Supreme Sword Master - Chapter 23

"Supreme Sword Master - Chapter 23: A Heavenly-Rank Technique!"

Chapter 23: A Heavenly-Rank Technique!

"What... what did you say?"

Perhaps out of disbelief or simply not hearing clearly, Li, the steward, suddenly became stuttering and incoherent.

"I said, I have the technique."

Gu Han repeated himself.

In an instant!

The Seventh Prince shot to his feet, trembling with excitement.

"Then you..."

Beside them, Li's face suddenly turned beet red.

"You're willing to give it...?"

Seeing his expression, Gu Han instinctively exhaled in relief.

He knew he had won the gamble. Though Li's words were sharp and carried a hint of arrogance, his essence wasn't bad. Otherwise, his reaction wouldn't have been like this.

"I understand!"

Seeing Gu Han remain silent, Li gritted his teeth, swept his sleeve, and rolled up several beast cores beside the Seventh Prince, swallowing them whole!

In a flash.

His face turned pale.

His cultivation method leaned toward yin and softness, and these beast cores were filled with intense fire energy. Consuming them so recklessly naturally placed a significant burden on his body.

"Steward Li."

The Seventh Prince sighed.

"You don't need to... sigh!"

"Your Highness, there's no need to say more."

Li looked at Gu Han. "Back then, I was bullied like a dog. If it weren't for Her Majesty the Empress saving me, I wouldn't be where I am today! The Seventh Prince is the Empress's only bloodline. If it can save him, swallowing these beast cores is nothing! Even if you wanted me to kneel or take my life, I'd do it without hesitation!"

As he spoke.

His knees buckled, and he was about to kneel down!

Physician Xue couldn't bear to watch anymore.

But since the technique belonged to Gu Han, he felt he had no right to speak and refrained from intervening.

"I actually wanted to say..."

Gu Han, feeling a headache coming on, quickly stopped him.

"Even if you hadn't swallowed those beast cores, I would've handed over the technique anyway."

"You..."

Li's expression froze.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"No time."

"..."

Thinking back to his awkward state just moments ago.

Li wanted to die.

"Hahaha..."

Beside them.

Asha laughed heartily at seeing Li's misfortune.

"Never mind!"

Just as Gu Han was about to speak, Physician Xue stood up. "That person outside came to see me, right? I shouldn't keep them waiting too long."

"Elder."

Gu Han quickly interjected, "You don't need to..."

"It's fine."

Physician Xue waved dismissively.

"Being able to completely resolve the Seventh Prince's problem fulfills a wish of mine."

Such a technique was incredibly precious.

To avoid suspicion, he found an excuse to leave.

"Alright."

Gu Han shook his head helplessly, no longer hesitating, and recited the entire content of the technique word-for-word to the Seventh Prince.

*The Nine Nether Ice Soul Technique*!

Ranked as a mid-level heavenly-rank technique!

For a moment.

Both the Seventh Prince and Li listened, utterly entranced.

"This..."

After a long while.

Li finally looked at Gu Han, his expression filled with shock and uncertainty.

"I've lived for so many years and have never seen such... such a mystical technique. This..."

"Of course you haven't."

Gu Han dropped a bombshell.

"This is a heavenly-rank technique."

Heavenly rank!

Hiss!

Instinctively, the two sucked in a breath of cold air, stunned on the spot!

Forget heavenly rank.

Throughout the Great Qi Dynasty, the most precious technique was only high-grade profound rank, accidentally obtained by the dynasty's founding emperor, treated as a treasure, and passed down through generations, rarely shown to others.

As for heavenly rank?

They didn't even dare to dream of it!

At this moment.

Gu Han's image in their eyes suddenly became unfathomably profound.

"Brother Gu..."

The Seventh Prince suppressed his excitement.

"This technique is so precious, why..."

"It's simple."

Gu Han smiled.

"You helped me, so naturally, I'll help you. Right, Asha?"

"Yeah!"

Asha's little face was full of seriousness.

"The young master said, gratitude is repaid tenfold, and revenge is also repaid tenfold!"

"..."

The Seventh Prince fell silent.

He naturally understood that by handing over this technique, Gu Han not only exposed his own secrets but also took a tremendous risk. If even a whisper of this leaked, it would bring calamity beyond imagination! Yet Gu Han didn't hesitate, all to repay the small kindness the prince had shown earlier.

Gratitude, repaid tenfold.

Revenge, also repaid tenfold.

Savoring these words, the Seventh Prince suddenly bent deeply and bowed to the ground!

"Great kindness requires no thanks!"

"Brother Gu, rest assured. You saved me, and I will never act ungratefully like some wretched dog! Today's events will never be leaked. If I break this vow, may heaven strike me down!"

"Sev—"

"Call me Jiang Feng!"

The Seventh Prince suddenly felt that his identity as a prince meant nothing before Gu Han.

"Brother Jiang."

Gu Han pulled Asha along, intending to leave.

"There's no need for thanks."

"I've already handed over the technique. The sooner you start practicing, the sooner you can rid yourself of the cold poison's torment. Let's... meet again in the royal capital!"

"Wait... wait!"

Suddenly.

Li called out to him, gritting his teeth, and deeply bowed.

"I... I offended you earlier. Please don't hold it against me! You saved the Seventh Prince, and I owe you my life! If there's ever anything you need, I'll serve you without hesitation!"

"Steward Li."

Gu Han felt a wave of emotion.

"Other than your sharp tongue, your harsh personality, your petty nature, and your tendency to bully others with power, you don't really have any flaws."

"..."

Li's lips twitched uncontrollably.

This... is called having no flaws?

Beside them.

The Seventh Prince chuckled softly, then focused on recalling the content of the technique, his heart stirred by boundless waves!

From today onward.

The Seventh Prince, who faced death daily, was no more!

His fate would be completely transformed because of Gu Han!

...

Outside.

Chen Ping's honest nature naturally earned him Physician Xue's favor.

"Thank you, Elder Xue, thank you!"

Having received the medicine personally prepared by Physician Xue, he expressed endless gratitude, bowing repeatedly before leaving joyfully.

Physician Xue was extremely famous in the Great Qi Dynasty.

The medicine he prepared could elevate Chen Ping's ranking within the Treasure Gathering Pavilion to the top three!

In a narrow alley.

Several people watched Chen Ping's departing figure, their eyes almost spitting fire with jealousy.

"Unbelievable, that guy got lucky!"

"Sigh, why didn't we think of it? That shabbily dressed youth really knew Elder Xue!"

"Tch! What nonsense daughter of the city lord, so arrogant!"

"Talking about this is useless!"

One man bitterly cursed. "We should think of what to do. Such a big benefit can't be let go just like that!"

"Perhaps."

Another man's eyes flashed with cold light.

"We should... deal with him."

"But... what if the Treasure Gathering Pavilion investigates?"

"Find more people and do it discreetly. This place is so far from the royal capital; they won't find anything!"

"Alright, that's settled! But there are too many eyes here. We'll wait until he leaves the city!"

...

In a small courtyard.

After dismissing Chen Ping, Physician Xue sat quietly on a stone bench, lightly caressing an ancient-looking broken jade piece, his gaze dim.

"Elder."

Seeing this, Gu Han was somewhat surprised.

"You're...?"

"Hmm?"

Physician Xue snapped out of his thoughts and put away the broken jade.

"Just reminiscing about the past. As for the Seventh Prince..."

"He's fine now."

"That's good!"

Physician Xue exhaled deeply in relief.

"In that case, I can leave with peace of mind."

"Elder Xue."

Asha's face showed reluctance.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes."

Physician Xue patted her head, his face full of affection and sorrow. "Years ago, I fled to Great Qi due to a calamity and was saved by the mother of the Seventh Prince. I stayed behind and happened to treat the prince's cold ailment. Unexpectedly, I ended up staying for twenty years."

"Now that his extreme cold ailment is no longer a threat, it's time for me to pursue what I want to do."

Gu Han hesitated to speak.

From the look of that broken jade earlier, Physician Xue had his own secrets, but since he didn't wish to elaborate, Gu Han naturally refrained from prying.

"Little girl."

Physician Xue thought for a moment, removed a storage ring, and gently placed it in Asha's hand.

"Be careful, don't hurt yourself again."

"Mm."

Asha nodded obediently.

"I'll remember!"

Seeing her expression, Physician Xue's heart ached.

If she hadn't died...

She would've been a few years older than this girl.

After calming his emotions, he looked at Gu Han. "You're heading to the Martial Academy?"

"Mm."

Gu Han nodded.

"The path of cultivation has no end. Tienwu City is too small. I want to see the outside world. Moreover, it'll be easier to find spirit herbs to replenish soul power in the royal capital."

"Fair enough."

Physician Xue smiled.

"Tienwu City is indeed too small for you. But the royal capital's relationships are intricate, and factions within the academy are numerous. Be cautious in your actions."

"Thank you, Elder!"

Gu Han expressed his sincere gratitude before leaving with a reluctant Asha.

"The royal capital."

Physician Xue gazed at Gu Han's retreating figure.

"Perhaps even the entirety of Great Qi is still too small for you..."

...

In the blink of an eye.

Several days passed.

During this time.

Gu Han casually rented a room at an inn, healed his injuries, and then left, preparing to head to the royal capital.

Along the way.

The gazes of everyone around him had completely changed.

A month ago.

He was the traitor of the Gu family, branded with patricide, hunted by all!

A month later.

He was the genius avenger who sought justice for his father, recognized by influential figures in the royal capital, and hailed as the number one prodigy of Tienwu City, destined for the Martial Academy!

Gu Han remained unperturbed.

Through all his trials.

His mental fortitude grew at an astonishing pace.

...

At the city gate.

Gu Han coincidentally bumped into Liu Yuan, who had just escorted Liu Ying out and returned to the city with several guards.

However.

Neither spared the other a glance.

"City Lord."

Glancing at Gu Han's retreating figure, the captain of the guards quietly approached. "This brat is too arrogant. Shall I...?"

"Do you want to die?"

Liu Yuan coldly glared at him.

"Do you really think Steward Li's words that day were a joke? Our tiny Tienwu City can't afford to offend him!"

A few days ago, after Liu Ying returned and recounted her experiences, Liu Yuan became even more certain that Gu Han's relationship with the Seventh Prince wasn't as simple as it seemed.

Even though resentment burned in his heart.

He didn't dare make a move against Gu Han.

"Yes! Your subordinate misspoke. Please punish me, City Lord!"

"It's fine."

Liu Yuan sneered.

"He thinks going to the Martial Academy means a bright future? Hmph, he can't even imagine how perilous the royal capital truly is!"

...

"Young Master."

Asha glanced back at the darkening city walls.

"Aren't we coming back?"

"Mm."

Gu Han didn't turn around.

With Gu Tian gone, there was no one left in Tienwu City worth staying for.

"Let's go."

Glancing at the map of Great Qi in his hand, he gently hoisted Asha onto his back and strode forward.

Not long after.

The city walls disappeared from sight.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly.

He stopped in his tracks.

Ahead.

Several figures loitered, and upon seeing Gu Han, they hurriedly approached, as if specifically waiting for him.