Chapter 72 The Morality Sword

Yang Bao tried everything he could to find a way out from the Peach Blossom Garden, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a way out. He felt like his body was exhausted. After looking for a few hours, Yang Bao sat down beside a blossom tree to rest when a voice suddenly woke him up.

"Young man, what are you doing in my garden?"

Yang Bao stood up abruptly and looked at the white-haired, white-bearded old man. He asked, "This is your garden?" He approached the old man. "What should I call you, senior?"

The old man smiled and said, "Zhao Rong."

Yang Bao said, "Senior Zhao, you and my second master have the same surname, my name is Yang Bao."

Zhao Rong said, "Young man, since you are here, please help me."

Yang Bao said, "How could I help?"

Zhao Rong said, "Come with me."

Yang Bao followed Zhao Rong into the garden, Zhao Rong suddenly stopped, turned to look at Yang Bao, "Be careful, she's nearby?"

Yang Bao looked left and right and saw only one road, the one he was standing on now. On both sides, he saw miles and miles of peach blossom trees as far as the eye could see. He asked, "Senior, she? Who?"

Zhao Rong turned to look at Yang Bao, "Nine-tailed fox fairy." Zhao Rong suddenly retracted the sword from the scabbard on his back and swung the sword to the right. The power of the sword destroyed many trees. Then, a loud bang echoed deep in the garden. "This way." He rushed through the thick trees.

Yang Bao shouted from behind Zhao Rong, "Senior, wait for me." He quickly caught up with Zhao Rong.

As soon as Yang Bao broke through the dense trees, he walked into an open field with a small stream. He saw Zhao Rong holding a sword standing on one of the rocks. Yang Bao looked at Zhao Rong's sword and saw blood dripping from the tip of the sword to the ground.

Yang Bao rushed towards Zhao Rong and said, "Senior, did you kill the fox fairy?"

Zhao Rong glanced down at Yang Bao and said, "Yes. Come here quickly."

Yang Bao walked to the rock and saw a puppy staring at Zhao Rong. The puppy glared at Zhao Rong and roared. Zhao Rong sent a talisman at the puppy which knocked the puppy several yards away from the rock, the puppy still stood up and roared at Zhao Rong refusing to give up.

Zhao Rong smiled and said, "You evil being, how dare you choose to wander in my garden?" He flew out of the rock and pointed his sword at the puppy.

Yang Bao hurried forward and retracted his sword to counter Zhao Rong's onslaught. Zhao Rong's blow made Yang Bao slide many yards away from where he stood on one knee. YYang Bao slowly got up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Yang Bao pleaded, "Senior Zhao, please let this little fox go, he's just a child."

Zhao Rong said, "He will grow into an adult and then he will attack people."

Yang Bao raised his voice and said, "You don't necessarily know."

Zhao Rong said, "I've seen a lot."

Yang Bao said, "But that doesn't mean every fox is bad or evil."

Zhao Rong asked, "How do you know?"

Yang Bao said, " "I know, because I live with one. My senior brother is different from me, but he is not a bad person, he is a living proof that everything the eyes sees may not be true." Yang Bao looked at the white puppy. "Then let me raise him. I want to prove you wrong."

Zhao Rong said, "If I let you raise him, it means I let him kill innocent people in the future."

Yang Bao said, "The future is an unseen thing, but I promise you that if... as long as he becomes bad, I will kill him."

Zhao Rong said, "Promise is just empty words."

Yang Bao asked, "Then what does Senior Zhao want?"

Zhao Rong said, "In order to make sure that you want to raise this evil fox, exchange the three fingers of your right hand for the chance to raise him." He put his hand into his belt and threw a knife on the ground. "Do you dare?"

Yang Bao looked at the puppy, and then at his right hand. If he cut off three fingers of his right hand, his right hand cannot hold a sword in the future. If he loses three fingers, all his hard training will be in vain.

Zhao Rong looked at Yang Bao and smirked, "You don't dare do you? Little friend, trade your fingers for someone who you just met, not to mention he's not even human." He stretched out his long sword and aimed at the white puppy.

Yang Bao grabbed the knife with his left hand, put the palm of his right hand on the ground, and cut off three fingers. Yang Bao screamed in pain; Zhao Rong turned to look at Yang Bao.

Zhao Rong asked, "Why do you exchange your fingers with someone you don't know?"

Yang Bao said, "I want to prove you wrong; I want you to see, I can train him to be a good fairy who doesn't attack humans but protects humans." He sneered bitterly. "Also, my left hand is still here. I can train it to hold the sword again. And..." He gasped in pain. "My first master is an excellent doctor. He can treat me..."

Zhao Rong put the sword into the scabbard on his back and said, "Okay...you raise that fox."

Yang Bao looked at Zhao Rong and said, "Thank You, grandmaster."

Zhao Rong asked, "Do you know who I am?"

Yang Bao said, "Yes, you are grandmaster Zhao, and my second master is your only apprentice."

Zhao Rong asked, "How do you know?"

Yang Bao said, "The sword on your back is the Morality Sword." He looked at Zhao Rong. "This is how I know that you are my grandmaster."

Zhao Rong smiled and said, "Renshu is really lucky to have an apprentice like you." He looked at Yang Bao. "You'd better take good care of your fox. If he turns evil, I'll come for him."

Yang Bao said, "Thank you, grandmaster for your mercy, I won't let you down." Zhao Rong slowly walked away from Yang Bao. Yang Bao stretched out his hand to the white puppy. "Come...I'll take you home."

The white puppy walked slowly to Yang Bao and stared at Yang Bao. When he got close to Yang Bao's bleeding hand. He suddenly opened his mouth and bit Yang Bao's injured hand fiercely. Yang Bao screamed in pain.

Hearing Yang Bao's screams, Guozhao Zhiqiang rushed forward, but was stopped by Guo Baiyu. Guo Baiyu looked at him and asked, "Where do you think you are going?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang said, "Ah Bao may be in trouble."

Fang Yaoting said, "He is with your second master, so there is no trouble. Besides, we are in peach garden, and no evil spirit dares to break in."

Guo Baiyu said, "Be patient."

Ping'an and Lee Dachin walked towards the three of them. Ping'an looked at Guo Baiyu and said, "Baiyu it's time for lunch."

Guo Baiyu said, "We are still waiting for Renshu and Ah Bao."

Lee Dachin said, "Then let's wait for them together."

Yang Bao suddenly widened his eyes and breathed heavily. He looked to his right hand and found a worn-out sword in his hand. His fingers were still attached to his hand. He turned around and saw Zhao Renshu was smiling at him.

Zhao Renshu asked, "You saved the fox?" Yang Bao nodded. "Then why are you screaming?"

Yang Bao said, "He bit me."

Zhao Renshu smiled and said, "Let's go back." He looked up at the sky. "It's almost time for lunch. I'm sure your shimu is preparing something good for us."

Yang Bao asked, "Second Master, how do you know that I saved the fox?"

Zhao Renshu said, "I tried it once, but I didn't save the stupid fox. I helped the master kill the fox, but I lost half of my spiritual energy. At that time, I finally understood that it was the sword that was testing me, and it takes half of my spiritual energy away from me to teach me a lesson." He scratched his chin with his left thumb. "Stop talking, it's time to eat." He started walking away.

Yang Bao followed closely and followed Zhao Renshu out of the garden. When he was about to reach the open space, he saw Guo Baiyu, Ping'an, Fang Yaoting, Lee Dachin, and Guozhao Zhiqiang waiting for him. He smiled at the people waiting for him, and he knew in his heart that the persons standing in front of him was the one who would never abandon him.

Yang Bao began to fold up the red-stained white handkerchief. As he folds, he reminisces about his youth with Guozhao Zhiqiang; how they traveled together and won their titles. He blew out the oil lamp and lay on the bed. Lying down quietly at night, he murmured, "Without them, I would have died on that street seventeen years ago. Thank you everyone for never abandon me."