CHAPTER 208: CHAPTER 204: SEVEN POINTS

Year-end festivities had arrived, and Chi Xiao City grew even livelier, with every household adorning their homes with lanterns and festive decorations.

Even cultivators paused their pursuits to celebrate in their own way.

The city nights were even more bustling than the days, illuminated brightly with countless lights. Every street and alley was filled with the essence of the festivities, and all major shops and taverns were packed to the brim.

Especially during this time of year, Sword Cultivators from various parts of Da Li would gather in Chi Xiao City, adding yet another layer of excitement to the atmosphere.

Li Fan, after finishing the New Year’s Eve dinner at the inn, decided to step out with Lu Yuan, Yue Qingqiu, and the others.

*In past years, he had always spent this time with his senior sister, Old Blind Man. This year, being in the company of Lu Yuan and others, he at least had some Li Mountain disciples by his side, which made his mood slightly more comfortable.*

Old Blind Man had already accepted Huang Xiong as a disciple on behalf of Uncle Master Xing Feng, which naturally made Huang Xiong a fellow disciple.

"Why do humans celebrate the New Year?" Yue Qingqiu asked softly as she observed the lively streets.

Occasionally, passersby cast glances toward their group. Their presence was too eye-catching; women as beautiful as Lu Yuan and Yue Qingqiu were rare even in Chi Xiao City. Meanwhile, Li Fan carried himself with an extraordinary aura, standing tall and graceful like a jade tree swaying in the wind.

"I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps it’s because cultivators spend so much of the year traveling, and the New Year is seen as a chance for wanderers to return home and reunite with their families," Li Fan replied softly.

"Family..." Yue Qingqiu murmured quietly. She didn’t have a family, just as Li Fan appeared to have none.

"Lu Yuan." Li Fan called softly.

"Hmm?" Lu Yuan looked up at him.

"You’ve never mentioned much about yourself before. Do you still have family?" Li Fan asked gently.

Lu Yuan froze for a moment, looking at Li Fan with a hint of surprise. She hadn’t expected him to ask such a question.

After hesitating briefly, she nodded lightly but said no more.

*Seeing Lu Yuan’s silence, Li Fan understood that she didn’t want to discuss it, so he refrained from asking further. After all, everyone had their own secrets.*

In the distance, fireworks blossomed across the night sky. They all turned to look, gazing at the splendor above, the vibrant sky appearing like a painting.

"Shall we go take a look?" Li Fan asked with a smile.

"Sure," Lu Yuan nodded.

Rarely easing their minds for a day, they opted to walk through the streets instead of riding a carriage.

Chi Xiao City had a lake, called Moon Lake, which resembled a crescent moon when viewed from the sky. The lake was connected to the city’s central area through waterways.

Along the banks of Moon Lake stood rows of exquisite pavilions, bustling with activity. Some of these establishments were renowned for leisure and entertainment. The brightly lit pavilion at the very center was named Moon Gaze Pavilion, rumored to be backed by the most powerful faction in Chi Xiao City.

On the other side of Moon Lake, numerous visitors gathered along the shore, gazing across to the opposite bank.

In the heart of Moon Lake, countless pleasure boats and ornately decorated vessels drifted about. Many people floated on the water, admiring the scenic beauty of the lake.

The dazzling fireworks bloomed precisely over Moon Lake.

Li Fan and his companions reached the lakeside, their eyes fixed on the fireworks blossoming overhead. Just then, the crowd stirred excitedly, shouting, "It’s starting..."

Curious, Li Fan and the others followed the gaze of the crowd, looking in the direction of Moon Gaze Pavilion. A single figure appeared, gliding across the lake on Sword Aura.

Dressed in a flowing brocade gown with billowing sleeves, the figure wielded a sword, ascending gracefully on Sword Aura, tracing vibrant arcs through the air before performing an elegant dance mid-flight.

"Sword Cultivator dancing with a sword."

Li Fan’s gaze revealed a hint of intrigue. Using Sword Aura as a platform—this woman must be a Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator, dancing here with her weapon.

"Fairy Qin’s sword dance is unparalleled in the world," someone from the crowd commented.

"It’s said that travelers from distant lands often come to Chi Xiao City solely to witness Fairy Qin’s sword dance." The surrounding chatter grew animated, and Li Fan finally understood.

The sword-dancing woman seemed quite renowned within the city.

"What a beautiful Sword Cultivator," Liu Ji exclaimed in admiration. As Li Fan watched the sword-dancing woman gliding gracefully over Moon Lake under the vibrant fireworks, the scene was breathtakingly spectacular. Taking a closer look at her features, she had eyes luminous as the moon, a willow-thin waist, and beauty so captivating it resembled a vivid painting of mythic dragons in motion.

"She’s decent enough," Li Fan acknowledged with a nod. Women of such striking beauty were rare.

"How bold of you—to call her decent!" someone nearby overheard Li Fan’s comment and turned to address him. "Fairy Qin is one of Chi Xiao City’s most stunning women, and this evening is the only chance to witness her sword dance. On ordinary days, even catching a glimpse of her is as difficult as reaching for the heavens."

"Even cultivators, it seems, are not immune to worldly desires," Li Fan said with a chuckle.

The man was about to retort but froze upon noticing Lu Yuan and Yue Qingqiu beside Li Fan. He glanced at Li Fan again, quietly cursing him in his mind.

*How outrageous...*

"She is indeed stunning," Lu Yuan remarked. "What do you think?"

"Swords weren’t meant for dancing," Li Fan replied, shaking his head. "It’s not as captivating as when you’re practicing your swordsmanship."

Lu Yuan rolled her eyes at him.

*As their relationship grew closer, they occasionally exchanged harmless jokes with each other.*

At that moment, ripples spread over Moon Lake as two narrow boats drifted beneath the sword dancer’s path. On each boat stood a Sword Cultivator, their bodies exuding waves of Sword Aura.

"Here we go."

The surrounding crowd erupted into cheers, the excitement palpable.

"What’s this about?" Li Fan curiously asked the person beside him.

"The swordsman dressed in white on the left is Duan Feiyu, ranked second on the Green Cloud List. The swordsman in black on the right is Fu Yuan, ranked fourth. Tonight, during Fairy Qin’s sword dance, they’ve come to challenge each other to a Sword Inquiry duel, adding to the festivities," the man said gleefully. "Quite impressive, isn’t it?"

Though Li Fan was accompanied by beauties, surely he could not command such renown.

"Never heard of them," Li Fan replied.

"Your arrogance knows no bounds," the man said indignantly, affronted by Li Fan’s tone. Being that young, how could he not revere the top-ranked Sword Cultivators on the Green Cloud List?

"Zuo Tu,"

Li Fan said, glancing at the man.

"..."

The man froze, his expression stiffening. He opened his mouth but no words came out.

*Forget the second and fourth rankings—even the first wouldn’t likely matter to this audacious youth. Just days ago, he had boldly proclaimed that the Sword Dao’s fortune across the world amounted to ten parts, and he intended to claim five of them for himself.*

*It was clear his eyes didn’t hold the Green Cloud List in high regard.*

As such, the man wisely chose to keep quiet.

Li Fan’s gaze shifted back to Moon Lake. Silvery reflections shimmered, Sword Aura rippled across the water’s surface, and the narrow boats glided through the lake. Even before the two swordsmen attacked, their commanding auras filled the air with tension. When streaks of sword light skimmed across the water, they seemed to enhance the scene’s artistic charm.

With the resonant hum of swords, both challengers attacked simultaneously, propelling themselves over the lake using Sword Aura, producing dazzling clashes of sword light.

The crowd erupted into cheers, filling the air with thunderous applause. Even Li Fan couldn’t help but smile in appreciation. "Exquisite," he remarked.

*The New Year’s Eve in Chi Xiao City truly offered marvelous scenery.*

*Fairy Qin’s sword dance, top-tier cultivators from the Green Cloud List challenging each other to a duel, pleasure boats drifting across the lake—*

*—And fireworks blooming over Moon Gaze Pavilion. Every detail came together like the strokes of a masterful painting.*

Li Fan looked toward the duel. Duan Feiyu’s strikes were carefree and fluid, Fu Yuan’s swordplay steady and heavy. Within moments, the two exchanged countless furious blows, the interlacing sword light transforming the lake into a dazzling spectacle.

The duel concluded with Duan Feiyu emerging victorious by one strike.

As the two landed back on the lake’s surface, Fairy Qin halted her dance.

"The fairy dances with her sword, and I duel—what a thrill," Duan Feiyu said, laughing, his gaze meeting Fairy Qin’s figure above. "I wonder, Fairy Qin, when might I have the honor to sit and discuss Sword Dao with you?"

The crowd chuckled, as Duan Feiyu’s admiration for Fairy Qin was widely known in Chi Xiao City.

*The reason both Duan Feiyu and Fu Yuan had come to challenge one another tonight was, bluntly, quite common—they were both vying for Fairy Qin’s favor.*

"Foolish dreams," Fu Yuan responded curtly.

"A sore loser dares speak up?" Duan Feiyu quipped with a grin.

"Gentlemen, no need to quarrel," Fairy Qin said, looking down at the two men with a smile. "I can see both of your Sword Dao skills are extraordinary. Tell me, how much of the world’s Sword Dao fortune do you think you can claim?"

The audience fell silent at her words, shocked. Both Duan Feiyu and Fu Yuan froze in place.

*Lately, there had been rumors about Zuo Tu’s boast of claiming five parts of the world’s Sword Dao fortune, causing quite the uproar. Now, Fairy Qin’s question left Duan Feiyu and Fu Yuan at a loss for how to answer.*

"I am but a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. How could I dare speak of claiming the world’s Sword Dao fortune?" Fu Yuan said. "A boastful brat. I wouldn’t dream of imitating him."

Laughing, Duan Feiyu added, "I’d like to claim three parts of the world’s Sword Dao fortune, but truth be told, only Xuanyuan Sword Senior could make such declarations. Though I’m incredibly confident in myself, I wouldn’t dare boast like that."

"So, it seems neither of you gentlemen is fully confident in your own Sword Dao abilities," Fairy Qin said with a radiant smile. She then scanned the crowd. "Personally, I admire Young Master Zuo’s boldness—it aligns more with the spirit of a Sword Cultivator."

"I wonder, is Young Master Zuo present today?"

Her gaze swept through the crowd, prompting people to look everywhere around them. The man next to Li Fan froze, then turned to look at him.

Li Fan was somewhat surprised himself. He didn’t seem to know this "Fairy Qin."

*So, what exactly was she playing at?*

He chose not to respond, remaining quietly where he stood amidst the crowd. With so many people in the vicinity, no one would notice him.

Moon Lake shimmered in the night, and Fairy Qin, seeing no one step forward, smiled again. "I have one more dance tonight, dedicated to Young Master Zuo."

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

*What on earth was Fairy Qin up to?*

*This level of preferential treatment was unprecedented.*

"Someone asked me to deliver a message to Young Master Zuo," Fairy Qin continued, her tone playful. "It seems that you’ve claimed seven parts of the world’s Sword Dao fortune."

The crowd burst into an uproar.

Li Fan, too, was taken aback. *In the Yunlai Inn, he’d only said one part; Lu Yuan mentioned three parts; then somehow, it had turned into five. Now? Seven?*

*Who had asked her to deliver such a message?*