said solemnly, resisting the urge to harvest more "wool" from him.

Yan Shisan thought for a moment, nodded, and without another word, left with his pearl-encrusted sword in one hand and a jug of wine in the other, disappearing into the night with an air of nonchalance. Once he was gone, the tavern finally fell silent.

***

Xue Keran had already fallen asleep, and Zheng Jian, having no desire for rest, retreated to his room to meditate.

Over the next few days, Zheng Jian continued to tease Xue Keran from time to time to harvest a bit of resentment. Even a little bit was still something. However, constantly picking on her wasn't a long-term solution; the "Undying Seal of Dharma" was far too expensive, and the efficiency was too low. He needed a high-value client!

Yan Shisan would have been a perfect candidate, but the man was so shrouded in gloom that Zheng Jian couldn't provoke a reaction out of him, no matter what he tried. After all, with Xie Xiaofeng "dead," what else could possibly stir Yan Shisan’s heart?

Zheng Jian sat outside the tavern, sipping wine in idle boredom. "Who should I target for a harvest of resentment?" he mused.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Here we go!"

Walking down the end of the long street was a man in flamboyant, expensive robes. His face was livid, a long sword slung across his back, his eyes sharp as blades. Zheng Jian recognized him instantly: it was Gao Tong, the "Heart-Piercing Sword."

Come to think of it, he owed his acquisition of this abandoned tavern to Gao Tong. The day the previous owner, that old man, had tried to assassinate Gao Tong, he had been killed in retaliation. Gao Tong had recognized the forces behind the old man and fled, leaving the tavern unclaimed. Zheng Jian had simply moved in, and no one had come to bother him since. He realized that the assassins, likely sent by the "Heavenly Venerable," had been too terrified by his display of catching a sword with two fingers to ever return.

Gao Tong strode up to Zheng Jian, his tiger-like eyes fixed on him. "I have seen you before!"

Zheng Jian pondered for a moment and replied, "Your eyes... they tend to look down on people, don't they?"

Gao Tong paused, confused, but a second later, the meaning dawned on him. He had been insulted as a dog!

*Resentment from Gao Tong +999.*

Gao Tong exploded. "You brat, what did you say?"

Zheng Jian didn't even look up. "Oh, sorry. I was speaking human language. It’s normal that you don't understand."

Gao Tong: "..." He was still calling him a dog!

*Resentment from Gao Tong +999.*

Zheng Jian remained calm, though he was laughing internally. As expected, arrogant types were the best clients.

"Very well, you have successfully infuriated me!" Gao Tong growled. "I am Gao Tong, the Heart-Piercing Sword."

Zheng Jian chuckled. "Tsk, tsk. You’re so young, yet you rely on that face to scare people. My friend, the vastness of the world is truly no match for the piece of mind you're missing. You really should call yourself the 'Heart-Missing Sword' instead."

"Pfft..." A bell-like laugh erupted from behind Zheng Jian—it was Xue Keran.

*Resentment from Gao Tong +1999.*

The insult was too sharp. Gao Tong’s livid face turned completely black, and the sound of Xue Keran’s laughter pushed his resentment to the maximum.

"Where is your sword?" Gao Tong hissed with killing intent. "I've heard you've made a name for yourself lately! If I kill you, I’ll become famous instantly." He didn't want to waste time; the boy’s tongue was too venomous. He feared that if he kept talking, he’d die of anger before the fight even began.

"Why use a precious sword to slaughter a dog?" Zheng Jian sneered. Gao Tong really was missing a piece of his brain. He hadn't wanted to kill anyone, only to harvest some resentment, but this guy had insisted on sticking his neck out.

Gao Tong felt blood rushing to his head.

*Resentment from Gao Tong +1999.*

With a flash of light, Gao Tong’s sword was unsheathed, striking directly at Zheng Jian’s heart with lightning speed. He had pierced countless hearts with this move, but the next second, he found he couldn't move forward. The tip of his blade was clamped firmly between Zheng Jian’s two fingers.