The Demon Swordsman 2
Ch. 2 - Beyond the Devil Sword
"Don't be so hard, if his father hears you're gonna be killed!"
The four young men passed by just like that, Xin Chen looked at their backs still a little dreamy. But for a moment a helping hand was thrust at him, Xin Chen raised his face.
"Dad? That's... I'm sorry, but I promised to show you my progress. Precisely now just showing my defeat again and again."
"You've improved a little, you just need to practice." Xin Fai calmed the son down, she knew Xin Chen was going through a lot of pressure.
Neither from the mouths of those who gossiped at him nor from Xin Zhan. His brother had stood a hundred steps ahead of him. Even though Xin Chen still had a strong desire to surpass Xin Zhan and prove to people that he was not as weak as they thought he was. But seeing his current strength was already impossible.
Xin Chen looked at his palm that was filled with scratches as well as blood. "Dad, do you think I can surpass Zhan Gege?"
The wind just passed by. Xin Zhan had entered the house with Ren Yuan and Xin Xia. While Lan An himself paid back because there are some things that must be taken care of first. Of course she left after slightly teasing Xin Xia.
Xin Fai replied calmly. "You're thinking of surpassing your brother?"
"Does that sound impossible?"
"You're not thinking of surpassing me?" Xin Fai managed to make his son speechless in a thousand languages. His eyeballs can catch the anxiety there. Xin Chen was still afraid to admit to himself.
"You want to be recognized by people, and you yourself don't acknowledge yourself. People's talk isn't your benchmark or not, is it?"
However Xin Chen refuted with a slight uplift of his voice, "I've been training as much as possible, but look, the more days are just getting left behind from him. I have absolutely no talent for fighting. Ah, forget it, Dad."
Xin Chen cleared his weapon from the ground in disappointment. Since long ago he always believed his father's words that he was not weak but only lack of practice.
But today he understood, those words were just to comfort him. Xin Zhan will be forever adored and he is called useless. Perhaps it was his destiny to accept such a bitter reality.
"If you don't train your sword, who will protect us? If only, one day the enemy would attack and kill me and your mother and you yourself are not good at using the sword, would you just watch your parents die?"
When Xin Fai said it, he remembered himself in the past, when his father was beheaded and he could only see fear and then go to save his own life. It was the hardest day he had ever been through.
His words earlier managed to make Xin Chen stop walking.
"The sword was created not to be recognized as the greatest, but to protect those you hold dear. I didn't see the results of your training at all, but how did you keep practicing until this afternoon. I think I'm pretty proud to have a kid like you."
Tears began to bathe in Xin Chen's eyes, the little boy ran over and hugged his father tightly.
Long time no see Xin Fai and get words of entertainment from her after being scorned by people so long makes Xin Chen can feel a calm breath.
"I'll be as good as you are, Dad! Beyond Xin Zhan and Uncle Lan An! Until you see it, you must live. I promise I'll protect you." Xin Chen said it with certainty, as if he had gone through hundreds of fights between life and death.
Of course Xin Fai responded to that with enthusiasm as well. On the other hand he recalled Ren Yuan's words about Xin Chen, making him shake his head for a bit. Choose not to think about it.
Xin Zhan secretly peeked at them, feeling jealous of Xin Chen. His little hand was tightly clenched. Even though he had been acknowledged by everyone, he still did not feel satisfied. Because his father's attention was more focused on Xin Chen.
Clouds darken with the loss of solar luminescence in the western horizon. Xin Zhan passed through the stone bridges decorated by the river flowing beneath him, watching the sky that began the night alone.
Even though he was still young, his mind was more mature than the children of his age. He had learned a lot from his own father and wanted to be like him.
Of the many new warriors that had appeared in the Shang Empire in the past ten years, which was believed to be the Empire's glorious period none of them were able to impress Xin Zhan. Only his father continued to bravely advance in every fight, his footing never retreated even though thousands of incisions had ripped through his body.
"Ah, I want to be like her..." Xin Zhan raised his hand upwards, about to touch the moon above with his hand. "But I'm still too far from my grasp."
"If you think so, then I will take that position first. I'll be the next Imperial Pillar, you just back off and whine there at Mom!"
"You-" Xin Zhan said anxiously. "You should have been there crying to Uncle Lan! Every time you lose a fight, he will spoil you. And Dad... Father must have defended you," Xin Zhan scolded.
Xin Chen held a bland smile. "They only comforted me because I was weak, just that. You don't have to feel rivaled."
Immediately without giving a pause Xin Zhan replied, "Right! Without you explaining, you are weak. Even to open the ten inner circle of energy alone was already a tribulation. You are useless." Xin Zhan turned his body irritated, not intending to prolong the conversation with his foolish sister
Again as usual Xin Chen could only accept the piercing words. He knows he has no defense. In fact what Xin Zhan said was absolutely right.
He was still lousy in using his inner power, even though Xin Fai had spent a lot of his money to buy the most expensive resources for the sake of developing his inner power.
For that reason too, the Book of Seven Keys was given to Xin Zhan. At just 9 years old, Xin Zhan can control spirits as he pleases. He used that power in battle. Making Xin Chen who was standing behind him feel even more left behind.
Meanwhile, Xin Chen could not use the Lightning Step Book that his father had given him. He studied the book day, night, evening and early morning to practice brisk walking on water. Instead of being able to run like a horse, all he got was himself unconscious and drowning at the bottom of the water. It was fortunate that day that Ren Yuan immediately saved him.
Of all that he had been through, it was only natural that Xin Chen felt that he would not be able to surpass Xin Zhan or his father. The words were about to become the Imperial Pillar itself he used to console himself.
"Someday, I want to be the weak one who protects everything. There's no need to be strong to be able to protect people, mother told me herself." Xin Chen's defense was not heard by anyone, Xin Zhan had left him alone on the bridge.
Suddenly the birds hiding in the forest flew out simultaneously accompanied by the sound of Xin Zhan's cry. As soon as Xin Chen panicked instead of playing, he turned his head left right and recalled where Xin Zhan was going then followed him as quickly as possible.
***