】

Qingdeng left suddenly and came back quickly.

In just a moment, he returned to the banquet hall and his seat with a normal expression.

Not long after Qingto came back, Kiryu and others also returned one after another.

The parents of the three girls left the meeting almost at the same time, and then returned almost at the same time.

First, he said that he was going to say hello to his acquaintances Sato Hikoro and others. Okita Mitsuka and his wife were the first to return to Aoto and others... As soon as Okita Mitsukata came back, he stared at him with a terrible and angry look.

The boss was so drunk that he passed out.

Okita Hikaru doesn't like drinking, and hates drunks the most. Souji's behavior of drinking too much in public and falling asleep directly is completely dancing on Okita Hikaru's bottom line.

When Souji wakes up, she will be in trouble... Qingdeng thought to himself.

Immediately afterwards, Chiba Jutaro, who claimed to have gone outside to sober up, came back in a hurry.

The last people to return to the table were the three elders, Kiryu and Komu and his wife.

The parents came back, and Kinoshita Mai and Sanako didn't dare to "fight openly and secretly" in front of them anymore, and they both buried their heads in eating obediently.

The faint smell of gunpowder that originally filled the air suddenly dissipated.

After that, nothing worth mentioning happened at Qing Deng's "table". Everyone quietly enjoyed the food in front of them and the lively banquet atmosphere, raising their heads and chatting from time to time.

But I don’t know if it’s Qingdeng’s illusion.

He always felt that... the attitude of Gu Mu and his wife toward him had changed quite subtly after they returned to the banquet.

Amachi's attitude toward him seemed... to have become a lot colder.

It's not that she suddenly made a bad face towards Qingdeng or said bad words to Qingdeng.

Because her seat was very close to Qingdeng, Qingdeng often made eye contact with her.

Previously, whenever Aomachi and Aoden looked at each other, Atachi would smile politely, his eyes full of smiles.

And now, after meeting Qingnou's eyes, Amachi would still smile at Qingnou...but both the smile on his face and the smile in his eyes had become much stiffer.

There is a feeling that I don’t want to smile at Qingden, but I have to force a smile out of politeness...

On the contrary, it was Goro Komaki.

The change in his attitude towards Aomachi was completely opposite to that of Omachi - he suddenly became a little more enthusiastic.

Frequently, he took the initiative to bring up topics and chat with Qingdeng.

The things they talked about were just ordinary gossip, and the topic mainly revolved around swordsmanship.

for example:

When did you start practicing swordplay?

Have you received the exemption license yet?

Do you have any plans to learn other swordsmanship skills besides practicing Natural Rishin-ryu?

All these kinds of things.

Due to the indescribable affection for Goro Komaki, and the fact that Goro Komaki was a talkative person, Qingden was happy to chat with this elegant old man.

Through chatting with Komaki Goro, Qingden also learned a lot about this uncle.

Komaki Goro's actual age is older than his appearance. According to him, he is 45 years old. His wife, Omachi, is 2 years younger than him and is 43 years old.

The original intention of the two couples to open a wagashi shop in Kyoto was that they were both interested in making sweets.

After a lot of back and forth, I was able to build a wagashi shop in Kyoto that was doing pretty well.

"I once learned a little swordsmanship."

Goro Komaki raised his glass and said with a straight face while sipping the wine.

"I know a thing or two about swordsmanship. Although I haven't made any great achievements in swordsmanship, I have always been interested in swordsmanship."

"Mr. Orange, your swordsmanship is so high. I wonder if you have any ideals or goals in your swordsmanship journey?"

"Have you ever thought about becoming a famous swordsman?"

"Or should we go one step further and become the 'unparalleled one in the world' who has no rival in the world in the same era?"

"Are you eager to become a 'sainted' swordsman like Ueizumi Nobutsuna, Tsukahara Buden, Kinoshita Genichi, and Ogata Issei?"

"Or...challenge the achievement that countless warriors dream of: becoming the 'Millennium Unparalleled' that surpasses the past, present and future generations. No matter whether it is hundreds or thousands of years in the future, no one can surpass you?"

After listening to this series of questions raised by Komaki Goro, Qingden couldn't help but secretly sighed.

The question asked by Komaki Goro is a bit big...

And each question was more exaggerated than the last... The great swordsman, unparalleled in the world, the sword master, unparalleled for thousands of years...

Does Qingdeng have any goals or wishes in the journey of swordsmanship? Qingdeng has never seriously thought about this question.

This question is in line with Qingdeng's worries a while ago: Now that the anti-barbarian group has been destroyed and the Sword of Damocles above his head has disappeared, where should his future go?

"..." Qingdeng said nothing, looking deep in thought. The wine glass he was about to raise paused for a moment.

Goro Komaki is not in a hurry.

He was eating and drinking as usual, quietly waiting for Qingdeng to think and answer.

After a long while, Qingdeng quietly put the wine glass in his hand back to his knees.

"...Mr. Gu Mu, I feel ashamed to say it. My answer may disappoint you."

Qingdeng smiled lightly, and then said calmly and unhurriedly:

"Although I am very interested in martial arts, I have never thought about becoming a great swordsman, unparalleled in the world, a swordsman, or someone unparalleled for thousands of years."

"Not to mention 'want to be', I have never even thought about these words."

"I just want to be quiet and continue to hone my martial arts at my own pace."

"If you insist on a goal... then let's work hard to become stronger."

"Strong enough to protect all the important people around me."

Miyagawa Otongoro and other guests became more and more noisy, and the whole banquet hall was noisy.

Because the sound at the scene was very noisy, only the two parties involved could hear clearly the conversation between Qingnobo and Goro Komaki.

Goro Komaki put down the bowls and chopsticks in his hands, looked directly into Qingdeng's eyes, and listened carefully to Qingdeng's words.

"Looking back, I realized that before I knew it, I already had very important relatives and friends."

As Qingdeng spoke, he raised his head, raised his gaze, and looked around.

The old servants Kyubei, Kondo, Hijikata, Saito, Nagakura, Harada, Kiryu, Mai Kinoshita, Sanako, Souji... Qingto's eyes passed over their cheeks one by one as they sat in different positions.

"At present, this country and this world are far from being called peaceful."

"All kinds of chaos ensued."

"Although it may be arrogant to say this...but I still want to do my best to protect all the important people wherever my sword reaches."

Having said this, Qingdeng paused.

Then, he changed into a half-joking tone.

"So I've always wanted to learn how to use a musket."

Qingdeng raised his hand as if to pull the trigger and continued:

"Compared to the edge of a sword... the range that the muzzle can protect seems to be a little wider."

"Hahaha."

Komaki Goro seemed amused by Aoto's words, and after a few chuckles, he crossed his hands and reached into Haori's wide sleeves.

"In other words, you chose the 'Living Sword'..."

"Living Sword?"

Qingden cast a doubtful look at Goro Komaki.

"A friend of mine who is well versed in swordsmanship once told me: There are two types of swords in the world——"

Goro Komaki smiled calmly, and then raised two fingers.

"The 'unparalleled sword' that cuts off everything in the world."

"The 'Living Sword' that only cuts what is meant to be cut."

"Obviously, based on your answer just now, you meant 'living person', not 'unparalleled'."

Komakigoro slowly lowered his raised finger, and then pretended to look like he wanted to carefully appreciate the art, and softly repeated a certain sentence that Qingteng said just now:

"Protect all the important people wherever the sword reaches..."

"Hahahaha, not bad ideal!"

After saying that, Goro Komaki stretched out his hands that had been inserted into Haori's sleeves - and saw a pen and a small booklet in his right palm.
To be continued...