Naked Sword Art

Chapter 487: Dual Cultivation Book

The scent of steamed buns and jasmine porridge lingered in the quiet inn tavern. Morning sunlight broke through the wooden lattice windows, soft and warm — a stark contrast to the tension sitting at Xiao Fang’s table.

Xiao Hei ate with her usual enthusiasm, tail swaying lazily behind her chair as she tore into a roasted meat skewer. Li Xiang sat more properly, nibbling at a steamed bun with careful grace.

Xun Wei, however, remained quiet. She had ordered nothing — only sipping from a small cup of tea. She didn’t reach for food herself, yet she never refused it when Xiao Fang occasionally lifted a piece to her lips.

She accepted each bite without complaint.

Xiao Fang himself ate slowly. He remained silent, blindfolded, and calm, while seated on a wheelchair.

Everything was pleasant — until voices from the neighboring table carried across the room.

"Did you hear? There was a huge fight just outside the Black Paradise Sect last night."

Xun Wei’s hand froze mid-motion.

The man continued, voice low and fearful.

"They say they were Heavenly Realm cultivators... Can you even imagine how eye-catching that fight must’ve been?"

"They must’ve been from the Heavenly Fate sect."

"Definitely. Where else would you find Heavenly Realm cultivator."

"But the fight happened outside of the Black Paradise sect. Do you think—"

"No way," his companion whispered harshly. "The Black Paradise sect is ranked 13th in the country. They might be the strongest sect in this province, but they can’t even hold a candle compared to the other 12 major sects in the country. They wouldn’t be so foolish to stand against the Heavenly Fate sect."

"But if the Black Paradise Sect was really responsible for it, then they’re finished."

The table beside them fell into silence — but the damage was done.

Xun Wei’s breathing had changed—subtle, but strained. After a moment, her voice finally broke through the quiet.

"They’re... likely already investigating the scene," she said, trying to keep her tone steady as her fingers curled lightly against her leg. "My master will notice I’m gone. She’ll come looking for me."

"Send a clone back if you wish," Xiao Fang said, "but I need you to remain here with me."

Xun Wei had fully expected him to tell her to leave. Hearing the opposite caught her off guard. Still, she knew he must’ve had a reason, so she nodded.

"Mn. I’ll send a clone to investigate."

A moment later, Xun Wei’s clone slipped out of the inn unnoticed, sprinting silently toward the Black Paradise Sect.

Xiao Fang turned his head toward another direction, the blindfold doing little to hide the sharp focus settling over his features—as though he were listening to someone standing just beyond sight.

’Seems that person still hasn’t made a move...’

Originally, he had planned to return to the sect for protection. But the moment he sensed the hidden presence trailing them, his plans changed instantly.

’We can’t stay here long. There’s no telling what that person is planning...’

Just as that thought surfaced, a familiar presence stirred deep within his soul sea. A pulse. A growl. A ripple of hunger.

His Cannibal Abnormal Beast was awakening.

’It’s about time. I could’ve really used your help last night,’ Xiao Fang thought inwardly.

Ever since being heavily wounded by Li Lian’s [ Exploding Star ] technique, the cannibal abnormal beast had been silently restoring itself within his soul. Now that it had fully recovered, Xiao Fang felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders.

With the beast at his side again, confronting the unknown threat outside no longer seemed impossible.

"What about us? Are we going back too?" Xiao Hei asked, blinking up at him.

"Not yet," Xiao Fang replied, sliding a small stack of coins across the table to pay for their meal. "We continue on our path."

He gestured lightly.

"Let’s go."

At his words, Xun Wei stepped behind his wheelchair and silently pushed Xiao Fang toward the door. Seeing that, Li Xiang got up as well and followed. Xiao Hei, however, was the last to leave.

"Hey—wait up! I wasn’t finished," Xiao Hei protested, still chewing on a beef skewer as she hurried after them.

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Meanwhile, in the Matriarch’s Chambers of the Black Paradise Sect, Matriarch Shi paced in quiet frustration, her thoughts divided on how to handle a delicate matter. If Yao Wu had been present, she would have assumed the Matriarch was troubled by the battle that had erupted just beyond their borders. But Matriarch Shi’s concerns lay elsewhere entirely.

Clutching the Dual Cultivation manual tightly against her chest, she paused mid-step as she finally reached a decision.

Leaving her quarters, she made her way toward the training grounds where Li Lian was cultivating. Flames coiled elegantly around the young woman’s body, clinging to her like a second set of robes. At the sound of her master’s voice, Li Lian gently descended, the fire dissipating into faint embers.

"Lian’er, my good disciple," Matriarch Shi called softly, "I need you to run a small errand for me."

Li Lian straightened, brushing a few sparks from her shoulder. "Teacher, what would you like me to do?"

Matriarch Shi held out the book with both hands. "I believe this is the manual Long Wang has been searching for. Could you bring it to him?"

Li Lian’s eyes widened ever so slightly.

’Is this... a Dual Cultivation manual?’

The cover of the manual was adorned with intricate, flowing patterns. Nothing on it was overtly indecent, yet the very design carried an unmistakable air of intimate allure—suggestive enough that its purpose was immediately clear.

"Mn. I’ll deliver it," Li Lian replied.

Matriarch Shi hesitated before handing the book over, her expression turning complicated.

"Before you give it to him, ask whether he knows who its previous owner was. She was an old friend of mine... her name was Yu An."

Li Lian wasn’t surprised in the slightest; she already knew who it used to belong to, and why Xiao Fang was trying to get his hands on it. Still, she kept that thought carefully hidden from the Matriarch.

"I’ll ask him first," she said.

Placing the book into her spatial pouch, she bowed lightly and departed without delay.

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Meanwhile, far from the sect grounds, Xiao Fang sat quietly in his wheelchair as Xun Wei pushed him along the village road.

The pain from last night’s backlash still pulsed relentlessly through his body. It was more tolerable than before, but it remained sharp enough to crowd out nearly every other thought.

They had already traveled a considerable distance away from the village, and Xiao Fang could tell from the silence around them that no one else was nearby for miles. Yet the presence tailing them still hadn’t made a move.

Xiao Fang let out a slow, tired sigh before slowly raising a hand, prompting everyone to stop.

"Why did we stop?" Li Xiang asked.

Xiao Fang tilted his head slightly, his blindfold fluttering in the breeze.

"It must be tiring," he said calmly, "following us all this way."

Xun Wei, Xiao Hei, and Li Xiang all looked around, but their senses found nothing.

Silence answered him.

Xiao Fang’s lips frowned faintly.

"Senior... how long are you planning to hide?"

A few moments later, a figure finally stepped out of the shadows. Her white Core Court robes fluttered in the wind, their embroidered hems catching the fading light. One graceful hand lifted to brush aside the curtain of long black hair that swept across her face, revealing delicate features—bright eyes framed by long lashes, a refined nose, and lips soft enough to seem almost painted.

Elegant, composed, and effortlessly captivating, the woman stood before them like a portrait come to life.

It was Xiao Fang’s assigned mentor — Yu Qiuyan.

"Your detection skills are quite remarkable," she spoke softly. "When did you notice I was following you?"

"Ever since we left the village," Xiao Fang replied.

"So you noticed me since then. Truly impressive."

Xiao Fang lied. He had sensed her much earlier than that — last night, the moment the rain stopped on their way to the village, he heard her following them. Whether she was after him or not was still unclear, but one thing was for sure, she saw him fight those Heavenly Fate disciples.

"Senior, do you mind telling me why you were following us?"