On the way, some people from the village came up to her and greeted her. She waved in response one by one, appearing very approachable.
She now doesn't look at all like the sword-wielding knight who was traveling on the official road in her fourth life and whose first thought when seeing someone was "whether I want to kill the other person", nor does she look like the blood-stained woman who committed dozens of major crimes in Qinxie Changxiang, nor does she look like the cold and stern empress in the palace.
At this moment, Xi Heng just seemed like an ordinary person who appeared to be quite natural on the surface.
At least... that was the case before the donkey cart arrived at the village entrance.
Approaching the hunchback driver on the donkey cart, Xi Heng took out a few ounces of silver from his purse and threw it over to him.
The silver coins bounced against the wooden cart board, and the pleasant sound immediately attracted the attention of the donkey cart driver.
"Go to Jinshi City." Xi Heng said naturally.
"Jinshi?" The driver picked up the silver and swallowed his saliva, saying, "Jinshi City is not worth going to. Not only is the road winding and difficult to travel, but there are also bandits and refugees. I don't want to risk my life."
Xi Heng had heard this sentence before, and did not explain it as he did before. He simply clapped his hands on the side of the donkey cart, using a little strength, and the whole donkey cart jumped.
"Are you going or not?" she asked casually after showing a little strength.
"Go! Go!" The old driver trembled all over, and the next moment he sprained his waist. He closed his eyes and cried out in pain.
Xi Heng casually jumped onto the donkey cart, lightly tapped the other person's back with his finger, and pushed the protruding lumbar disc back.
"Let's go," she said.
The driver in front was stunned again, and nodded in agreement.
In fact, Xi Heng could go even faster if he used his Qinggong skills to run over quickly.
But since she could go there sitting down, she didn't want to run there.
……
The donkey cart bumped along the winding path between the mountains and forests. Half a day later, the huge Jinshi City appeared before their eyes.
There was a large, clear lake beside the city, with many fishermen rowing or fishing on it. The evening sunlight reflected on the lake, creating red and yellow ripples.
A solid grey-blue city wall stood in the front, with many guards patrolling and watching on the wall. Below, countless figures were queuing up. Few of them had cars and horses, and most of them were just civilians, such as fishermen who had caught fish and wanted to take them into the city to sell.
Xi Heng got off the donkey cart and went to line up at the front city gate.
"You have to pay forty coins to enter the city." The guard at the city gate spread his hands mechanically.
The girl pinched out a few old copper coins and threw them lightly. The other party took the coins and let her in.
Returning to the familiar huge Jinshi City and walking through the relatively lively commercial street, Xi Heng subconsciously recalled the gloomy, dilapidated and cruel scenes he saw when he left the city in his previous life, which corresponded one by one to the peaceful scenes around him.
Xi Heng still remembered the fire that engulfed half of the inner city, and the chaotic hell on earth that was inside the city when the Tianliang army was at the gates.
When she closed her eyes, she saw the same scenes from the past; when she opened her eyes, she still saw the peaceful and harmonious scene, which really made her feel strange.
Looking around, he walked slowly along the familiar road towards his destination - Red Line Sword Academy.
Half an hour later, Xi Heng finally arrived at the gate of the Sword Academy. The Hongxian Sword Academy was indeed a bit remote, and one had to take a long detour to get there.
There were two small stone lions standing in front of the door, and a gray-black plaque hung high above the faded vermilion lacquer door, with the three characters "Sword" written in blood-red thread.
Outside the door was a flat loess lot with many dry leaves scattered around.
There was an old man in simple clothes, holding a long bamboo broom in both hands, sweeping the broken leaves on the ground steadily.
The broken leaves were swept into a ball, but would be blown into disarray by the autumn wind from time to time.
If this continues for a long time, I don’t know how long it will take to clean it up.
However, the old woman sweeping the floor didn't care. She just waved the broom slowly, as if she just wanted to experience the process and didn't care about the goal.
Xi Heng took small steps closer, and the sound of his cloth shoes was almost the same as the other person's sweeping sound.
rustle……
The old man in the front moved his ears slightly, stopped what he was doing, and looked up at the person coming.
She opened her mouth slightly and raised her hand to rub her eyes, not caring at all about the dust that accidentally got on the back of her hand while cleaning.
Xi Heng approached within five meters and said bluntly:
"Elder Hong, I am here to practice martial arts."
She had read the secret manual of the Red Line Sword Technique's hidden power, and at the end of the secret manual was written the name of the elder of the Sword Academy - Hong Lianzhan.
"..."
However, the other party just stared at her blankly, his body seemed to be frozen and motionless.
In the summer, the warm breeze at sunset slowly swept across this place, blowing Xi Heng's smooth hair that was simply tied into a single ponytail, and also brushing the crooked, dry and pale hair on the temples of the elders of the Sword Academy in front of him.
Seeing the other party's dazed look, Xi Heng called out softly again:
"Elder Red?"
After a while, the elder of the Red Line Sword Academy gradually regained consciousness, and the answer he spoke was the same words as before:
"Senior Sister Qianqiu?"
Xi Heng finally understood why his cheap master from his previous life, who should have been very reliable, looked so dull just now, and sighed softly:
"Is it so easy to admit your mistakes?"
How much does her aunt look like her?
It was fine that Zhao Qianyuan mistook her for someone else when she was wearing a veil before, but why was she mistaken for someone else this time in front of the elders of the Sword Academy?
Xi Heng could only wave his hands and explain: "Zhao Qianqiu is my aunt, you are mistaken."
"Aunt?" With the three words Zhao Qianqiu, the other party finally listened to Xi Heng's words.
"People often tell me that I look like my aunt..." Xi Heng explained.
"...Why are you here?" The elder of the Sword Academy hesitated for a moment and asked.
The niece of an old friend whom she hadn't seen for more than ten years suddenly came to see her, and she could not guess her purpose.
"I also practice the Bloodline Sword. Now I have just started to learn the dark energy, and there are still many moves I have not learned. I hope to find a quiet place to practice martial arts... But now I have no valuables or money. I heard that Elder Hong has a sword academy in Jinshi City, so I asked the fellow elders to take me in for a while." Xi Heng didn't say any nonsense.
"Dark Power? Take him in?" The elder of the Sword Academy was still puzzled: "If you already have Dark Power, and you are so young, can't you go anywhere in the world?"
"I still like it here." Xi Heng chuckled and said, "It's always better to practice martial arts with swordsmen from the same sect."
The elder kept staring at Xi Heng, his eyes sweeping from his head to his feet and then back again, and said simply: "You are the descendant of an old friend... and you don't look like you have any bad intentions, so come if you want."
"Thank you, Elder." Xi Heng clasped his fists and bowed.
Before she finished speaking, the other party asked again:
"Where is Senior Sister Qianqiu now?"
"My aunt joined the Northern Army when I was young and fought against the Yan Meng Kingdom. I heard that my aunt fell into an enemy trap during a battle and there was no news of her since then." Xi Heng explained frankly.
"Yeah……"
The old man in front of him was not surprised, but just sad and disappointed: "For warriors like us who use killing swords to kill, the end will not be good in the end..."
"Please accept my condolences, Elder Hong." Xi Heng tried to comfort him.
The other party was her cheap master. Although her mood had become increasingly indifferent due to repeated reloads, she still had some humanity in her heart.
"Let's not talk about this." The elder shook his head: "A dark energy warrior has come to seek refuge, which is also a good thing for my small sword academy. I will take you into the academy."
The girl clasped her fists and said, "Thank you, Elder."
In front of this cheap master, Xi Heng, who was quite rude to ministers, eunuchs and princesses in the palace, behaved quite politely.
The faded vermilion thick door was pushed open, revealing a familiar road and floral decorations. A small bamboo surrounded by boulders stood nearby, swaying slightly in the breeze and making a trembling sound.
Several familiar-looking junior sisters were swinging swords in the training ground. Their movements were very regular, but their sword skills were far from hers, and it looked like they had never killed anyone.
As for why she is called a junior sister, it is naturally because she has already achieved dark energy. No matter how old she is, as long as she is a red line sword warrior who is still under the dark energy level, she is qualified to call her a junior sister.
After passing an elegant flower bed with colorful flowers competing for beauty, and following the cobblestone path, you can reach the halls inside.
Inside the hall, Senior Sister Hong Miao was still sitting cross-legged, practicing her internal energy, as if to strengthen her Qi and blood.
A few incense sticks were emitting green smoke slowly, adding some smoky aroma to the surroundings.
"Hong Miao, a distinguished guest is coming." said the elder.
"Distinguished guest?" Hong Miao had obviously rarely heard these two words. There was confusion in her eyes when she turned around.
"Hello, senior sister." Xi Heng greeted cheerfully.
Her personality should be considered a little introverted, but after all, the other party was quite familiar with Senior Sister Hong Miao, so she became cheerful instead.
In the eyes of others, Xi Heng might seem a little too familiar.
"Senior Sister?" Hong Miao tilted her head:
"Are you here to learn martial arts? No, judging from your appearance and temperament, your strength should be quite strong..."
"She is the niece of one of my senior sisters. She is also practicing the Bloodline Sword and has just started to learn the Dark Force. She wants to come to the courtyard to practice her moves and sword skills."
"The niece of the elder's senior sister?"
"Yeah." Xi Heng nodded obediently and said, "Because I, ahem, because my father doesn't love me and my mother doesn't love me, I don't have any relatives to turn to, and I don't have much money on me. I hope your hospital can take me in for a while."
Senior Sister Hong Miao asked: "You have already mastered the hidden power in martial arts, why do you need to be taken in? Even if you want to open a martial arts school on your own in the city, the families in the inner city will compete to sponsor and support you, not to mention a young genius like you..." What Hong Miao said was not much different from what the elder had said just now.
"We don't want to be self-reliant." Xi Heng yawned, "It will be easier to seek refuge with a fellow sister."
Rather than facing the world alone right away, she wanted to relax her tense state of mind at the Red Line Sword Academy.
Compared to the luxurious palace or any other precious places, even compared to Hua Manlou where maids always served him... Xi Heng still felt that the Sword Academy where there were familiar people was better.
Even these acquaintances don't recognize her yet.
"How did you get the dark power when you are so lazy..." Senior Sister Hong Miao glanced at him.
"Who knows? Maybe it's just my talent." Xi Heng said naturally.
"Tsk." Senior sister seemed very dissatisfied with her attitude.
Xiheng blinked.
It was obvious that in my previous two lives, the other party had always been very friendly since the first time they met.
After becoming a dark energy in this life, Senior Sister Hong Miao's initial impression of her became worse. Why?
...But there shouldn't be any problem. As we get to know each other better, our relationship will get better, right?
"By the way, what's your name?" the elder changed the subject.
"Zhao Xiheng, just call me Xiheng." The girl raised the corners of her mouth.
"Well, the one in front of you is Hong Miao, who is in charge of the Sword Academy. She entered the Dark Force three years ago, and you are new to the Dark Force, so you can call her Senior Sister."
"Senior Sister." Xi Heng nodded and called her gently.
But Senior Sister Hong Miao didn’t seem to appreciate it and just said “oh” coldly.
Obviously, when she called her "Senior Sister" in her previous lives, she would always call her name with a faint smile...
Xi Heng was a little uncomfortable.
"Hong Miao, arrange a house and a place in the courtyard for her, and I will go back first."
"Okay." She still obeyed the elder's words: "Elder, please take a good rest."
The elder of the Sword Academy just nodded lightly, then turned and left.
In the hall, only Xi Heng and Senior Sister Hong Miao were left.
"Come with me." Hong Miao said nothing more and started to do her job in a businesslike manner.
"Oh..." Xi Heng pouted as she followed behind. She still liked her senior sister's gentle and kind look.
Then, Senior Sister Hong Miao took her to get a meal card and brought her to a small two-story attic room in the courtyard. The furniture and materials in the room were complete and neat, and the living environment was much better than the room in her previous life.
"Since the elder said you are a distinguished guest, this attic is handed over to you." The senior sister put the key in Xi Heng's hand.
"I thought this was a room specially for dark energy warriors..." Xi Heng said extra words.
Senior Sister Hong Miao ignored him and asked seriously, "Tell me, why are you here?"
"Ok?"
"With your strength, you can go anywhere in the world. Why do you have to come to our small Hongxian Sword Academy?" Hong Miao asked.
"Do you have to explain why..." Xi Heng pressed her temple. She had rarely been questioned like this.
