Chapter 44
Chapter 44
The eighth lunar month had just begun, marking the start of autumn across the land. It was the season of high waters on the Yushui River, as its surging currents relentlessly battered the cliffs along its banks, snaring the boats traveling its course and accelerating their speed downstream.
Every year at this time, most small boats along the shore dared not set out. Only massive galleys, like the one Chen Shu and a few others had sailed, stood a chance of ferrying merchants laden with goods across the treacherous currents that rendered the Yushui River a natural moat. This was a matter of careful calculation for boatmen, and many onshore residents familiar with the Yushui understood this well. Travelers, even if unaware, could usually glean the peril from the boatmen’s sky-high fares.
Diancang Pass, positioned at the convergence of several tributaries feeding into the Yushui, was particularly fierce and swift. Merely observing the sheer cliffs along one bank revealed centuries of erosion etched into the stone by the relentless tides.
Yet, despite these dangers, the slow, winding Yushui remained the great river traversing east and west, flowing between strategic passes and major cities. Countless traders and escort masters crossed its waters day after day, year after year. Fishing boats avoided the flood season; passenger vessels reinforced their hulls. Humans had to survive; life had to go on. Over the years, except for a few reckless small fishing boats that insisted on operating during the flood season and capsized, things were largely ‘peaceful’. Even those sparse capsizings, fresh tragedies when they occurred, gradually faded from public consciousness after the second or third incident. As time passed, the superstitious claimed the river spirit had claimed them; the traditionalists declared they’d ignored hard-won experience and paid the price. Such losses became commonplace; news of these casualties often never even reached Liu Mao, the Protector, let alone ascended to the Emperor’s ears.
However, this long habit of numbness and tolerance yielded not peace, but invited a monstrous disaster.
Chen Shu shielded Xu Qiong, wielding her sword to resist while secretly shaping a glyph with her fingers. She managed to block the onrushing tide.
One wave crashed past, then another, but Xu Qiong, sheltered by Chen Shu, barely suffered a splash. She stood stunned, staring wide-eyed. This lack of composure was uncharacteristic, reflecting stark fear and perhaps, a stirring within. For all her maturity, Xu Qiong was still young, fresh from her secluded sect life where she’d focused solely on sword training. She had never experienced such selfless protection, nor could she imagine immediately laying down her life so unhesitatingly for another—especially not for someone she’d just been locked in a fight to the death with mere moments before.
Yet Chen Shu had flown forward with startling simplicity. That slight frame, wielding a slender sword, had shielded her from the overwhelming wave without a second thought, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Those below the Sword Discussion Platform were far less fortunate.
Though the wave crashing against the platform was terrifying, it was just a swell, just a deluge of river water. Falling from the sky onto the towering Sword Discussion Platform, raised high among the clouds and sturdy from years of martial contests, the wave remained simply water—dangerous only for sweeping a few unfortunates from the spectator stands to break their legs on the fall.
In stark contrast, below the spectator stands, on the iron bridges, and especially on the already submerged ground within the Sword Debate Arena, a living hell had unfolded.
The surge that had overtopped the platform proved the catastrophic deluge had breached Diancang Pass. This crucial pass straddled the Yushui River, one flank against sheer cliffs, the other against Mount Mu—itself no low foothill. Built both to facilitate river traffic, housing ferries, and as a bridge connecting the cliffs on either side, the Pass served as a vital land-link.
Thus, caught in the flood, Diancang Pass became a dam built of human flesh and city walls. Fortified over centuries and battle-hardened to near impenetrability, the floodwaters, unable to sweep through, now slammed against its defenses. Trapped within the city, the tide churned and surged, rising higher, crashing harder. Tens of thousands of residents and the throngs of spectators who’d come from all directions for the Sword Discussion Tournament were scattered, drowned, and tossed like flotsam in the maelstrom that swept up from the river’s depths.
A chorus of anguished cries filled the air.
The first, tallest wave passed. The Sword Discussion Platform became a quiet island amidst chaos. Looking down, Chen Shu saw the faces that moments ago had been cheering her name, now contorted masks of terror bobbing in the water.
The buzz and clamor still lingered in her ears, but beneath it, clear now, came moans and screams of pain.
Not just Xu Qiong; even Chen Shu was stunned. The dignitaries in the stands gripped their seats, trembling in fright. Shen Jie stood up, ripping the sleeve of her sodden official robe with one hand, her voice sharp as a blade slicing the air:
“Rescue!”
A few figures leapt into the water below. But many more remained on the stands, pretending ignorance, merely watching. Chen Shu turned towards Shen Jie and saw that she hadn’t gone in either. Instead, Shen Jie spun and seized Liu Mao by the collar. “Where are your men?” she hissed. “Are you just going to stand by?”
“Most patrolmen within the city likely struggle for their own lives now. As for the guards atop the walls, or those resting in camps outside… those forces cannot be mobilized,” Liu Mao replied. “Besides, rescue within such a surge is no simple matter. I understand your urgency, Right Supervisor Shen, but this flood is unnatural. It very well could be the work of…”
Shen Jie likely grasped the evasion in his words halfway through. She gave a cold snort. Instead of arguing further, she turned her piercing gaze to the Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance.
Drenched like everyone else but maintaining markedly more composure than Liu Mao, the Leader forestalled her question. He clasped his fists, ignoring the grit and mud streaking his face from the water, and declared: “Righteous ones have already leapt in—the warrior in white is the Young Valley Master of Biyang Valley… naturally, the Martial World Alliance must also set an example!” With that, he tore off his outer robe and plunged into the torrent below.
His dive spurred not just a few from the Martial World Alliance, but also delegates from several major sects. Exchanging tense glances, they clenched their teeth, bowed to Shen Jie (whose expression remained thunderous), and, one after another, dove into the churning water with a series of splashes.
Soon, individuals skilled in swimming rescued people, bringing the fortunate survivors to the Sword Discussion Platform and the nearby pavilions. Seeing Shen Jie’s expression soften, she discarded her torn court robes and prepared to leap into the water. But Liu Mao spoke heavily, “The flood has not receded; at this moment, saving people is merely a drop in the bucket. Right Supervisor, as a noble figure, you surely understand this logic, right?”
“What? Now you won’t save people, hoping the gods will descend to shield you from this overwhelming river?” Shen Jie countered. After saying this, she ignored Liu Mao and jumped into the water.
Xu Qiong, terrified until now, was finally shaken awake by Shen Jie’s leap. She turned to Chen Shu, trembling, and said, “Why don’t we…”
“I’ll borrow your sword again,” Chen Shu replied.
“…What?”
But Chen Shu had no time to respond further; she stood up and, under the astonished gazes on the Sword Discussion Platform, leaped—not into the water below the platform, but into the sky, towards the horizon unblocked by the mountain ranges, directly towards the source of the flood!
—Ordinary people could not do this, but she was different. She was a sword cultivator, the eighth generation leader of Tian Yu Mountain, and a disciple of the Longjun Sword, Chen Shu!
With this leap, Chen Shu stepped onto the exposed eaves of several rooftops amid the flood, moving as if walking on flat ground. In just a few moments, she vanished from everyone’s sight.
The Sword Discussion Platform stood in the middle of the city, and Chen Shu rushed toward the dock they had used to enter. She saw that the once orderly wharf had already been submerged; the tide was higher and more violent than within the city, floating only the corpses of the dead and wooden debris, as each more aggressive wave slammed them back underwater.
The guards at the city gate had mostly perished or fled. Compared to the wails echoing from within the city, the entrance was significantly quieter; one could hardly hear cries, only the sound of water incessantly crashing against the city walls, gathering strength to charge again towards Diancang Pass.
Again and again, the sounds sent chills down one’s spine.
Chen Shu stood on the city wall, leaping to retrieve two nearly breathless guards before looking into the distance at the thin line of sky at the far end, behind the crumbling walls. A faint sound began to emerge. She tossed the two guards to the ground, held her breath, and in the blink of an eye, a wave even more ferocious than before surged toward her from the river, its force unstoppable, crashing directly at the city gate!
Taking a deep breath, she recalled the few incantations her master had drummed into her, infusing her sword with spiritual energy. With a flick of her wrist, she soared toward the wave!
Having descended the mountain for days, this was her first time completely unleashing her cultivation without holding back. With her sword as a guide, the tumultuous, intangible yet immense spiritual energy erupted forth, meeting the rushing flood at Diancang Pass head-on. The two forces clashed. While the flood surged mightily, Chen Shu stood alone, taking a half step back to steady herself, and truly managed to hold back the overwhelming flood, not allowing a single drop to breach her barrier!
However, her spiritual energy was limited. As she held the water back, the force of the flood did not weaken; instead, it united with the next wave, advancing more rapidly. Looking up, the turbid waves rose up again, rushing toward her!
Even Chen Shu found herself at a loss. She gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and pushed her spiritual energy outward with all her might, not retreating, willing to gamble everything—
At that moment, a barely perceptible magic energy mingled with her vast yet chaotic spiritual energy, effortlessly twisting it into a single strand, rendering the surging flood unable to advance!
Someone had used a talisman!
Chen Shu sensed this and turned to look; a figure flashed between the pavilions at the city gate, appearing somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t recall who it was at that moment.
Before long, the mountain flood was stopped from surging into the city, and the last wave was blocked, flowing down the previously clear passage towards Diancang Pass.
For now, this deluge was temporarily held back.
Chen Shu finally caught her breath and was about to take off to find the person who had just helped her when she heard a familiar voice calling her.
“Chen Shu!”
It was Yun Shen.
She quickly turned around, not caring that Yun Shen could see her soaring in the air, frowning and asking, “What are you doing here? The city gate is very dangerous!”
“Stopping this flood can only buy us time!” Yun Shen replied without answering her question, bracing against the city wall, looking drenched and miserable. He called out to her, “Diancang Pass is built over Yushui; the banks are high on either side. The next wave of mountain flood will surely breach it! If the water in the city cannot drain, those who can’t swim will still—”
“Ugh, get to the point!” Chen Shu shouted back urgently.
“—He Yu and the others are trying to break through the city wall on the other side. While we still have time before the next flood comes, hurry and help! If the water doesn’t drain from the city, it’ll be too late!”