Mercenary Harem in Murim Novel

Both of them moved a bit away from the lake and flower garden, at a grassland with nothing around them.

"Ready?"

Xiao Ah Ru raised her sword, pointing it at the swordsman who came to her abode.

"Yes."

"Good."

She took a deep breath, and her eyes focused on the target ahead. A faint light emitted from her sword as she gathered her Qi around it. The sword then glowed with a silver color and began vibrating slightly.

At the same time, Shui unsheathed his black sword. He didn't plan to use Nanites to enhance his physical power. Instead, he planned to use Qi he unlocked, which was bordering 6 Stars and unlocked his element already.

Why? Because he wanted to have a proper duel against Xiao Ah Ru. From what he felt, she was also a 6 Stars martial artist, bordering 7 Stars. Her stance was solid and she was clearly experienced in using a sword.

As a swordsman himself, he would love to experience her sword technique.

"Let us begin."

A wind blew through the field, carrying the scent of flowers with it.

Shui and Xiao Ah Ru stood facing each other, both holding their respective weapons. The girl charged first, swinging her blade toward her opponent with incredible speed. She moved swiftly like a breeze, but her strikes were heavy and precise like a raging storm.

In response, Shui parried every blow using his sword. His movements were elegant yet powerful, his strikes accurate and sharp.

Both of them exchanged blows in rapid succession, each strike clashing with another. Their swords clashed again and again, creating sparks of light in the air. As they fought, their skills increased exponentially.

Soon enough, neither could keep up with the other's pace and resorted to using their full strength. Each clash became fiercer than the last.

Grass got cut as their swords slashed the air, and their surroundings were filled with dust and debris from their battle.

"Amazing, you're very strong!" Xiao Ah Ru exclaimed as she dodged Shui's attack. She took a distance from him and changed her grip. With two hands on the hilt, she swung the blade horizontally.

"Dragon's Claw!"

Her blade transformed into a giant dragon's claw, tearing apart everything in its wake. It created a deep wound on the ground, splitting the ground apart.

"Splitting Water!"

Shui's black sword glowed brightly and the light turned into a wave, splitting the dragon claw into half, avoiding his body and crashing into a tree behind him. The giant tree was cleaved in half and it fell down.

"Not bad. I have not seen anyone able to stop my technique so easily." Xiao Ah Ru nodded, acknowledging Shui's strength. She didn't expect such a young man to be this strong.

"You too." Shui replied. "Your sword looked similar to Wandering Sword Saint. However, it lacked the fierceness and instead is filled with calmness."

Xiao Ah Ru grinned. "Indeed, that was the result of me practicing his sword style. His brute and fierce style is too unsuited to me, so I changed it a bit."

The girl took a stance and readied her sword, the blade pointed at Shui. The Qi flowed from her body into her sword and it vibrated.

"Let's get serious now."

A silver dragon formed around her blade, coiling and protecting the sword in its grasp. Xiao Ah Ru charged forward with incredible speed. She slashed downward at her opponent with all her might, sending out a massive shockwave that shattered the earth around her. Her sword glowed with an intense brightness, blinding those nearby.

However, Shui wasn't intimidated by this display. Instead, he calmly stepped aside, dodging the attack effortlessly. His black blade shone brightly and a huge wave appeared on it, flowing around the blade.

"Breaking Wave!" Shui said and slashed.

The massive water wave followed the movement of the sword and slammed right into the dragon. A huge splash of water occurred as the silver dragon roared in defiance.

"Dragon's Roar!"

Xiao Ah Ru shouted out loud as she thrust her sword forward. The silver dragon opened its mouth wide and unleashed a powerful roar. It echoed throughout the area, shaking everything nearby.

"Storm of Sea!"

Shui responded by unleashing his own technique. A torrential storm raged around him, whipping up powerful gusts of wind. He swung his blade in a circular motion and the storm became bigger.

Grass around them was no more, replaced by a muddy field of soil.

Shui didn't stop, and the girl also refused to back down.

She continued to push forward, slashing wildly with her weapon while dodging his strikes. Each time she attacked, Shui countered with his own techniques. Their duel lasted for several minutes before finally coming to a halt.

Both were breathing hard. Both of their faces were covered in sweat, their clothes drenched in perspiration.

"I lost."

The swordswoman, Xiao Ah Ru, was the first one who fell down to her knees when Shui's sword reached her neck. Her sweat drenched her face and her chest heaved up and down, her breath came out in short gasps. She looked tired and defeated. "It seems I am not strong enough..."

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes.

"No, you're strong." Shui answered calmly. "If you were to reach the next level of Stars, you would have no match in terms of sword skill in the entire land. I am sure."

His answer brought a small smile on her face, but it quickly faded. She opened her eyes and stared at the sky, her expression full of melancholy and sadness.

"You don't need to console me like that. My talent was inferior compared to my late father. He reached the 8 Stars in his prime, but my 7 Stars was only because I was blessed by a connection to him, not because of my own hard work and training. If it wasn't for him and his blessing, I would not have reached the 7 Stars in this age."

Her voice was full of regret, and her eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

"I am only lucky to be born as the Wandering Sword Saint's daughter, inheriting the skill he honed all over the years and talent he had."

Hearing this, Shui remained silent for a while before speaking.

"Then, let's change that."

He extended his hand to help her get up from her knees.

"Why don't you prove to the world that you're worthy of your name? Show them that you can surpass Wandering Sword Saint. That way, you won't have anything to be ashamed about anymore." He continued.

Her eyes widened and she blinked a few times. "What are you saying?"

"Come with me. Join my group and I will train you." Shui replied, "I have some... experience and team that can make you stronger. If you want to surpass him, you need to improve your strength first. And we can do that. My Leader will guide you, but I will train you personally. If I am going to do that, then I need you to trust in me."

He paused for a second before continuing. "But, only if you're willing."

Silence filled the air as the swordswoman pondered her decision. The offer was tempting indeed; however, it meant that she had to leave her home behind. She looked up at the sky once again, and her mind wandered back to the days when she was younger, and everything seemed so simple.

"..." Her lips moved, but no sound came out. After a long pause, she finally spoke.

"I'll go." Xiao Ah Ru nodded and stood up on her feet. "I am not staying here anymore. Having nothing left for me, it's best for me to move on. Perhaps, in a different land I can grow better and find my purpose in life again. Perhaps..."

Shui nodded his head.

"We will try to maintain this place as best as we can. My... friend has a little bit of expertise in maintaining things."

Xiao Ah Ru nodded, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. Her eyes shone with determination, and the sadness faded away from her expression. "Alright, I trust you. Please take good care of this place. No matter what, this place was my father and mother's favorite."

Shui then helped her get up and the two started walking back to her house. As they walked, the wind picked up and blew through the flowers, creating a beautiful sight.

They didn't go immediately.

Instead, Xiao Ah Ru asked for his help to dig a grave for Wandering Sword Saint, burying his urn and sword near the lake where a small grave was already built for his late wife.

"Mother, I hope that fool of a father can meet you and don't wander anywhere in the afterlife. Stay together with Mother in peace, Father. I will be fine here."

The swordswoman murmured to herself, standing in front of her parent's grave. Her eyes were wet with tears and her cheeks were flushed red, but there was a smile on her face.

With that, Shui left for Chengdu, taking along Xiao Ah Ru.