Chapter 1118 — Probing the Depths of the Heart of the Dao

Shen Mu shouldered his long saber, kicked off his shoes and tossed them aside, and followed him barefoot out of the supervisory forge with great strides, laughing: "I would not dare betray my master and ancestors. On my recent travels, I witnessed many things and made some progress in the heart of the Dao."

The Butcher narrowed his eyes, stomped his great foot heavily, and the shoe on his foot burst apart with a bang, shattered by the surging force of his saber qi. He said, "What use is a heart of the Dao? I will chop your heart of the Dao to bloody pieces right now!"

The Silent Craftsman hastily dragged out a crate and sat down on it. He took out a tobacco pipe, filled the bowl with tobacco leaves, lit it, took a gurgling pull from the water pipe, and watched them with a smile.

The Blind Elder also came out and leaned nearby. The Silent Craftsman offered him the water pipe; the Blind Elder waved a hand to decline and said in a low voice, "Is it really true that those who betray their masters and ancestors all speak in Shen'er's tone?"

The Silent Craftsman nodded.

The Blind Elder hesitated: "Back in the day, I spoke to my own master in just that way."

The Silent Craftsman made a gesture, beaming: "Shen'er was taught by you."

The Butcher brandished his long saber once. A flash of blade-light whirled across the sky with a swish, then subsided; he thrust it into the ground along with the saber and said indifferently: "You say your heart of the Dao is better—then let us first contend with the heart of the Dao." With that, he closed his eyes.

Shen Mu flicked his wrist and planted his long saber before him, and closed his eyes as well.

"What superb saber technique!" the Blind Elder exclaimed in admiration.