February of the second year of Motokame, the shore of the sea, Kashima Jingu.

The extreme east of Japan is still cold, the east wind has not been seen for a long time, and the west wind blows and gradually turns into a north wind.

"Chiaki, if you go and tell the people in the shrine, you will say that I want to meet the Kashima Sword Saint. Bai Yujing looked at the tall red door of the Kashima Shrine, although he didn't believe that the person who took away the Penglai Xiandao Sea Chart was the owner of this shrine, but as long as there was a slight possibility, he still wanted to come and see it.

However, after all, the other party is also a sword master, so he doesn't want to make a big fuss, he just wants to ask a question or two in the name of the sword. So after staying in Omiya Castle for nearly four months, he left all the ronin samurai who followed him in Omiya Castle, including Kuno Izumi. After all, he was a disciple who was expelled, and it was inconvenient to visit Tsukahara Buden, so he only brought Kitahara Chiaki.

Before Kitahara Chiaki could greet him, he saw a young man in a wide robe come out of the door of the building.

"Dao Chief, Lord Sword Saint has been waiting for you inside for a long time. ”

"Todaden, why are you here?" Kitahara Chiaki said in surprise, the man was none other than Toda Segen, who had followed Shirayukyo all the way from Ise to Mt. Fuji.

"I heard Jiuye Hall say that I want to discuss the sword with the Sword Saint, I can't miss such a grand event, so I waited here early. Toda Shigen walked up to Bai Yujing and gave a salute, letting Bai Yujing go first.

Bai Yujing remembered this person, although he visited Mt. Fuji many times in Omiya Castle for four months, he still took the time to instruct those ronin samurai swordsmanship, Toda Shigen's swordsmanship can be said to be the most powerful one except for Kuno Spring, and even the disciple of the later "No. 1 in the world" sword saint Kamizumi Nobutsuna Ryunomiya is on a par with each other.

This person didn't have a particularly powerful master before, and being able to do this shows his kendodo talent.

The three of them walked through the door of the building, and saw a middle-aged man in a priest's robe greet him, and the man said in a loud voice: "My father is waiting in the deer park." Toda Shigen hurriedly said to Bai Yujing and Kitahara Chiaki, "This is Hikoshichiro, the sister-in-law of the Sword Saint. ”

Hikoshiro obviously came out to greet Bai Yujing with Toda Shigen, but he stopped at the door of the building, indicating that he was still a little unconvinced by Bai Yujing, the sword saint from the Ming Dynasty. After all, in his mind, how could Bai Yujing and his son be called Sword Saint at the same age, on the same level as his father?

Even the "No. 1 in the world" Nobutsuna Kamiizumi believed that if he hadn't been promoted by the shogunate shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, there would be only one sword saint in the entire Japanese countries, his father.

It's just that his father ordered him not to be rude, otherwise he would have to draw his sword first and try the methods of this Heavenly Dynasty Sword Saint.

The four of them traveled all the way, and only after passing through the shrine hall did they come to a garden. Along the way, the people in the Divine Palace did not squint when they saw Bai Yujing, but they only saluted to Yan Shichiro, obviously there was no publicity about Bai Yujing's visit to the palace.

This is the deer park, and the park is home to the oracle of the god of the Warrior Hammer, which is commonly known in Japan as a small deer. Seeing how much Bai Yujing and the others were, these flower deer panicked and ran away, only one of the little flower deer seemed to run in a daze and crashed into the direction of Bai Yujing and the others.

Hikoshichiro was about to drive away, but when he saw Kitahara Chiaki's hand, the flower deer actually stopped meekly in front of her and let her stroke its neck.

"Huh?" Hikoshichiro was surprised, he remembered that these deer were very scared of life. He fed the deer a lot, but he never touched them. This little girl came for the first time, and this deer was not afraid of her, but it was all a trivial matter, and although he was suspicious in his heart, he did not say it.

There is a pavilion in the garden, and an old man sits in the pavilion.

The old man had gray hair, was no more than five feet tall, looked very thin, and was closing his eyes to recuperate. When Bai Yujing and the others approached the pavilion, they opened their eyes. first looked at Bai Yujing, and then at Kitahara Qianqiu.

When he saw Kitahara Qianqiu's eyes, the old man's eyes also flashed with a trace of doubt, but he didn't say anything, just said to Bai Yujing: "Da Ming is worthy of being the kingdom of the Heavenly Empire, such an outstanding person, the younger generation even has such a character as Your Excellency, but it is rude to be old and rude." "This old man is none other than the lord of Kashima Shrine, the sword saint Tsukahara Bu Chuan. I have to say that at this time, the Ming Dynasty was still regarded as the suzerainty of Japan, so there are many people who can speak the official language of the Ming Dynasty, and this Tsukahara Bu Chuan will also.

Thinking about it, the Ming official of the Jiuye Spring Association might have learned from him, but after he stood up, he hurriedly bowed down and saluted Bai Yujing.

"Father......" Hikoshichiro never thought that his father's dignified Japanese first sword saint would salute a young man like Bai Yujing, and he wanted to stop it, but because of his father's usual majesty, he only called his father, and he couldn't say the rest of the words.

Although he knew that there were many etiquettes in Japan, Bai Yujing still didn't dare to accept a big gift from an old man, so he bowed down and returned the salute.

"Poor Dao Bai Yujing has seen the Sword Saint. ”

"Bai Yujing in the sky, five cities on the twelfth floor, the Taoist has a good name, and he is in the pavilion. Tsukahara Buchuan had already prepared the tea, "Shichiro, you can retreat first." ”

Hikoshiro originally wanted to wait beside him, but when he heard Tsukahara Buchuan say this, he hurriedly said goodbye.

"Listen to Shiyuan said, you are here to discuss the sword?"

Bai Yujing took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "It's not a secret, the sword is fake, but there is something to inquire about." ”

"......Tsukahara Bu Chuan seemed to be a little surprised, and muttered: "I heard that the Taoist has traveled all the way east since he stepped into Japan, and he has picked several shrines with his sword, and the old man thought that the Taoist was here for the name of the sword saint of the old man. Although the voice was low, everyone in the room could hear it clearly.

Bai Yujing couldn't help but smile bitterly, he seemed to be quite arrogant in order to search for exercises before.

"The Sword Saint said with a smile, Poor Dao was originally a person from outside the party, and he came to Japan just to find a relic of the old man, I don't know if the Sword Saint can know Yanagi Yiming?"

Tsukahara Bu heard him mention Yanagi Yiming, and couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

"You should be talking about the eldest disciple of Master Xiu Feng of Daigo Temple, do you actually know this son? Master Xiu Feng once said that his disciple's sword is sharpest in the world, but he didn't think so at the time, and then it was rumored that he killed the teacher and left, and he really deserved it!"

Speaking of this, Tsukahara Bu Chuan sighed: "The sword is the one who decides, and the one who breaks it! When he draws his sword, he will decide life and death, and how can he continue to have seven emotions while holding a sword? The inside is like a golden stone, and the outside is like a blade, and it cannot be said that the edge is not strong." It's just a pity that Master Xiu Feng is willing to sacrifice his life to fulfill his path!"

After speaking, he looked at Toda Shiyuan: "Although your sword is fast enough, it lacks this decision, and it is not strong and ruthless." ”

Toda Shigen hurriedly saluted and said, "Thank you Lord Sword Saint for your advice." But seeing Bai Yujing shaking his head slightly, he couldn't help but be stunned.

"The sword saint's words are wrong! As you say, the sword is a murderous weapon, and it cannot be ruthless and strong unless it is decisive! But looking at my Ming Dynasty, in the court and in the opposition, the sword held by the minister and the husband is the sword of a gentleman. Therefore, the sword has a double edge, which is divided into yin and yang, and with rigidity and softness. The so-called kendo is not durable, soft is not strong, but the combination of the two cannot be strong for a long time. This is also the way of a gentleman, the inner saint and the outer king. ”

Tsukahara Buchuan listened to Bai Yujing's words and did not refute it, Japan's kendo was already rising due to war, and the sword wielder was the murderer. If there is no such decision, how can we win all battles and see death as home.

But Toda Shigen couldn't help but look down at the small knife on his waist, as Bai Yujing said, Japan's sword is a knife, only one blade is opened, full of murder weapons, so only strong and strong. He has seen the swords of the Ming Dynasty, all of them are double-edged, but they are rigid and soft.

Tsukahara Bu said that his sword was not strong enough because he couldn't improve it for a long time, and that's true. The Tomita family, where Toda Shigen lived since he was a child, was originally a Echizen surname, and since he was born as a samurai, he has mostly competed with his younger brother or attendant since he learned swords, and often only talks about life and death, so although the swordsmanship is fine, there is less decision.

He had long understood this, so he deliberately changed his surname to Toda and broke away from the Tomita family.

"Daoist, you just talked about Liu Sheng Yiming, could it be that this person went to Daming?" Of course, Tsukahara Bu Chuan remembered that Liu Ming was the disciple that Master Xiu Feng brought back from his study tour in Daming all his life, and it is normal to say that Liu Sheng Yiming went to Daming after killing the teacher.

"Exactly, his real name is Liu Mingsheng, and he came here to find his relics. Bai Yujing said bluntly: "Three years ago, I entrusted the daughter of the priest Sakami of Asama Shrine, Sakurako Sakagami, to go back to Mount Fuji to look for relics, but there has been no news for three years, so Poor Dao had to cross the sea alone. ”

It's a pity that when Kanmichi arrived at Mt. Fuji, he learned that someone had killed Sakurako Sakagami and taken away the relics of the Yanagi family, so Kanmichi had to go east again. ”

Tsukahara Bu Chuan suddenly laughed: "Could it be that the Taoist chief thinks that the old decay killed his people?"

As soon as he said this, Toda Shigen's color suddenly changed, he originally thought that Bai Yujing was just here to find a sword saint to discuss swords, and to learn from each other, but now it seems that there is another reason, do you really want to do it to divide life and death?

Bai Yujing's expression was calm, and he said slowly: "The Sword Saint is too worried, but when Sakurako Sakagami and the other three died, there were no scars on their bodies, and they didn't die of poisoning, hunger and cold. Poor Dao heard that the Sword Master has a peerless skill that can make people die, so he came to inquire. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, the temperature in Toda Shigen and Kitahara Chiaki Tonkakutei seemed to be a little colder. Natsukahara Bu Chuan was still laughing heartily just now, but at this time, his face became cold.

"It's the ...... that Izumi Kuno told you"

Tsukahara Bu seemed to have changed his tone a little when he said the three characters of Kuno Spring, "No wonder, the chief priest of Kasuga Taisha in Yamato Province will die under your sword." Your Excellency, do you know that he is one of the rare old friends of my life. ”

Originally, he was called Dao Chief, but now he is unusually worthy of being called Your Excellency.

Bai Yujing's expression changed slightly, and before he could speak, he listened to Tsukahara Bu Chuan continue: "Actually, if you don't come, the old man may not be able to avenge him. But now that you are here, the old man will not ask you for an explanation. ”

"Of course, if you want to see the 'secret sword' of the old decay, it depends on whether you have that ability!"

Bai Yujing shook his head, the words have come to this, so let's see the methods of this Japanese sword master. Suddenly, he thought of Jiuye Spring again, could it be that he thought of today's scene at that time? However, even so, what is there to worry about, who can wipe the edge of the Japanese projectile land?

And Jiuye Quan, who Bai Yujing was thinking about, was sneaking into the Kashima Shrine at this time and came to an attic in the back mountain.

A woman in beautiful clothes in the attic was painting, and suddenly saw Jiuye Spring coming upstairs, and the whole person was stunned in an instant. The paintbrush in his hand also spilled on the drawing paper in an instant, and the snow-capped mountains that had been painted were suddenly blurred.

Just like her heart, all kinds of thoughts are intertwined.