Remould the Glory of Sword Art
Chapter 53 - 53 53 Unparalleled Pair

53: Chapter 53: Unparalleled Pair 53: Chapter 53: Unparalleled Pair Thousands of miles away, in the Great Chu Imperial City.

The night was deep and silent, a flickering candle in the study cast light upon a young face of delicate features.

Hundreds of bamboo slips floated arrayed before the desk.

The characters carved inside the bamboo slips, resembling tadpoles, leapt out and swirled around the youth—

Although the room was deserted, the youth still sat very upright, his back as if braced by an invisible rod, his eyes clear as mirrors.

At that moment, he waved his sleeve.

Countless tadpoles swooped back into the bamboo slips.

Accompanied by a crisp clattering sound, the slips all darted away, hiding within the study’s niches, leaving only one that spread a vibrant green glow revealing the current scene at the Jiang family’s mansion in Lichao City.

Chen Jingxuan smiled and reached out to grasp the bamboo slip.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Xie Xuanyi took the Ruyi Order from Jiang Qihu’s hand and slowly infused a strand of Soul Fire into it.

…

…

The scene of their meeting within the magical artifact was somewhat different.

This time, the illusory scene for their divine souls to meet.

It was inside the “Supreme Dao Library” in Great Chu Imperial City.

Under the shroud of Divine Soul.

If one wished not to meet face-to-face, one could draw forth the fog to obscure their appearance.

Xie Xuanyi, of course, would not meet with his “true face.”

But Chen Jingxuan had no such concerns.

He sat before the desk, hands on his knees, with sleeves fluttering, surrounded by countless scrolls, resembling a Confucian immortal.

Xie Xuanyi sat on the other side of the desk, dressed in black clothes, simple to the extreme.

In comparison to Chen Jingxuan, he appeared rather dull and lackluster.

Yet, the posture of both men was relaxed, as if old friends were reuniting after many years.

Unfortunately, there were no tea cups or fine wine on the desk, only a stack of thick books and two dim, flickering candles.

“Master Chen, I’ve long admired your great reputation,” said Xie Xuanyi, looking at the familiar face he hadn’t seen in ten years and beginning to speak with a smile.

Chen Jingxuan.

The weight of this name was significant.

So significant that despite being only three characters long, it commanded serious attention from all sects and noble families throughout the Dachu Dynasty.

In the past, there was a saying in the Dachu Dynasty about “Xie of the south and Chen of the north, unsurpassed and unmatched”… The ‘Xie’ here referring to Xie Xuanyi from Jiangning, who ascended to the status of Sword Dao Leader.

And ‘Chen’ was Chen Jingxuan, the garrison commander stationed in the Imperial City, who guarded the Apocalyptic Secrets.

“What should I call you?”

Chen Jingxuan smiled slightly, his clear eyes looking straight at the fog-enshrouded murky divine soul before him.

Xie Xuanyi felt an illusion of being “seen through.”

“The name is unimportant,” said Xie Xuanyi softly.

“Just call me ‘Jia Liu’.”

Chen Jingxuan hummed softly in response.

He suddenly brought up a topic completely unrelated to their meeting, “Sixty years ago, the Mo Zhen Battle, where over a hundred garrison commanders perished in the Northern Territory, ultimately culminated with the death of the ‘Mo Zhen Great Venerate’ who sacrificed his life for the country, repelling the Demon Country beyond the Jia Yong Gate.

Many cultivators joined forces to set up a grand formation, clearly segregating Da Chu from the Demon Country by a great chasm.”

Xie Xuanyi faltered for a moment, somewhat bewildered.

“Although Mo Zhen Great Venerate is dead, the Demon Country’s aspiration to move south has not perished,” continued Chen Jingxuan slowly.

“In recent years, at least three Great Venerates have tried to stir up chaos within the Da Chu territory, relying on the ‘ashes’ from the northern battle to set up spy networks and manipulate the hearts of the people… If I’m not mistaken, the one behind ‘Jia Liu’ should be the Sun Swallowing Venerate from the Western Desolate Great Marsh?”

“…”

Of course, Xie Xuanyi didn’t respond, maintaining his silence.

“Interesting.”

Chen Jingxuan’s body slightly leaned forward, wanting to get a bit closer to Jia Liu.

But this distance… made Xie Xuanyi feel uncomfortable.

He slightly withdrew backward.

Chen Jingxuan, catching the movement, lowered his gaze with a soft chuckle, stopping his advance and asked softly, “Shouldn’t you say something?

Surely you didn’t go through all this trouble to just meet from a distance with your divine soul?”

“Of course… not.”

Xie Xuanyi shook his head, steadying his mind.

It had been ten years since he had last seen Chen Jingxuan, whose realm had become even more unfathomable.

Although they were meeting because of the Ruyi Order, Xie Xuanyi felt an unsettling sensation, as if getting any closer would see him thoroughly exposed.

“I am Jia Liu, but Jia Liu…

is not me.”

Xie Xuanyi spoke succinctly, calmly opening up, “The real Jia Liu has already died outside Lichao City.

Tonight, I wish to speak with you alone.”

Chen Jingxuan’s face did not betray any sign of surprise.

He smiled and said, “Your Excellency…

seems to know quite a lot of formidable things.”

In this world, not many are qualified to have a private conversation with the Little National Master.

But Chen Jingxuan did not refuse the “uninvited guest”; instead, he offered Xie Xuanyi utmost respect and patience.

After speaking his earlier sentence, he assumed a listening pose, quietly sitting at the side of the desk, waiting for what would come next.

“…”

Xie Xuanyi took a deep breath.

He slightly lowered his gaze.

Scenes of memories flashed through his mind.

When Xie Xuanyi heard from Jia Liu’s Soul Sea about Dragon Wood Venerable revealing the traitor Jiang Qihu, he felt as if struck by lightning and did not recover for a long time.

Who was Jiang Qihu?

After the war of loyalty, he was among those in the Da Chu who hated the Demon Country the most…

It could be said he was resolutely loyal to Da Chu!

How could such a person betray?

However, after regaining his senses, Xie Xuanyi slowly unraveled the deeper “game” at play.

The news about the Bai Ze Secret Realm was a major secret.

Only a character like Jiang Qihu, when releasing such information, would make the Demon Country believe…

Dragon Wood Venerable went through great pains, by all means, trying to send Bai Ze’s finger bone to Lichao City.

This was the Demon Country’s attempt to trust Jiang Qihu; actually, whether he truly betrayed or not wasn’t important to them.

What mattered was whether the Bai Ze Secret Realm was real.

And whether that Supreme Taoist Treasure, the “Dao Brush,” capable of erasing the Divine Soul Mark from the master’s treasure, was real.

After the battle of Chenqing Mountain.

There was something Xie Xuanyi still couldn’t understand…

On the Qing State side, what was the purpose of intentionally releasing information about the Bai Ze Secret Realm to the Demon Country?

Now, after seeing Chen Jingxuan.

He finally understood.

Out of nowhere, Xie Xuanyi recalled the earnest words of the Taoist Lu Yuzhen on the Carp Tide River.

“‘Brother Xuanyi, since you’ve come once again, why not let go of your status and truly enjoy this life.'”

“‘The scheme in Lichao City is indeed very intriguing.'”

That’s how it was.

That was the meaning behind the scheme of Lichao City.

Xie Xuanyi silently smiled.

He said self-mockingly, “Actually, I had always not understood…

how a person like Jiang Qihu could betray Da Chu?”

“?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Jingxuan slightly raised an eyebrow.

“But now I know the answer.”

Xie Xuanyi spoke softly, “Sometimes, betrayal is a form of loyalty too.

And…

in the game of Lichao City, nobody cares whether he betrays or not.”

“What’s important is whether the information Jiang Qihu provided is reliable—whether Bai Ze Secret Realm is real or not.”

He raised his head, gazing at the Little National Master in front of him, his large sleeves fluttering.

“This most crucial piece of information seems to have been released by Jiang Qihu.”

“But in reality…

it was you.”

Chen Jingxuan did not argue or say anything.

He simply gazed quietly at the slender figure shrouded in black mist in front of him, his gaze having been fixed on Xie Xuanyi for quite some time.

A moment later.

Chen Jingxuan asked deliberately, “You seem very certain that Jiang Qihu would not betray his country.

Why is that?”