Eternal Swordmaster Chapter 3 Introduction Part 1

A chill spread across Lin Xin's forehead, his heart pounding fiercely.

Amid the shadows, two figures faced each other, the dark silhouette sneering lightly before striding over to plop down on a nearby chair.

"Did Elder Brother say anything before he died? Actually passing the manual to a novice like you."

Lin Xin's thoughts spun rapidly, quickly grasping what the man meant and identifying the shadowy figure.

The long-vanished Elder Uncle of Red Pine Sect—his master's junior brother, Bo Yunzi. Legend had it he was one of the two grandmasters surviving from the sect's heyday.

"Hehe... So it's Elder Uncle Bo Yunzi?" His heart quivered faintly, yet he compelled himself to stay composed. "If you want the Secret Technique, I'll hand it over. Had you asked straightforwardly, as an Elder Uncle, how could I refuse to present it?"

He knew full well Bo Yunzi was a ruthless killer who struck without hesitation, once injuring the old man in a dispute before swaggering off. Tales spoke of his many brutal deeds across regions, a genuine rogue of the martial world!

How much time had elapsed, only to confront another deadly peril... Lin Xin at last comprehended why ancient folk shunned the wilds... Lacking power for self-defense, dwelling solo in the wilds was pure suicide...

Gulping down saliva, the graver the peril, the more vital his poise. Swiftly, he flung the Secret Technique from his grasp toward Bo Yunzi.

"You're quite direct." Bo Yunzi appeared taken aback by the youth's cowardice, surrendering the sect's prized treasure so readily.

Smack.

With a single hand, he snatched the manual, leafed through it idly, and beneath the dim moonlight, his expression grew ever darker.

Lin Xin dared not twitch, sensing a razor-sharp blade hovering right at his chest, its edge nearly grazing him, where the slightest shift might draw blood.

As Bo Yunzi's face soured further, tension mounted in Lin Xin's heart.

Bo Yunzi possessed a skeletal visage, clad in a black Daoist robe, his lengthy hair knotted in a Daoist style, resembling a true Daoist Master. Yet while scanning the manual, his features contorted more and more.

"Excellent, excellent...!! Truly worthy of Elder Brother, striking at me even from beyond the grave! Magnificent!!" Bo Yunzi's countenance abruptly twisted savagely.

Whoosh!

Abruptly, he shot out a palm strike at lightning speed toward Lin Xin's chest. A revolting, putrid gust roared forth, emitting an eerie wail inside the chamber.

Lin Xin's mind blanked out, yearning to evade yet finding his limbs rigid and immobile.

Am I dying...? This is what death feels like??...!

His thoughts jolted like lightning, nearly halting entirely. He could merely observe the ebony palm nearing his chest ever closer.

Bang!!

Suddenly, a hefty door slab materialized from nowhere, slamming solidly before Lin Xin's chest.

The tremendous palm blast instantly splintered the yellowish-brown door into shards, two of which crashed into Lin Xin's chest with force. A throbbing ache filled his torso, hurling his form backward helplessly.

"Big Senior Brother!!!"

In the moon's glow, a lithe silhouette darted in front of him, silver sword light flashing free from its sheath.

Clang!!

Bo Yunzi's palm clashed heavily against the sword gleam, producing a muffled thud like striking wood.

"Huh? The Return to Origin Technique? So our sect still harbors disciples able to cultivate it?" Bo Yunzi revealed a trace of astonishment and retreated several paces, eyeing the girl positioned before him.

Shielding Lin Xin was An Ying, who had been training in the room. She wore a snug gray sleeping garment, gripping a gleaming longsword level before her.

"If you seek to hurt Big Senior Brother, I'll battle you!" An Ying's complexion paled, be it from the moonlight or otherwise.

Bo Yunzi issued a peculiar chuckle, evidently scornful of her. He eyed Lin Xin, sprawled amid scattered rubble.

"Red Pine Sect has truly decayed..." Shaking his head, his form shot through the shattered wooden door like a nocturnal owl, soundless and vanishing swiftly into the night.

Lin Xin endured a throbbing chest pain but, astonishingly, suffered no severe harm. He clambered up from the floor, observed Bo Yunzi's departure until he melted into the darkness. After lingering moments more, ears straining for any noise around, he finally exhaled deeply in relief.

Oddly, the manual lay abandoned on the ground, untouched.

As he moved to retrieve it, he spotted something amiss with An Ying nearby.

Glancing back, her face was ashen white, a streak of crimson blood trickling from her mouth's edge.

"Junior Sister, what happened to you?!" Lin Xin jolted in alarm, hurrying to steady An Ying, only sensing her frame utterly slack and feverish.

"It's... it's nothing... Just feeling awfully dizzy..." An Ying's eyes began to glaze over, her lips tinting faintly blue.

Thud.

An Ying crumpled to the floor. Lin Xin grew lightheaded too, his strength ebbing, unable to hold her up. Recollection hit of the rancid wind from Bo Yunzi's palm.

"Poison...!"

Terror surged as he realized the toxin's swift onset, mere whiffs in the air inflicting such profound effects.

This cursed world... far too perilous....

Helplessness washed over Lin Xin. Mere days here, yet endless troubles assailed him. Even basic safety eluded grasp.

Right before blacking out fully, he dimly perceived a lanky figure hoisting two bodies through the doorway.

"If Red Pine Sect pins hopes on you lot, it won't even notice its erasure from annals!"

He faintly caught these words ere plunging into total unconsciousness, collapsing atop An Ying with a thud.

*******************

In a haze, Lin Xin roused from stupor.

"I'm not dead?"

Relief flooded his heart; he lay still in his room's floor, An Ying sprawled opposite, drool pooling from her mouth onto the ground, appearing deeply asleep.

"Rise!"

A known voice rang from nearby.

The words sent chills rippling over Lin Xin, propelling him upright, gaze alertly sweeping behind.

Morning rays pierced the wooden window, spotlighting a black-robed Daoist perched on the bed.

This Daoist bore a sharp, narrow-eyed face exuding gloominess. It was none other than last night's assailant, Bo Yunzi!

"Master... Uncle, it was you," Lin Xin steadied his tone, forcing a grin onto his features.

With a thought, he comprehended their survival; evidently, this Daoist uncle had rescued them.

Noting Lin Xin's insight, Bo Yunzi nodded.

"My worthless senior brother dragged our sect to ruin then died at ease, dumping this chaos."

He appraised Lin Xin head to toe.

"You've got some basics, yet zero battle savvy. For rubbish like you to claim eldest senior status... it's absurd..." He sighed in dismay. "Never thought one of the four great sects... would sink so low."

Lin Xin's cheeks flushed crimson under the rebuke, speechless to counter. True, he inherited the original's foundations, but as a modern soul unused to brawls, staying cool without panic was achievement enough.

Yet from Bo Yunzi's speech, he sensed oddity. The man's eyes lacked vigor, skin pallid devoid of hue; injury was plain.

"I'll linger here awhile; fetch me some herbs," Bo Yunzi ordered bluntly. "Don't dream of fleeing. Your Lin Family sits mountain-base; you might bolt, but they can't."

Lin Xin blinked, inwardly sighing with profound relief. This master uncle still held sect ties dear; safety seemed assured.

****************

Fifteen days passed...

Beneath fluffy white clouds, atop Red Pine Mountain's peak in a martial hall's square yard, two youthful disciples drilled fundamental sword thrusts, wielding longswords with care.

A black-robed Daoist lounged under the eaves, nursing tea leisurely, flanked by two attendant-like youths.

Swish!

The courtyard's central girl, in vivid yellow training garb, drew a soft whistle from each longsword lunge.

Her counterpart, though, lacked flair. His strikes scarcely whispered, black training suit marred by dusty boot prints all over.

Lin Xin's wrist ached limply, but Bo Yunzi's presence nearby drove him onward.

Post-assault, Bo Yunzi opted to stay, overseeing their Red Pine Sword Technique drills by day with occasional guidance. Nights saw him cloistered in their master's old quarters, unseen.

Though both honed sword arts together, Lin Xin sensed Bo Yunzi's eyes fixed mostly on nearby An Ying, brimming with clear approval and delight anyone could spot.

When drifting to Lin Xin, impatience flared. Those boot marks on him stemmed thence.

Sigh...

He inwardly griped, at a loss to clarify. His body's base shouldn't yield such gap, yet since that blackout, vision doubled hazily.

Progressing days worsened it lately, stalling his fundamentals' advance.

"The Red Pine Sect, enduring centuries, cannot perish under you," Bo Yunzi stated coolly, fingering his lengthy beard. "I departed long ago over clashing views with senior brother. Returning now to this decay affirms my path's superiority."

He halted briefly, then resumed.

"Our sect boasts two outer arts and one inner method. One's the Red Pine Sword Technique you know; the other, my signature Poisonous Sand Palm."