Zombie Bodyguard-Chapter 1431 - 1428: Sword Servant

Lin Tian asked these questions not out of concern for the Little Fox’s origins; he was more interested in knowing who the black-robed swordswoman was. This knowledge could be useful if he was to engage with Qingshuang Pavilion in the future, allowing him to know both friends and foes. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He casually asked, "Old woman, if I’m not mistaken, that woman is carrying the Green Frost Sword. What is her role in Qingshuang Pavilion, and why is she helping you bring offerings?"

"Young man, you have quite an eye, being able to recognize the Green Frost Sword. As for her role, she is a Sword Servant of Qingshuang Pavilion," the elder said casually.

Hearing the unfamiliar term "Sword Servant," Lin Tian felt intrigued and asked, "What does a Sword Servant do?"

"The duty of a Sword Servant is to guard the Sword Pavilion, protecting the Green Frost Sword and the Purple Lightning Sword." The elder seemed to know everything and did not hide anything from Lin Tian, answering every question without reservation.

"I see. No wonder her skills are so profound, seemingly even beyond Tang Ziqing." Lin Tian probed.

The elder chuckled, seemingly oblivious to Lin Tian’s probing, and continued, "It’s not ’seemingly’; her skills are indeed beyond Tang Ziqing. The child has had a tough life—she lost her parents early on, and other relatives were unwilling to raise a girl, so she was adopted by an elderly couple who scavenged for scraps."

"Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last long; the elderly couple also passed away due to illness, leaving her a wandering child mingling with beggars. Before the age of ten, she begged alongside beggars, experiencing the vicissitudes of human nature. When she turned ten, I happened upon her and took her back to Qingshuang Pavilion, where she has been training ever since."

"Her talent is exceptional, winning the favor of elders at Qingshuang Pavilion. Perhaps due to witnessing the fickleness of human nature from an early age, she appears cold on the surface but actually has a kind heart. She is grateful for the nurturing of Qingshuang Pavilion and voluntarily became a Sword Servant, pledging a lifetime of guarding the Sword Pavilion, unwavering until death."

The elder spoke in a very casual tone, but Lin Tian found it quite shocking, perhaps due to a resonance with his own past. Parents dying early, abandonment by relatives, foster parents passing away, and mixing with beggars—these experiences are unimaginable for other children.

Many teenagers are rebellious, constantly opposed to their parents, unaware of the happiness that having both parents brings. Without their parents, they are nothing. Fortunately, the black-robed female Sword Servant was adopted by Qingshuang Pavilion at the age of ten, which also confirms from another angle that all inner disciples of Qingshuang Pavilion are orphans.

"So she was taken in by you; no wonder she respects you so much. It seems the old woman is highly regarded in Qingshuang Pavilion. Why is she reduced to sweeping in Qinglan Garden?" Lin Tian asked curiously.

"You young rascal, I’m just an old woman. If not sweeping, what else could I do? Besides, what’s wrong with sweeping? When one lives with clarity, even sweeping can be carefree. When one lives in confusion, anything they do is muddled." The elder glared, reprimanding him.

Being taught by such an elder, Lin Tian had no choice but to comply, and then he asked again, "How do we address that female Sword Servant?"

Actually, Lin Tian wanted to ask the elder’s name too, but it was highly disrespectful for a junior to directly ask for the name of elders such as grandparents, so he turned to inquire about the black-robed female Sword Servant instead.

"Before she was ten, I don’t know what she was called. After she turned ten, she was called Tang Muling." The elder gave Lin Tian a glance, then turned and walked toward the entrance of the hall, leaving these words at the door.

Muling? Tomb? Lin Tian was stunned, thinking to himself that the name was rather inauspicious. However, he didn’t express this thought aloud, because the name "Tang Muling" might have been given by the elder, so it wouldn’t be polite to comment directly.

While pondering, the elder had already disappeared outside the entrance. This late at night, wouldn’t it be unsafe for the elder to be out? Lin Tian hurriedly called out, "Old woman, where are you going?"

From the darkness outside, the elder’s voice rang out, full of energy, "You young rascal ask such funny questions! The floor has been swept, and the stories told to you have been finished. If I’m not going back to Qinglan Garden to sleep, should I stay here all night?"

This little old woman sure has quite a temper. Lin Tian shook his head and chuckled, still unsure of her role in Qinglan Garden. Though she might have a notable status, it did not exceed Shen Danxi’s in Qinglan Garden. It was all very peculiar.

After the elder departed, the great hall became even more vast and silent. The candlelight flickered with the night breeze that blew in, casting mottled shadows within the hall, adding to the tranquil atmosphere.

Feeling bored, Lin Tian walked out of the central hall, wandering around the ruins. There was no one in the front hall, central hall, rear hall, corridors, or pavilion, not even the elusive Little Fox.

The elder was also nowhere to be found, presumably as she said, returned to sleep. Finally, he made his way back to the Nine-story Pagoda, where the moon was past its zenith. Just as Lin Tian thought he would have to wait for a long time, the sound of "clanging" suddenly echoed from the canyon below.

This sound was familiar to Lin Tian, having just heard it—it was the sound of an iron chain being pulled taut and withdrawn from the water.

Indeed, it didn’t take long for a thick iron chain to hang across the canyon again, and some time later, a silhouette emerged in the fog, striding along the chain.

With a gentle leap, the silhouette landed on the edge of the cliff. Lin Tian hurried over and said, "Aunt Wang, you’ve worked hard."

From across, it was Wang Wanxi, alone. Wang Wanxi lightly waved her hand and smiled, "For us Ancient Martial Artists, this round trip is inconsequential."

As they spoke, the iron chain began to vibrate, then sank, disappearing into the fog of the canyon again, indicating that no one else would be coming out—not Tang Ziqing, nor the Miss, and not the Second Miss.

Seemingly noticing Lin Tian’s disappointment, Wang Wanxi chuckled softly, "You didn’t see your Miss, so you’re worried?"

"She’s not exactly mine; as both a friend and bodyguard, it’s only natural to be concerned." Lin Tian admitted, as he came to Qingshuang Pavilion to find out why the Xiao mother and daughter lost contact anyway.

"I haven’t seen the Xiao sisters either," Wang Wanxi seemed to speak seriously, seeing Lin Tian’s frown, before laughing and saying, "Just teasing you; the Xiao sisters are fine. But I truly didn’t deceive you, I haven’t seen them."

"What’s going on? The Miss and Second Miss aren’t at Qingshuang Pavilion?" Lin Tian inquired.

"Let’s walk as we talk..." Wang Wanxi gestured and spoke, "After following Tang Ziqing into Qingshuang Pavilion, I met Master Tang. From the master, I got the confirmed information that Manxue and Manxuan are both at Qingshuang Pavilion and are fine."

"Then why..." Lin Tian hurriedly asked, but Wang Wanxi gestured for him to let her finish speaking.

"I roughly know the situation with Manxuan. They are with Tang Ziqing’s master in a closed-door state, unable to come out temporarily. You know, Manxuan’s issue is quite tricky, and apparently, Qingshuang Pavilion has not found any effective remedy yet." Wang Wanxi explained earnestly.

After speaking, she didn’t look at Lin Tian but turned to gaze forward, a trace of hesitation flashing deep in her eyes.