Mechanical Alchemist-Chapter 535 - 534

The "Dragon Hunter," Mr. Bartolo, caught a glimpse of the prisoner carriage wrapped in black cloth, a flicker of contemplation crossing his turbid eyes.

As a top swordsman, his instincts warned him of an unusual aura of danger. He spoke bluntly, "Commander Bennett, I advise you to execute this fugitive immediately. It would be in your best interest. Otherwise, your journey may not be peaceful."

Commander Bennett’s face showed difficulty as he replied, "I apologize, Mr. Bartolo... His Majesty the King has a secret decree; we must bring her back alive to the capital."

Although many of his men had died in the recent battle, they were royal knights, bound by absolute loyalty to the royal family. Thus, even if they were all to die in battle, they felt they could not disobey the King’s orders.

Mr. Bartolo’s expression remained impassive as he seemed to guess that the King had been bewitched by beauty. But this had nothing to do with him. He said, "Forget it then, it’s up to you. That’s your own decision."

After saying this, he threw out the cloth bag containing the head of the Gorgon, and with a look of annoyance on his face, he added, "Tell Garcia that I’ve killed the Gorgon, and now we’re even. From now on, don’t bother me again."

Commander Bennett’s expression stiffened upon hearing this and he could only take the cloth bag, responding, "Understood. I will relay your message exactly."

Having said all he needed to, Bartolo had no intention of staying in the camp any longer. He turned and walked towards the dark forest.

...

Upon hearing the conversation between the two, Su Lun did not fail to guess that the prisoner in the carriage was most likely "Helen."

A peerless beauty and priestess who could compel the King of the Silver Dragon Kingdom to wage war to obtain her.

To say she was a nation’s curse was not an overstatement.

However, Su Lun had no interest in this so-called beauty; what concerned him more was whether the Gorgon cut down just moments ago had come to free the prisoner or if she had come for him?

But after a moment’s thought, he deemed the possibility to be there, but not substantial.

The "Serpentine Staff of Medusa" was now in his small void realm, and even if someone attempted divination to find it, they would not be able to pinpoint its exact location. Moreover, with his current strength, beings below the divine level trying to divine its location would have an extremely low success rate. It was more likely they’d obtained only some vague clues.

Regardless, Su Lun felt that continuing to follow this group would likely result in major problems.

If a seventh-tier Gorgon had appeared this time, what might come next?

Following these people, he feared he might encounter other troubles.

With his Spatial Ability, Su Lun could leave at any time and wasn’t worried about being dragged down by others. What he was concerned about was that if it really was because of him, it would be unfortunate to drag these Dragon Knights into danger.

Moreover, the stone cure recipe...

But right now, that wasn’t the most important concern; something else was.

Having finally encountered the elusive "Dragon Hunter" Bartolo, if he missed this chance, it would be difficult to find him again.

He had yet to speak when he saw the man starting to leave, and Tanni stepped forward, taking the initiative to say, "Senior, please wait a moment."

The sword strike from moments before had left a deep imprint on her mind. Encountering such a strong Sword Dao master, she had to witness his skill no matter what.

Bartolo turned and glanced at Tanni, seemingly guessing her intention.

With her hand on the hilt of her sword, she said directly, "I wish to learn from your Sword Dao."

As she spoke, the Sword Intent building around her grew denser—a courtesy to a fellow swordsman and a sign of respect for a senior.

"Oh?"

Bartolo, not the least bit surprised, did not hide his admiration, "Your Sword Dao has already taken shape; there’s no need for instruction."

Upon saying this, after a moment’s thought, he viewed Tanni as a worthy opponent and with a sharp cry, he commanded, "Draw your blade."

Among swordsmen, there’s no need for niceties; a sparring match is the best form of exchange.

"Alright!"

At his words, Tanni’s demeanor instantly turned stern, her Dominator’s Bodyguard-like aura bursting forth.

A "clang" resounded as her blade was drawn, so piercing it seemed it could shred the very air.

The famed Sword "Onimaru Hyakume Narimune" opened its hundred eyes as an overwhelming demonic aura surged forth.

With this slash, carrying the malice of the damned from hell’s path, a red-black Sword Qi erupted, instantly conjuring ghostly cries of despair around it.

The Sword Qi moved with incredible speed, covering a hundred meters in an instant.

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Seeing this, Bartolo’s gaze sharpened, and he unsheathed his blade at lightning speed to block.

A flash of cold light, the Snow Blade unsheathed by an inch, and suddenly snowflakes floated in the air around them, his own Sword Qi exploding forth as well.

"Boom!"

The Sword Qi from both sides collided, their intents touching, instantly unleashing a terrifying blast of power.

The Sword Qi shattered into countless smaller energies; these blades of Sword Qi slashed through trees and soil in the nearby jungle, leaving them riddled with holes.

A hundred meters away, Su Lun narrowed his eyes slightly. Even with the Dominator’s Bodyguard protecting him, his robe shook violently.

He was all too aware of Qiantiao’s strength. His gaze fell on that "Dragon Hunter," Mr. Bartolo, and he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, "Indeed, so strong..."

The earlier strike that killed the Serpentine Priestess was too quick for him to catch clearly.

Now he realized that the former number one swordsman of Black Sam’s pirate crew was ridiculously strong.

Su Lun had some understanding of Sword Dao, but the Sword Dao of these two before him was so advanced that without the power of a Sword Saint, it was simply beyond comprehension.

If he felt this way, what about others?

Witnessing this scene, the Dragon Knights hiding in the forest were utterly dumbfounded.

They had no doubt that if the strike were to hit them, it would cleave both rider and dragon in twain with a single blow.

Swordsmen have one of the most intense auras of killing intent. Whether it was Qiantiao or Bartolo, once they drew their swords, their aura was piercing like needles.

The dragons reacted most immediately, being magical beasts of lower intelligence. Feeling the murderous intent of two top experts, they instinctively sensed danger, curling their wings and eyes showing fear of death.

Commander Bennett’s pupils sharply contracted: "So strong!"

He knew the "Dragon Hunter" Mr. Bartolo was powerful, as he was the stuff of legends, capable of slaying dragons alone.

But he never imagined that Miss Qiantiao, who never spoke, would be this formidable.

Before, Bennett thought she was a powerful figure similar to his own strength, but now he knew he was mistaken.

He had no confidence that he could withstand that slash just now!

...

Both sides had only tested each other with a single move before momentarily ceasing action.

Bartolo eyed the Famed Sword in Qiantiao’s hand, now unsheathed, and uttered a light sound of surprise, "Huh... you’ve actually tamed this Demon Blade? That’s quite fortunate."

A Famed Sword chooses its master. How could Bartolo not know that a sentient Famed Sword requires both strength and Sword Dao that the sword acknowledges?

He had encountered this Famed Sword before but, alas, had not tamed it due to differing paths.

While saying this, he also fully unsheathed his beloved Famed Sword, the "Jiaqie Frost Flower Whisper," from its bamboo sheath and slowly said, "This old pal of mine is the Famed Sword Jiaqie Frost Flower Whisper, possessing the utmost sharpness in the world and filled with the aura of war and slaughter. Be careful..."

Qiantiao said gravely, "Please, enlighten me!"

No sooner had her voice faded than Bartolo slashed down, and in a flash, snowflakes began to flutter in the sky.

Everyone felt an unbearable chill to the bone, as if the snowflakes were whispering, piercing deep into the marrow.

But in reality, this was not a physical coldness; it was the piercing cold of sharpness that stabbed at the soul.

Su Lun watched this lethal weapon, a tingle crawling up his back.

The old man’s body seemed to contain an ancient ferocious beast, and that overwhelming murderous Sword Intent was released through a blade as thin as a thread.

The blade’s sharpness was such that it seemed even its spilling radiance could blind someone just by looking at it.

Upon inspection, "Sharpness+9" with a [Piercing] special effect; this was a Famed Sword specially designed for armor-piercing.

No wonder he could hunt dragons alone.

The sword was strong, but the man was stronger.

Undeterred, Qiantiao charged forward with vigor.

Two unparalleled swordsmen began their fierce duel and exchange in the heart of the dense forest.

Their combat was purely a matter of swordsmanship, devoid of oppressive power from realms, making the fight incredibly spectacular.

Su Lun watched, captivated by the intense display.

Sword Qi crisscrossed through the forest, sparks flew, and the two figures fought further and further away.

"Clang," "clang," "clang"...

By my ear, the crisp sound of metal clashing and the continuous whoosh of splitting wind came intermittently.

Su Lun and a group of dragon knights were earnestly watching what was perhaps the pinnacle of swordsmanship duals of the current times from afar.

Even as mere spectators to the battle of such high-caliber combatants, they benefited greatly.

...

After fighting for nearly half an hour, the restless Sword Qi in the forest finally dissipated.

Su Lun had noticed that Bartolo had no intention of returning to the camp, so he approached.

He happened to see the two swordsmen who had just dueled sitting on the ground holding their swords, discussing something.

With thousands of beads of sweat glistening on her forehead, she sincerely said, "Thank you for the guidance, senior."

Although her robe had many smooth slits, making her seem somewhat disheveled, the sharpness in her eyes was much more intense than before, obviously a sign of great gains.

Bartolo shook his head, still speaking in a kind tone, "There’s no need to thank me for guidance, you are too modest. You are among the deepest practitioners of the ’One Sword Style’ I have ever seen. Most admirable is that your state of mind has reached the realm of a perfectly clear Sword Heart. The purity of your Hell Path Sword Qi is also exceptionally special, the purest I’ve ever witnessed in my life. When I was your age, I was still immersed in the pursuit of various techniques. Yet you have already found your own path within the Saint Realm, which is truly remarkable..."

Sword Intent reflects the heart; one can tell good from evil with a single strike. He knew he had encountered a rare successor in the Sword Dao.

Receiving the praise, her expression remained neutral, neither overjoyed nor upset, then she shook her head slightly.

In their recent sparring, she had noticed the gap in their realms, as vast as a chasm.

This was the first time since becoming a Sword Saint that she encountered a swordsman with such a gap in Sword Dao skills.

Being straightforward, Qiangan contemplated momentarily before asking directly, "Senior, may I inquire about the Sword Dao beyond ’Sword Saint’? Is it ’Sword God’?"

Bartolo laughed, "The term ’Sword God’ is merely the layman’s term..."

Despite his words carrying no intention of guiding, he began to speak of his own Sword Dao.

He seemed to have realized something, saying, "The essence of the ’God’s Path No-mind Style’ I practice is ’power’. I entered the ranks of Sword Saints with power, and thirty years ago, I already felt invincible in the world of Sword Dao. But gradually, I learned that I, too, had fallen into a stagnant rut, one that has trapped me for decades..."

As an onlooker, Su Lun found all this rather confusing.

But for Qiangan, her expression suddenly turned solemn.

Certainly, he was speaking about her current predicament!

She was now experiencing that very same feeling, as if her Sword Dao had reached its peak, with Sword Intent and techniques already integrated to the extent that great improvement seemed unattainable.

It was this bottleneck that left her clueless about how to break through, or even where to start trying.

Bartolo evidently intended to pass on the Sword Dao he had comprehended, continuing, "It was only ten years ago, when I cleaved through the scales of a pure-blooded giant dragon, that I finally broke through that bottleneck. Beyond Sword Saint lies the Dao of cutting not just ’matter,’ but the very laws themselves. Matter is merely the manifestation of the laws crystalized in form. By bypassing the material layer and striking at the higher-level laws, one can observe certain natural forces... and with the sword in hand, slay gods and demons across the heavens."

His words were like an awakening to those lost in dreams.

Qiangan’s demeanor shocked, her eyes trembling lightly, revealing her inner turmoil.

Clearly, this was guidance indeed.

This knowledge wasn’t meant for the average person, for even if told, they wouldn’t understand.

Only a top-tier swordsman like Qiangan, who was precisely at that bottleneck, could comprehend the elusive realm these words pointed to.

Su Lun listened to their question-and-answer session for another half an hour.

During this time, the fluctuations in Qiangan’s aura seemed to indicate she had greatly benefitted from the pointers.

...

After some time, what needed to be said had been said.

Without any intention of taking on a disciple, it seemed more like a spur-of-the-moment decision to offer guidance to a successor with great potential.

Bartolo stood up and handed over a sword manual but didn’t linger, saying, "That’s enough for now. With your exceptional talent, you will surely reach the pinnacle of Sword Dao one day. If I’m still around by then, I too hope to see you bring glory to the Sword Dao..."

Qiangan stood up and took the sword manual, respectfully holding her sword and performing a sword salute, "Thank you for the pointers, senior."

Seeing him about to leave, Su Lun suddenly spoke up, "Senior, wait a moment."

He directly inquired, "May I ask if you are Mr. Saito?"

"Oh?"

Bartolo glanced over, his old face slightly changing as if the name was very unfamiliar to him.

Seeing that he seemed to acknowledge by default, Su Lun asked directly, "I’d like to inquire... what exactly happened back then? We are the Dawn Adventure Group, and we came across Black Sam’s World Sea Map, which is why we wanted to come here in search of treasure and adventure. Moreover,..."

Upon hearing this, Bartolo was surprised and murmured to himself, "Oh, so it was that sea map that brought you here..."

"Yes."

Su Lun continued, "Because of the sea map, we knew that Black Sam’s pirate crew had come to the Far Western Seas. And also, Sam Bellamy’s son is on our ship. That’s why I wanted to ask if you, the senior, might be Mr. Saito..."

"The Captain had a son?"

Bartolo looked taken aback upon hearing this, his first reaction being that of encountering a con artist trying to cozy up to him.

But looking at Su Lun and the other person, they didn’t seem to fit the part, so his expression turned to one of puzzlement.

Su Lun spoke again, "Yes. Tanni’s mother is Frida, a Priestess of the Naga.

When Bartolo heard the name "Frida," he then realized Su Lun might not be lying. Astonishment slowly spread across that aged face, "You mean to say... Miss Frida bore the Captain’s son?"

Su Lun nodded, "Yes. Tanni is now our Dawn Group’s navigator, currently on the ship."

As he spoke, he gestured with his hand. Although he felt it might be impolite, he had no choice but to display the stone sculpture of Tanni’s mother and added, "Lady Frida suffers from a petrification curse. One of our purposes for coming here was to find a cure to lift the curse."

Seeing a familiar face, Bartolo’s expression finally shifted, a mix of shock and joy, "The Captain truly left behind a son?!"

It was as if a tender shoot of hope had sprouted from the burnt ashes of cold embers.

His own life had reached its end, but now he saw something that continued beyond it.

In his eyes, there was finally something that moved him deeply.

Su Lun reiterated, "Yes. I originally found the Cursed Gold Coin left by Mr. Sam and then encountered Tanni by chance, learning about some things..."

He briefly explained the process.

Bartolo was now fully convinced.

He had been an orphan, the sole survivor when all his companions had perished.

Since then, there was nothing in the world that seemed to matter or concern him.

Therefore, even knowing that the two before him came from adventurers from the Luying Empire, he had no expectations, regarding them as strangers passing by.

Just now, he had encountered a talented junior and couldn’t refrain from imparting a few pointers, not wanting his own skills to vanish from this world without a trace.

Who would have thought, now someone claimed the Captain had left a son?

Su Lun, noting the changes in Bartolo’s expression, got straight to the point, "So if possible, I hope to get some help from you, Senior Bartolo. I want to know what exactly happened with Black Sam’s pirate crew, and what dangers are inside the Old Dragon Kingdom Ruins..."

Upon hearing these words, Bartolo’s recently changed expression suddenly stiffened, as if recalling some sorrowful memory that he couldn’t let go of, his brows deeply furrowed, "You want to go to the Old Dragon Kingdom Ruins?"

Su Lun nodded, "Yes."

Before he could say anything else, Bartolo interrupted with a serious tone, "I don’t know why you want to go, but I strongly advise you to dismiss the thought. That area is not just dangerous; it’s a gateway to hell. No one can come back alive."

Having already obtained some intel from the Naga, Su Lun was well aware of the dangers there.

They could end Black Sam’s crew as well as the Dawn.

Yet he still shook his head, "No, we’re not going just for adventure. There’s another reason, because there has been a dimensional invasion..."

Only with more detailed intel could he judge exactly what they might face.

There was no better source of information than this powerful individual before him who had once been there himself.

At these words, Bartolo was shocked again, even more so than when hearing about his Captain having a son.

Throughout their adventures sailing the world, Black Sam’s crew had come across countless dangers and knew secrets hidden in the dust of broken ages, even understanding what a dimensional invasion implied.

That represented a civilization-destroying disaster...

He frowned and asked, "A dimensional invasion? Which dimension?"

Su Lun replied, "Yes. It’s the Heavenly Gods’ dimension. It’s a long story; this issue starts with the revolution in Luying..."