It was two days later when Ai Hui finally learned about the epic battle that night.
It was not that Ai Hui was slow on the uptake, but rather, it was because he had slept for two days and two nights straight.
On the first night, his snores were like the croaks of a frog in a pond in the summer, refreshing and pleasant. Two straight days and nights of his snores, however, were considered irritating, so much so that one wanted to sprinkle poison all over the pond to kill the frog.
The human race has always been heartless.
The frog, however, had not forgotten its mission.
Ai Hui’s schedule was fully packed. His most important task was to find Senior Xiao’s notes in the Grass Hall’s Hall of Ancient Records. The only way to increase the duration of time he could spend in the Grass Hall was to develop his fusion elemental energy diligently. In between developing his fusion elemental energy and searching for Senior Xiao’s notes in the Grass Hall, he would practise his swordsmanship.
His life was busy and fulfilling. He simply had no time to care about other things, and he was not interested in them either.
Meanwhile, Karakorum had become extremely lively.
Currently, Karakorum Sword League was thrust into the limelight. Its reputation surpassed even that of Dragonrise Training Hall.
The battle in Karakorum that night had caused a sensation in all of Silver City.
Karakorum Savant’s sword move was being described by everyone as divine and supernatural. The three mysterious experts had also displayed the unfathomable depths of the Karakorum Sword League.
The climax of the incident happened when the identity of the headless body was exposed.
He was the leader of the Yellowsand Bandits, Chi Zun.
The Yellowsand Bandits had been going on a rampage for many years, committing all kinds of heinous crimes. Even though they had taken countless lives, they were still outside the reach of the law. They were very powerful. Their leader, Chi Zun, was a genius in his youth. He had been viewed by many as a genius that could become a Master in the future. Unfortunately, he eventually suffered a devastating injury and his strength decreased greatly, causing him to lose the opportunity to become a Master. Because of this setback, his nature changed drastically and he sank further into depravity day by day.
Even though he could not become a Master, due to his immense talents, his strength still far surpassed that of ordinary elementalists. Within a few years, he became an infamous bandit leader.
In the past, the Yellowsand Bandits had been a bunch of petty thieves. Under Chi Zun’s leadership, they gradually became a group of notorious bandits that struck fear into people’s hearts.
Great Wei Enterprise’s strength was rather good, but they were still exterminated by the Yellowsand Bandits. This showed how vicious and powerful the Yellowsand Bandits were.
Nevertheless, the notorious Chi Zun was ultimately beheaded with a single sword move. How could a sensation not stir up in Silver City?
Just defeating or killing Chi Zun might not prove much, but beheading him with a single sword move could only mean one thing. A Master!
Only a Master could achieve such a feat.
An ordinary Master would not have sent everyone into a frenzy. What the mysterious Karakorum Savant practised was swordsmanship.
A master swordsman!
The first master swordsman in the history of the Avalon of Five Elements!
The decline of swordsmanship began when the Avalon of Five Elements was established. As the Elemental Era began, swordsmanship became useless and irrelevant. There were only some youths that continued to adore it for its grace and past glory. Elementalists viewed those self-proclaimed "master swordsmen" as just a bunch of clowns.
Its decline went so far that there was a hypothesis stating that those who liked swordsmanship were a bunch of ignorant people that liked to daydream.
No one could verify the worth of swordsmanship.
Occasionally, when one or two stunning sword moves were placed together with exquisite and fully-developed inheritances, the former would look insignificant and frail.
The mainstream idea was that swordsmanship had died out.
The fact that there had never been a legitimate master swordsman verified this idea. A Master needed to seek his or her own "path"; however, no Master had ever sought the "path" of swordsmanship. This showed everyone that swordsmanship could no longer exist in the world.
Now, however, a master swordsman had appeared.
Everyone’s common understanding towards swordsmanship completely changed in an instant.
It was not that swordsmanship did not contain a "path", but rather, no one had found it yet!
Silver City went into a frenzy. The Silver Mist Sea went into a frenzy. The Avalon of Five Elements went into a frenzy.
Even the Elders Guild immediately sent someone to commend Karakorum. The Elders Guild was willing to provide Karakorum Sword League with various resources, help them increase their influence, and offered its collection of swordplay manuals among other things.
Those bad elements that had hidden in Karakorum Sword League’s surroundings suddenly vanished into thin air.
The Karakorum Sword League immediately became the holy land of those elementalists who loved swordsmanship, which in turn resulted in Little Night Town becoming extremely lively. Swordsmanship had everyone’s new favorite field to train in. In the extravagant and lavish Silver City, numerous rich and powerful families employed a swordplay teacher. They behaved as if not having a swordplay teacher was something to be ashamed of.
Incidentally, even Karakorum Sword League’s swordplay teachers had become hot in demand.
Under such circumstances, people began to remember Chu Zhaoyang, who had previously destroyed five sword formations in a row
"Teach swordsmanship at someone’s residence?"
Ai Hui, who was being disturbed, did not try to conceal his annoyance at all.
The old prisoner had told him that the notes were on the seventh floor of the Hall of Ancient Records. Ai Hui had thought that he could easily find it with such precise information, but when he arrived at the seventh floor of the Hall of Ancient Records, he soon realised how naive he’d been.
Looking into the distance, there was no end to the rows of bookshelves. Every bookshelf was filled with tattered books and ash-colored papers. Many areas on the seventh floor were disordered and in a mess. It was unimaginably hard to find Senior Xiao’s notes in this place. The worst thing was that he did not have enough fusion elemental energy to stay long in the Hall of Ancient Records. As such, he had to train hard to develop his fusion elemental energy.
He wished that the amount of time he had could multiply, then someone had to ask him to teach swordsmanship at someone else’s residence.
He would not agree even if Karakorum Savant was the one to ask him!
Even though Karakorum Savant was wearing a face veil, Ai Hui could still see her helplessness.
Karakorum Savant continued to explain, "In the past, this family took good care of me and treated me as one of their own. If not for the fact that I’m busy right now, I would have gone personally to show my sincerity."
Ai Hui remained unmoved, maintaining a look of innocence in his eyes.
Hua Kui, who was standing behind Karakorum Savant, kept sending Ai Hui signals with his eyes. Ai Hui turned a blind eye to them. After all, he was not the one who had been cared for by that family.
"I’m very clear of the Karakorum Sword League’s teachers’ standards. The more I think about it, the more I feel that Brother Chu is most suitable for this job. I hope that Brother Chu can help me out…"
"No! I’m very busy; there are a lot of things I have to do!" Ai Hui rejected her without any hesitation.
Hua Kui’s face turned extremely ugly as he stared at Ai Hui fiercely. Ai Hui continued to pay him no attention.
"Brother Chu…" Karakorum Savant wanted to continue persuading Ai Hui, but she had never been one to fawn on others and did not know what to do.
Hua Kui quickly interjected. "Savant, give me a moment and let me have a talk with Brother Chu."
"Alright, I shall wait outside then," Karakorum Savant replied, feeling relief.
After Karakorum Savant left the courtyard, Hua Kui sputtered in Ai Hui’s face. "Didn’t you see my eye signals? Why can’t you agree? She merely asked you for a bit of help and you act like this. What’s the meaning of this?"
"I’m very busy, how would I have enough time to help her?" Ai Hui replied.
"You? Busy? Every day you hang out in the Hall of Ancient Records, how’s that considered busy? And you’re not in the training section. What are you looking for in the seventh floor’s miscellaneous section?"
A cold shiver went down Ai Hui’s spine. It appeared that someone was already observing him; however, he had already expected this to happen. A newbie like him who visited the Hall of Ancient Records every day would indeed easily arouse suspicion.
"I am, of course, looking for treasures," Ai Hui replied expressionlessly.
"What treasures?" Hua Kui’s face was filled with suspicion.
"There are so many seniors’ notebooks and records; If I search carefully, I’ll definitely find something good," Ai Hui replied in a deadpan manner.
"There are so many absolute arts you can learn, why are you still searching for treasures?" Hua Kui was still filled with doubt.
"Do I have enough Association Merit Points? Do I have enough money?" Ai Hui gave Hua Kui a look of disdain.
Compared to the Elders Guild, the Grass Hall’s artifacts and absolute arts were not only cheaper, but the way to buy them was also more flexible. One could use Association Merit Points, money, or Heaven Merit Points to purchase them.
The exchange rate between Heaven Merit Points and Association Merit Points was one to one. From this, Ai Hui felt that the Assembly of Patriarchs was really generous for aligning with the Elders Guild regarding such matters.
Hua Kui was speechless, especially when he heard the line, "Do I have enough money?" He began to sympathize with Ai Hui. "I never expected you to not only be a rookie, but also a poor man. This is all the more reason to agree to this job. You don’t have money, right? You also don’t have Association Merit Points, right? I can give them to you!"
Ai Hui looked at Hua Kui suspiciously. "Do you have money? I’ve known you for so long, yet you’ve never even treated me to a bowl of noodles."
"Fifty fusion elemental energy beans and two hundred Association Merit Points." Hua Kui was very straightforward.
Ai Hui was momentarily stunned.
Fusion elemental energy beans were an unique product of Grass Hall. These beans contained fusion elemental energy and could speed up the development of fusion elemental energy. Ai Hui still remembered the price of these beans. Each fusion elemental energy bean cost two high-grade essence elemental beans.
Two hundred Association Merit Points were equivalent to two hundred Heaven Merit Points. Ai Hui knew their worth very clearly. Grass Hall’s products were priced a lot cheaper than the Elders Guild’s. As such, two hundred Association Merit Points were worth a lot more.
"Pay first!" Ai Hui reached out his hand.
"Do I look like someone who will owe you anything?" Hua Kui looked at Ai Hui with disdain.
Upon seeing Ai Hui remain unmoved, Hua Kui passed him the fusion elemental energy beans while sulking. "In any case, I’m still your guide, can you give me some face and not be so mercenary?"
Ai Hui carefully kept the fusion elemental energy beans and replied, "I’m a rookie and a poor man."
Hua Kui restrained himself from giving this fellow a tight slap. After taking a deep breath, he started speaking again, "Be careful. This time around, there are other people too. Remember, once you reach that place, don’t ask questions you’re not supposed to ask and don’t look at things you’re not supposed to see."
"Don’t worry, I won’t be a busybody. I still need to search for treasures in the Hall of Ancient Records." Ai Hui nodded.
"Didn’t I just give you Association Merit Points?" Hua Kui furrowed his eyebrows.
"I’m a rookie and a poor man." Ai Hui gave him an innocent look.
Hua Kui could no longer stand this fellow and turned around to leave.
After a while, Karakorum Savant entered the courtyard looking extremely happy. "Thank you so much, Brother Chu. Don’t worry, Brother Chu, that senior of mine is a very nice person. Brother Chu, if you have any difficulties, feel free to tell me."
"As a member of Karakorum, it’s my bound duty to make some contributions to Karakorum. Since I will be there to teach swordsmanship, I can’t embarrass the name of Karakorum, but my sword is not really up to standard for this job…"
Hua Kui widened his eyes. Did you eat the Silverfold Plum or something?
Without any hesitation, Karakorum Savant passed her sword to Ai Hui. "This is a newly-forged sword. I shall gift it to Brother Chu."
Ai Hui quickly accepted the sword and replied, "Chief, you’re too generous. You can just give me a grass sword, really…"
Hua Kui was dumbstruck. He had never seen such a shameless person before.