The Demon Lords

"You mean, if I send you a sword now, it ensures you won’t die in vain?"

"You know that’s not what I mean."

"I know what you mean."

"Then why are you going around in circles with me?"

The Sword Saint put down the carving knife in his hand, patted his legs, and said:

"I’m a cripple now."

"That’s fine. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. If you’re by my side, we won’t even need to make a move; we can scare them to death."

"But what if we do have to make a move?"

"There aren’t that many ’what ifs’."

"If there really is one, and some small-time crooks come up, wouldn’t it go from just you dying begrudgingly to us both dying begrudgingly together?"

As he spoke,

the Sword Saint looked at Zheng Fan seriously and solemnly asked:

"Am I, Yu Huaping, not someone of significance?"

"Hey!"

"Tell me, if I die at the hands of some nameless street thug, wouldn’t that be so begrudging?"

"Tsk."

The Sword Saint continued carving the wooden sword, while Lord Zheng sat there slowly sipping water from his bowl.

The sword maid returned, carrying various snacks taller than her head in big and small bags.

"This is Dahu’s favorite with meat floss, this is master’s wife’s favorite with almonds, this is granny’s favorite crispy cookie..."

The Sword Saint stopped what he was doing,

watched as the sword maid sorted the snacks one by one, and then took them into the room.

Lord Zheng also finished his water and put the bowl aside.

He got up,

preparing to leave.

The Sword Saint said:

"Next time you go out, I’ll go with you."

Just as Lord Zheng stood up,

he sat back down,

and shouted:

"Refill!"

"Coming!"

The sword maid wiped her sweat, ran over, and picked up the bowl to refill it with water.

Soon, she came back with the bowl in one hand and a piece of sachima in the other, handed the bowl to Lord Zheng, and took a big bite of the sachima herself.

"This thing, if left for a while, becomes more chewy and soft, tastes even better," suggested Lord Zheng.

The sword maid glared at Zheng Fan and said:

"Ruining things."

"Fine."

The sword maid hummed a little tune while eating sachima, holding a small shovel, happily squatted there, and continued planting vegetables.

At this moment,

the door was knocked on.

What was most annoying was,

the visitor stood outside the door, knocked, and even though the door wasn’t closed, didn’t come in of their own accord.

The sword maid put down her small shovel angrily, got up, and went to open the door.

Her first glance landed on the visitor’s sword, the second glance on the visitor’s legs, and the third glance on the chicken and duck the visitor was carrying.

The visitor,

was surnamed Chen, called the hero.

It could be said, during Lord Zheng’s trip to Chu State, Mr. Chen helped greatly.

Yet, Mr. Chen still cheerfully and casually followed Siniang’s group all the way to Snow Sea Pass, with neither hesitation nor sadness.

The reasons were threefold:

First, it was Chu State;

Second, he indeed delivered Master Yao’s letter;

Third, he owed Zheng Fan.

In Mr. Chen’s world, everything is always so direct and straightforward, with a simple air.

For example,

now he visits the Sword Saint, and astonishingly, holds a chicken in one hand and a duck in the other.

The sword maid gestured for Mr. Chen to enter,

Lord Zheng pointed at Mr. Chen and said:

"Look, this is the Mr. Chen I just praised to you!"

The Sword Saint just glanced up at Mr. Chen and said nothing.

The sword maid, however, instantly saw through Mr. Chen’s intention and pursed her lips, saying, "Put them down."

"Alright."

Mr. Chen put down the chicken and duck, and soon, the chicken voluntarily mingled with the other chickens in the Sword Saint’s yard, and then, a group of chickens began chasing that lone duck.

The sword maid pointed at the water vat by the door and said, "There’s no water."

"Alright."

Without another word, Mr. Chen picked up the bucket and went out to fetch water.

After Mr. Chen left, the sword maid said to the Sword Saint:

"Master, I think that person is incredible."

The Sword Saint nodded and said, "Just a bit dumb."

Lord Zheng immediately corrected, "That’s called purity."

The Sword Saint responded, "Yes, purely dumb."

"Old Yu, if you can teach, then teach. You wouldn’t want all your skills to be lost, right?"

The sword maid, who was about to squat back down to plant vegetables, was unhappy upon hearing these words and shouted:

"Lord, isn’t there me?"

"You’re going to get married."

"..." the sword maid.

"Old Yu....."

The Sword Saint sighed and said, "I can teach."

Lord Zheng laughed.

"Then I won’t accompany you out."

"Well, Mr. Chen has great perception. I believe every sword is unique in this world, and he should find and walk his own path."

The sword maid stuck out her tongue and started digging with her small shovel.

"Alright, continue with your work. I’m going back to rest. It’s been a long journey, and I haven’t had a good night’s sleep. It’s always more comfortable to sleep at home."

Lord Zheng got up,

the Sword Saint continued carving the wooden sword, and the sword maid continued to plant vegetables;

Leaving in the same manner as he came,

without any welcome or farewell,

but seeing the Sword Saint sitting here, Lord Zheng felt at ease.

After Lord Zheng left,

the sword maid said while shoveling soil:

"Master, are you really going to be his bodyguard next time?"

The Sword Saint nodded and said:

"He can’t die."

"Why not?"

"If something happens to him, how will my apprentice avenge him when he turns eighteen?"

...

Lord Zheng returned to the mansion, went straight to the backyard, then turned a corner to reach Tiantian’s place.

At this moment, Tiantian was sitting on a bluestone slab, basking in the sun while playing with Mo Wan.

Seeing Zheng Fan arrive, Tiantian obviously became excited, propped his hands on the ground, struggled to stand up, and then wobbled towards Zheng Fan.