Chapter 31 - Disappear from the face of the world
Folding Bamboo invites Ping Yifan to a battle.
Ping Yifan accepts the invitation.
Folding Bamboo wins.
Folding Bamboo invites Yu Wuzheng to a battle.
Yu Wuzheng accepts the invitation.
Folding Bamboo wins.
On his way to a different arena, Lin Shu encountered Autumn Dust.
Autumn Dust folded his hands in front of his chest in a salute, and said: “Folding Bamboo Shimei, you are really well hidden.”
Lin Shu: “Shixiong is mistaken.”
Lin Shu’s current voice in this body was crisp, with a little hoarseness, befitting the image of a fairy in white. However, it was foreign to his ears, and he was having some trouble getting used to it.
Autumn Dust said: “Shimei, you have already fought ten battles today. It’s about time you take a rest.”
Lin Shu nodded once: “I will after this one.”
Thrust, swerve, lunge, dodge.
After a few months, the familiar feeling of wielding a sword was gradually returning. Feeling the hard metal of the sword in hand, his wandering spirit finally had a little something to ground on.
The person standing opposite him saluted and said: “You were a worthy opponent.”
Lin Shu nodded slightly and turned to leave, feeling that he gave off the same impression as Xiao Shao yesterday – although that was only because he had nothing to say.
He felt a little embarrassed.
Others from this world had worked hard for at least a decade to make it the True Martial Rank. Him, he relied on the foundation of his cultivation practice in his previous life. Tonight alone, he had already reached the top three hundred.
After thinking for a while, Lin Shu decided to write from memory a few of the books he had learnt sword tactics from, and sell it to the Treasure Hall at a low price, regarding it as compensation.
Although there was none left of his sect, their legacy remained. The collection of books in the storage piled mountains high. With the exception of the original martial arts his sect had developed, all others could be passed on to the outside. Thus, it did not count as going against the rules of his sect.
Regretfully, previously when he learnt sword skills, built foundations, trained Dan formation, and so on in the Dreamscape, these skills came naturally to him, and he had never needed to rely on any reference books. Thus, he only remembered some of the sword tactics and Citta practices.
Autumn Dust’s swordsmanship was quick, but too unpredictable and complicated, leaving no flexibility for tactic changes.
Lin Shu decided to write a copy of Flying Sword Tactics and put it into the treasure hall.
Yu Wuzheng’s swordsmanship was orthodox and balanced, but there was not enough vitality in it. A copy of Heart Sutra would be suitable to improve this.
This way, for every person he defeated, he would contribute a tactic book, relieving some of his guilt.
Having reassured himself, he walked out of the martial arts field, and returned to the top of the mountain.
Mr. Shuji was not back from roaming, and Mr. Meng had not returned to normal. Thus, Lin Shu began to practice with his sword alone at the top of the mountain.
Fighting with others could certainly improve his martial arts, but it was also essential to practice his swordsmanship.
After changing worlds, he gained a better understanding of swordsmanship. Practicing at this time would have many benefits.
His master had said this, but Lin Shu did not have any opportunity to try this out in his past life, as no one was capable of sparring with him. The entire Immortal Road only consisted of him and his master, same with swordsmanship. Even if it was the same set of sword tactics used in both worlds, in actual fact it did not mean much.
Only now was Lin Shu able to understand that what his master said was really true.
Spending a couple of hours on basic sword moves, he finally began to practice his sect’s sword tactics.
In his previous life, his master had called him a peculiar person, reading through any sword techniques books once was enough for him to commit them to memory and regurgitate when needed. Only one book did he fail to understand, and was at odds with it for five entire years.
From middle school to university, until the day he received the phone call learning of Master’s death. He had stood at the school gates, watching the endless flow of people, and suddenly came to the realization that he was all alone. There was nothing tying him down to this world. His state of mind changed slightly. That very night, he broke through that tactic: “Empty Valley of No Returns”
After breaking through, the Dreamscape was disrupted, and for a long while he was unable to enter, instead slowly inching towards a cultivation advancement. Then, came the damning lightning rod.
When he was forced into this world, he only knew one sword technique from that book of tactics. Now that he had picked up swords again, naturally he would press on and conquer it.
Half an hour later, he collected his sword, returned to the martial arts field, and continued to challenge others.
Since he had recovered the familiarity of wielding a sword, he decided to start off with a small goal that night, and aim to be ranked in the top 30.
Enough to guarantee a token to go to Huandang Mountain.
The thirtieth person was called Li Changchuan who used a dragon gun. Buff and overbearing, he did not seem like someone who cultivated.
After hundreds of moves, he was victorious by a small margin.
Li Changchuan: “Thank you for this eye-opening duel.”
A line of words appeared on the stone wall: “Folding Bamboo and Li Changchuan battled in the 15th arena. Folding Bamboo wins.”
Lin Shu intended to leave, but realized that a crowd of onlookers had gathered, and they were all looking at him..
“This Folding Bamboo shimei entered the top 30 overnight! Our Shangling Academy has yet another legend!”
“This year I greeted the new arrivals. There were indeed talented new shimeis, some were like descendants of the Dream Hall, the disciples of the closed off Southern Sea Lone Mountain sect, and the Saintesses of the Ocean Overlooking Tower, but none of them are like Folding Bamboo shimei.”
“I wonder what Folding Bamboo shimei’s final ranking will be. Want to bet on it?”
Lin Shu listened quietly.
He knew well-enough the speed of which gossip spreads around. Tonight, there were people who watched his match. Tomorrow, before class starts, people would definitely gather together and discuss this. Within the day, every disciple in the Immortal Daoist Institution would know that there was such a person as Folding Bamboo.
Lin Shu was calm.
Even if there was someone with amazing deduction skills, no one would link Lin Shu to Folding Bamboo – who knew if they had even heard of Lin Shu before, and not to mention the gender was completely different.
When Mr. Meng comes back and restores the disrupted system, he will build another shell. Folding Bamboo would cease to be, and disappear from the face of the world.
According to the rules of the ranking, having defeated the 30th person, If he wanted to take his place and push back the people behind him by one rank, he had to defeat the 31st and 32nd ranked persons.
Lin Shu first selected the 32nd person, and won successfully.
However, the 31st person was a bit troublesome.
Xiao Shao.
Lin Shu checked that he had returned to his optimum condition, and sent an invitation to Xiao Shao.
Yet, he was not certain of his chances of winning.
“Folding Bamboo invites Xiao Shao to a battle.”
Not long after, a line appeared on the stone wall.
“Xiao Shao refused the invitation.”
This person probably felt that no one other than the second ranked person was a worthy opponent, and simply decided not to accept it. Refusing a battle was tantamount to admitting defeat, and Folding Bamboo’s name jumped to the 30th spot.
Lin Shu should have stopped here. But first of all, he held a bit of dislike for this Xiao Shao person. Secondly, not fighting Xiao Shao, the most outstanding disciple of the Immortal Daoist Institution, did not do justice for the sword in his hand.
Hence, he sent a string of battle invitations.
Not in his own body, his skin was much thicker.
“Folding Bamboo invites Xiao Shao to a battle.”
“Folding Bamboo invites Xiao Shao to a battle.”
“Folding Bamboo invites Xiao Shao to a battle.”
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