Immortality begins with the Swordsman.

Chapter 33 Waiting for the Wind

A cold autumn rain.

As autumn deepened, the weather in Chang'an grew increasingly gloomy and cold.

After three consecutive sunny days, the chill had subsided and the weather had become milder. Ouyang Qingzhao left the inner hall and went to the backyard to relax.

At this moment, his robes were slightly disheveled, a few strands of hair fell loose around his temples, and his brows showed signs of weariness, clearly indicating that he had not slept well for many days.

Suddenly, an autumn wind arose, and fallen leaves danced wildly in the wind, struggling in the air for a few moments before finally falling to the ground, much like the current state of the Chang'an Sword Sect, which was in ruins, isolated, and adrift in the wind and rain.

A deacon surnamed Zhao quickly approached from behind him, clasped his hands in greeting, and reported:

"Senior Brother Ouyang, Yunfeng Inn was vandalized again this morning."

"In addition, a batch of goods destined for the West Market was intercepted by the Liu family, and all the goods were lost."

"..."

Ouyang Qingzhao listened silently, her expression unchanged.

For the past two weeks, similar incidents have become commonplace, with three to five happening every day.

The Pei, Xue, and Liu families joined forces and launched a full-scale siege against the Sword Sect's business with an unprecedentedly tough stance.

The Sword Sect had painstakingly built its business in Chang'an over several decades, encompassing restaurants, pharmacies, bookstores, inns, and more. Yet, in just over ten days, it suffered a series of setbacks and heavy losses.

If it were just normal business tactics, although the Sword Sect was not as wealthy as the three major sects, it could still manage to cope with the situation thanks to its long-standing foundation and reputation.

This time, however, the Pei, Xue, and Liu families used every means at their disposal, both ruthless and underhanded, in order to kill their opponent in one fell swoop.

They were ready to fight to the death.

In fact, the Sword Sect has nearly two hundred members in Chang'an. Besides Grandmaster Ouyang Qingzhao, there are more than ten first-rate experts, and the rest are all second- or third-rate disciples.

While they may not have as many people as the three companies, they are superior in quality, so they were not afraid of any of the three companies' tactics.

But now, the situation has changed drastically.

Suddenly, a group of mysterious black-clad experts appeared in Chang'an.

After they joined the camps of Pei, Xue, and Liu, the situation immediately shifted. The Sword Sect suffered repeated defeats, shops went bankrupt one after another, and territory was gradually eroded.

Now, the only option is to focus on the base and strictly guard the nearby streets and alleys, turning this corner of the area into an "impregnable fortress".

But looking at it from another angle, the Sword Sect was also trapped in this small space.

Ouyang Qingzhao said calmly, "I'll say it again: losing a little money and territory is no big deal. People are the most important thing. You who are in charge must keep a close eye on your disciples and prevent any more casualties."

Deacon Zhao nodded and continued, "The Green Sheep Gang on Baishui Street defected last night and joined the Xue family..."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Qingzhao couldn't help but sigh: "Luo Nanqing, the leader of the Qingyang Gang, has been our friend for over twenty years. I never expected... Oh well, as long as he doesn't harm our people, let him be."

Deacon Zhao nodded in agreement, but a hint of worry remained in his eyes.

Ouyang Qingzhao then asked, "Is there anything else?"

Deacon Zhao hesitated for a moment, then said, "Last night, Junior Brother Zeng, whom we sent back to Mount Hua to seek reinforcements, was ambushed and returned severely wounded. He didn't even manage to send out the letter. It seems that the Pei, Xue, and Liu families intend to wipe us out in one fell swoop."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Qingzhao remained silent for a long time before sighing, "Junior Brother Zhao, do you think we can overcome this difficulty?"

Deacon Zhao nodded emphatically: "Of course! As long as Senior Brother is here, I have confidence."

Ouyang Qingzhao smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Go ahead and get busy. The weather is nice today, I'm going out for a stroll."

however--

He had only walked through a long corridor when he heard Cheng Buyou's voice: "A youth without arrogance is a wasted youth. My Sword Sect's path is one of rapid progress, unmatched among my peers. What about your Qi Sect?"

Ouyang Qingzhao looked up and saw that in the pavilion not far away, Cai Lingshuang, Cheng Buyou, Gu Changfeng and Yue Buqun were sitting around a stone table, drinking tea and discussing philosophy.

After those three families joined forces, he had Yue Buqun move here so that he could take care of them.

At this moment, Yue Buqun said calmly, "Your Sword Sect's kung fu is indeed very effective. If everyone practices for ten years, you will have the upper hand; but if everyone practices for twenty years, it will be difficult to distinguish who is better; after thirty years, you will only be able to look up to my Qi Sect."

Although he is now a scholar who has passed the imperial examination, his views on the "battle of swords and qi" remain unchanged.

Cai Ling Shuang asked, "What is the basis for your claim?"

Yue Buqun said, "Currently on the mountain, my Qi Sect has five Grandmasters, while your Sword Sect only has four. This is the basis for our argument."

Cai Ling Shuang sneered, "You only talk about numbers, not martial arts? Uncle Feng is known in the martial arts world as the number one master. My father fought your father countless times, and the outcome was always fifty-fifty. How can you say that it will be difficult to catch up with him in thirty years? I think it's just your Qi Sect deceiving itself."

Cheng Buyou laughed and said, "Hahaha, when you were young, you couldn't beat anyone. You were so angry that you died. What about twenty or thirty years later? Oh, I get it. Qi Sect, Qi Sect, the real meaning is either to make yourself angry or to make others angry."

Yue Buqun was furious: "How dare you insult my Qi Sect?"

Just then.

Ouyang Qingzhao walked over slowly.

"Greetings, Uncle-Master Ouyang!" the four said in unison, bowing.

Ouyang Qingzhao waved his hand and said, "Sit down, everyone. We old folks have been arguing about the 'Sword Qi Controversy' for decades, and we still haven't reached a conclusion. I'd like to hear your opinions, young people; perhaps you have different perspectives."

Cai Ling Shuang nodded and said to Yue Buqun, "Your Qi Sect, though defeated in your youth and forced to endure decades of humiliation, may still not be able to defeat us. Heh~ What use is your Qi Sect path?"

Yue Buqun angrily retorted, "Who said we can't beat them?"

Cheng Buyou immediately became interested: "Hey, it's been a long time since I sparred with Senior Brother Yue. Today is a good day for a friendly exchange."

Not surprisingly.

Yue Buqun was repeatedly tormented by Cai Ling Shuang and Cheng Bu You.

He returned from the arena and looked at Gu Changfeng, saying, "Junior brother, you started this 'Debate on Sword Qi.' Aren't you going to say anything and just let them insult our Qi Sect?"

Gu Changfeng nodded and looked at Cai Ling Shuang and Cheng Bu You: "Why don't you two go together?"

Cai Ling Shuang snorted coldly and did not reply.

Cheng Buyou slowly said, "Even if my junior sister and I attack together, we still can't beat you. It's not that our Sword Sect's kung fu is inferior, it's just that my aptitude is not as good as yours. Even if you learn martial arts from other sects, I still can't beat you."

Gu Changfeng smiled and said, "You're smart enough to let this go this time. If I hear those words again, you can go to the palace and become a eunuch yourself."

Cheng Buyou's face stiffened, and he instinctively covered his treasure, not daring to say a word.

A small-scale "battle of sword energy" thus came to an abrupt end.

Gu Changfeng smiled and turned to pour Ouyang Qingzhao a cup of hot tea, then asked earnestly, "Uncle-Master Ouyang, how's the investigation into the true identity of that 'Young Master Dongfang' going?"

Ouyang Qingzhao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "All the clues we have so far point to—people from the Demonic Sect."

A member of a demonic cult?!

Gu Changfeng was stunned for a moment, and his expression suddenly became serious.

Young Master Dongfang? Dongfang Bubai?!

Could it be that the conflict over sword energy, the decline of the Huashan Sect, and the involvement of the Demonic Sect were all orchestrated by them?

Ouyang Qingzhao smiled and said, "Changfeng, you are still young. There are some things you should keep in mind. No matter what the news is, whether it's rumors or hearsay, even if you see it with your own eyes, it may not be true. You should always be cautious."

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master."

Gu Changfeng bowed in thanks, then smiled and said, "Uncle-Master, your strategy of 'feigning weakness' seems to have been very successful. I wonder when you plan to launch your counterattack?"

Upon hearing this, the group all turned to look at Ouyang Qingzhao, their gazes intense.

During this period, the three families joined forces and pressed on relentlessly. Cai Ling Shuang and Cheng Bu You felt like they were being suffocated by the pressure. Even Yue Bu Qun, who had "come ashore," noticed these changes.

Looking into several pairs of burning eyes.

Ouyang Qingzhao smiled gently and said, "What's the rush? Let's wait a little longer."

Cheng Buyou immediately deflated: "Uncle-Master, given the situation, what are we waiting for?"

Just then, a gentle breeze blew from east to west, ruffling everyone's clothes and hair.

Ouyang Qingzhao's lips curled slightly upward as she slowly uttered three words: "Waiting for the wind to come!"