Sword Saint Wang Yue

Yuan Shu looked at the prosperous scene before him and couldn't help but sigh at the thought that in a decade, this place would become a wasteland. 

"Why is my lord worried?" asked Xi Zhicai, who was a meticulous person. Noticing Yuan Shu's sigh, he couldn't help but inquire. 

Yuan Shu replied, "Seeing this prosperity now and thinking about the chaos that will engulf the land in ten years, reducing it all to nothing, I can't help but feel emotional." 

Xi Zhicai comforted him, "The great affairs of the world follow the cycle of unity and division; such things are beyond human control. If my lord cares for the people, he should strive to create a new era of prosperity for them." 

Yuan Shu nodded, his ambitions becoming even firmer. 

... 

At the same time Yuan Shu was visiting Xi Zhicai, Xu Shao was also in Luoyang, visiting a close friend. 

Unfortunately, Xu Shao seemed visibly out of sorts today, which puzzled his friend. 

This friend of Xu Shao was a tall and slender man, appearing to be in his thirties. He had a short beard and wore a dark blue outfit suited for agility. 

His forehead was broad, his eyes were sharp, and a treasured sword hung from his waist. 

This man was none other than one of the greatest martial artists of the late Han dynasty—the Sword Saint, Wang Yue! 

Wang Yue took a sip from his tea cup and smiled at Xu Shao, saying, 

"Zijiang, have some tea. Why do you seem so down today?" 

Xu Shao sipped his tea without much enthusiasm and said to Wang Yue, 

"At today's Monthly Appraisal, I encountered two extraordinary individuals. I fear they might be the ones to throw our great Han empire into turmoil, which worries me." 

Wang Yue asked curiously, "Those who attend your Monthly Appraisal are usually young men. What ability do they have to disturb the Han empire?" 

Xu Shao smiled bitterly and said, "Brother, you may not know this, but the Han empire has already shown signs of chaos. Although it is barely holding together now, it won't last long. In about ten years, the entire land will fall into turmoil." 

Wang Yue was his closest friend; some things couldn't be said to others but could be shared with Wang Yue. 

Wang Yue was shocked, "Are you saying that the chaos ten years from now will be caused by these two young men?" 

He and Xu Shao admired each other's abilities, and it was this mutual respect that made them close friends. 

Thus, Wang Yue did not doubt Xu Shao's prediction about the coming chaos in the slightest. 

Xu Shao shook his head, "Not exactly. But one of them is a treacherous hero of the age, and the other is a greedy wolf of chaos. When the empire falls into disorder, these two will undoubtedly rise with the tide. If things go badly, the Han empire may end up in the hands of one of them. 

This treacherous hero is still somewhat inexperienced for now. 

However, the greedy wolf is well-versed in the art of biding his time and has grand ambitions hidden within his heart. I can sense that he harbors the desire to seize the empire." 

As Xu Shao worried over these thoughts, Wang Yue suddenly became excited for some reason and asked, 

"Does the greedy wolf have a chance to take the empire?" 

Xu Shao gave Wang Yue a puzzled look, wondering what was wrong with him today. 

Can't you see I'm worried right now? Whether the greedy wolf has a chance or not, what does it have to do with you, Wang Yue? Is your curiosity really that strong? 

Despite his annoyance, Xu Shao still answered his friend's question, 

"This man has a trace of imperial destiny within him. Since he carries such destiny, he naturally has a chance to take the empire. However, the chance is not very high. 

Those born with imperial destiny either achieve supreme greatness or perish utterly—there has never been a third path throughout history."

Wang Yue, after hearing Xu Shao's words, excitedly said to him: 

"In that case, I shall go and assist him!" 

Xu Shao was completely dumbfounded by Wang Yue's response. 

Hadn't I just said that this person was a traitor who would bring chaos to the Han dynasty? 

And now you're saying you want to help him? What, are you two planning to ruin the Han together? 

Even as a joke, this is too much. 

Xu Shao, displeased, said to Wang Yue, "Brother, what do you mean by this?" 

Wang Yue replied seriously: 

"As swordsmen, our lifelong ambition is to wield our three-foot blade and achieve unparalleled feats. 

You just said that this man harbors great ambitions and has a chance to seize the world. Since that's the case, I, Wang Yue, would also like to take my shot at achieving glory by following him." 

Seeing Wang Yue's serious demeanor, Xu Shao felt a major headache coming on. 

He had come to Wang Yue just to vent his frustrations, to have his old friend curse these traitors and lament the decline of the times with him, then drink some tea and relax. 

He never expected that instead of condemning, Wang Yue wanted to assist the traitors. Where is your basic sense of loyalty as a Han citizen? 

Xu Shao anxiously said, "Brother, don't be impulsive. Although this man has a chance to seize the world, I also mentioned that the chance is small. If he fails, the result will be total destruction. Why take such a great risk?" 

Wang Yue laughed boldly: 

"Those who achieve great things have always taken risks. 

If it succeeds, I, Wang Yue, will be remembered in history. This level of risk is well worth it." 

Xu Shao thought to himself, it's over. His old friend is dead set on following this traitor to the bitter end. What should I do? 

He knew Wang Yue's abilities too well—his swordsmanship was unparalleled in the world. Xu Shao had never seen a warrior stronger than Wang Yue. 

With such a peerless swordsman assisting that greedy wolf, the blow to the Han dynasty would be fatal. 

But there was nothing he could do now except try to persuade him: 

"Brother, you and I are Han citizens, blessed by the emperor. How can we lower ourselves to serve a traitor?" 

Wang Yue said indifferently: 

"I am but a wandering swordsman and do not receive any stipend from the Han court. What favor does the Han emperor hold for me? 

Besides, in the past, Han's founding emperor Liu Bang was merely a small pavilion chief by the Si River. Are generals and ministers born to be so?" 

Xu Shao finally understood—Wang Yue had no loyalty to the Han dynasty at all. He said: 

"Brother, even if you don't care about the Han dynasty, you should consider the common people. 

When war breaks out, it is the people who will suffer the most." 

Hearing this, Wang Yue fell silent. 

He might not care about the emperor, but he couldn't disregard the people. 

After a long pause, he looked at Xu Shao sharply and asked: 

"If I draw my sword now and cut down this greedy wolf, will the world not fall into chaos?" 

Xu Shao looked at him and knew he wasn't joking. 

Years ago, Wang Yue had ventured alone deep into Helan Mountain, bringing back the head of the Xiongnu leader. No one could stand against his blade, earning him the title of Sword Saint. 

However, Xu Shao, though disliking the greedy wolf, would not deceive Wang Yue in this matter. 

He shook his head and said: 

"It will still fall into chaos. The Han dynasty is already beyond saving. The chaos of the world is inevitable, and no human force can prevent it." 

Wang Yue laughed and said: "If that's the case, then why can't I assist the greedy wolf?" 

This question left Xu Shao speechless. 

Upon careful thought, it made sense. The rise and fall of dynasties were inevitable. 

The grand trend could not be changed, and the suffering of the people would still happen. 

Even without Yuan Shu, other warlords would rise to fight for the Han dynasty. 

Since that was the case, what difference did it make who eventually claimed this vast land?