Dark River, capable of assassinating royalty and nobility in court and wiping out powerful sects in the wild, is the most feared organization of assassins in the martial world. However, its leader, the Patriarch, is aging and gradually losing control. During a mission to kill Tang Clan’s Second Master, the Patriarch is severely injured. Several faction leaders within Dark River send out assassins to kill him, while he seeks physicians to prolong his life. This race against time, concerning life, death, and the future of the assassin organization, begins. Fate brings two young men, who crawled out of piles of corpses and share a deep bond, to stand on opposite sides… This is also a prequel novel but is set after Shao Nian Bai Ma, approximately 8 years before the start of Shao Nian Ge Xing.. Official title: Tales of Dark River Associated Names: An He Zhuan, 暗河传 Status: ongoing Published by 不可能的世界 Author: Zhou Mu Nan Chapter 0 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Tales of Dark River — MyDramaNovel.com Tales of Dark River - Novelib
The gates of the White Crane Apothecary slowly opened, and a woman in red emerged. She was tall and elegant, with a beautiful face, though her skin was somewhat pale as if she rarely saw sunlight. A small red mark adorned the center of her forehead, adding a touch of allure to her appearance. As she reached the gateway, her brow furrowed and her eyes widened, revealing a hint of petulance. "Who is it? Knocking so loudly." "Miss, may I ask if the master of the house is at home?" Su Changhe asked with a smile. The woman paused for a moment, and then laughed, "Oh, so you're looking for Old Master Bai. He's out making house calls. Would you like to come in for a cup of tea while you wait?" "That's not necessary, we'll wait here," Xie Changze replied. "Alright, then I'll go out and find Old Master Bai for you." The woman walked out, carrying a medicine chest on her back, as if she had been about to leave anyway. She walked straight past Xie Changze and Xie Jinke. Xie Jinke instinctively reached for his sword, but Xie Changze gently stopped him. Su Changhe glanced at Su Zhe, and with a slight twist of his fingers, the dagger returned to his hand. "We'll be counting on you, then, Miss." Su Zhe grasped the Buddhist staff with his right hand and gave it a slight shake. A golden ring flew out, grazing the woman's cheek before returning to Su Zhe's hand. He glanced at it and saw a…
The light rain brought new flowers, and a thunder startled the insects. …… In Jiangnan in March, the first spring thunder rumbles, and a drizzle follows. The air soon fills with the fragrance of damp earth. This is the perfect time to snuggle up at home, warm a pot of wine, wrap yourself in a quilt, listen to the patter of rain outside, and have a lovely sleep. Of course, it's also the perfect time for an assassin to strike or a grim reaper to collect a soul. A young man in purple boots slowly approached a weathered grey manor. The boots were exquisite, embroidered with a lifelike eight-clawed dragon in gold thread. He seemed to cherish them, carefully avoiding puddles along the way, so despite the constant spring rain, his boots remained clean. He raised his hand and gently knocked on the manor's gate. Knock, knock, knock. The knocking echoed within the manor, but no one answered. "No one's home?" The man in the purple boots turned around, confused. A burly man carrying a large golden-ringed broadsword stood there, looking up at the manor's plaque and muttering to himself, "White Crane Apothecary. Shouldn't have gotten the place wrong." The man in purple boots frowned slightly. "Could we be too late?" "It's not late, not late at all; in fact, you clearly arrived a bit earlier than me." A mocking voice suddenly rang out nearby. The burly man swiftly turned around and drew the large broadsword partway from his back, shouting in a low voice, "Su Changhe!" The newcomer sported…
At winter's end and spring's beginning, all things awaken. Yet, in the northern borderlands, a heavy snow suddenly fell upon Liaoluo City. "White snow dislikes the late coming vernal breeze, in plays the parting flowers flying through the trees." In a grand mansion within Liaoluo City, an elderly man dressed in a cotton robe sat beside the large lake in the courtyard, watching the snow. He extended his right hand, observing the delicate snowflakes drifting through his fingers, and murmured these words softly. "I thought this winter was over." A young voice suddenly sounded from behind him. The old man's expression remained unchanged. He simply picked up the wine jug at his feet, tilted his head back, and took a sip. "Those of us at this age, each year we wait for winter to end quickly. Because every end of winter means we've survived another year, and waking up is a new beginning. But alas, winter has passed, yet another snow has fallen, and you have arrived, the Ghost of the Dark River." The old man turned his head and looked at the uninvited guest. The newcomer was dressed entirely in black, holding an oiled paper umbrella in one hand. His face was covered by a red demon mask, but his voice was calm and cool. "Forgive the intrusion." "Hahahaha. An assassin at the door, holding a deadly weapon, yet still so polite and courteous. How intriguing." The old man scrutinized the umbrella-bearer. "Judging by your attire, you must be the top expert of the Su family's current generation, the…
In the small boat, the three remained silent for a long time. Jimo Huaxue recalled the past events, feeling a sense of melancholy in her heart. Nangong Xier was suddenly struck by the news that her second senior brother had died for her. Shock, anger, and regret surged through her, a whirlwind of emotions. At that moment, she felt a desperate urge to grab her sword and go to Mount Weilong immediately, seeking vengeance for her fallen comrade. "The Shanglin Heavenly Palace with Brother Su and the Shanglin Heavenly Palace without Brother Su are completely different," Jimo Huaxue said softly. Su Baiyi's heart stirred. "City Lord of Jimo, do you know Grand Palace Master Su Han?" "He and my father were close friends. He often visited Jimo Sword City as a guest, and my father admired him greatly, believing him to be a rare talent in the martial world, one not seen in a hundred years," Jimo Huaxue said softly. "If he hadn't died back then, perhaps the martial world would have truly become the world we hoped for. By the way, you said you were Brother Xie's disciple. When did Brother Xie take on a disciple?" Su Baiyi asked in confusion, "City Lord of Jimo, you seem to be very familiar with my master, but why aren't you surprised at all by the news that he's still alive?" "Brother Xie, that sly fox, how could he have died so easily?" Jimo Huaxue chuckled. "You still haven't answered my question." "When I was young, I was targeted by enemies and…
Jimo Sword City, the ancestral home of the Jimo Clan. It took the efforts of several generations to build the current massive Jimo City. As all disciples under the clan practice swordsmanship, Jimo City is respectfully known as Sword City by the world. The previous three generations of city lords were all honored as Sword Immortals by martial heroes, further solidifying Jimo City's status in the martial world. However, after Jimo Jingzhu's death, many believe Jimo Sword City is about to decline, as the new city lord is but a young woman who has never ventured into the martial world. But three days after Nan Yulou, the second disciple of the Academy, challenged Jimo Sword City, over half of the sword masters in the martial world began heading towards Jimo Sword City with their swords in hand. This was because Nan Yulou, who had swept through numerous sword masters in the martial world over the past year, was unexpectedly defeated in his first battle with Jimo Huaxue. "Your sword technique is not bad." Jimo Huaxue looked at the man lying on the ground, staring blankly at the sky. "What's it called?" "Everlasting Flowing Sword," Nan Yulou murmured. "The name's not bad either." Jimo Huaxue turned around. "But it's a pity, I'm a bit stronger." "I want to fight again," Nan Yulou suddenly said. "Alright." Jimo Huaxue didn't know why, but she felt a bit happy inside, and readily agreed. "You can rest here and recover for a few days. After your injuries heal, we'll fight again." Seven days later, Nan…
TN: Hey everyone. I've spent the last few days doing some light editing on earlier chapters. Almost finished. From now on, expect new chapters more often. Thanks for reading. In the vast Yunmeng Prefecture, rivers and lakes are scattered like stars across the sky. Boats can be seen drifting everywhere, and in the distance, mountains and waters blended together in a picturesque scene. After Su Baiyi, Nangong Xi'er, and the Sword Immortal Jimo Huaxue came ashore, they soon boarded a small boat. According to Nangong Xi'er, by taking this boat, they could reach the Moran Manor by the Luoze River. This manor was the residence of Mo Bai, a former disciple of the Academy, and it also served as a gathering point for Academy members arriving in Yunmeng Prefecture. If Feng Zuojun and Xie Yuling had arrived, they would surely head to the Moran Manor first. "Yunmeng Prefecture...is it really this beautiful?" Su Baiyi stood on the boat, brimming with excitement, looking around in awe at the magnificent scenery of Yunmeng before him. "This is the northern part of Yunmeng Prefecture, where the water and sky merge into one. It is indeed incredibly beautiful. However, the southern part of Yunmeng Prefecture presents a different scene." Jimo Huaxue seemed quite familiar with the scenery, speaking in a calm tone. "South of Yunmeng lies the Yunhuang. The air there is thick with moisture, and snakes, insects, rats, and ants run rampant. People who live there rarely live past forty." "Then why don't they move north?" Su Baiyi asked. Jimo Huaxue smiled. "You…
Su Baiyi scratched his head. “Senior sister, why is your conversation so mysterious…” The lady in red smiled and turned her head to look at the people from the Clear Sky Courtyard. "Has Bai Jile arrived?" No one answered. "Has Helian Xiyue arrived?" Still, no one answered. "Since they haven't come, then get lost," the woman in red said dismissively. "In the entire Shanglin Heavenly Palace, only those two are worthy of my blade." Crouching Tiger let out a long sigh, steadying his breath. "Jimo Sword City, do you intend to oppose the Shanglin Heavenly Palace?" The lady in red suddenly turned around, and the Liangren Sword that had been hovering beside her abruptly flew forward. Everyone turned in alarm to see a masked man with an umbrella standing behind them, his arrival unnoticed. As the long sword shot toward him, the man quickly unfurled his dark green umbrella, yet the Liangren Sword came to an abrupt stop, one foot away from its target. The lady in red slightly lowered her head. “You’re not bad.” The man chuckled softly, "To earn a 'not bad' from the esteemed City Lord of Jimo is praise enough to boast about in the Shanglin Heavenly Palace for years to come.Today’s matter is an internal affair of Shanglin Heavenly Palace and has nothing to do with Jimo City; I kindly ask the lord not to intervene." "You are not without skill," the lady in red said slowly, "but you are not worthy of my blade. Nor are you in a position to bargain with me." …
“Many years ago, I too had the fortune to witness the essence of the Everlasting Flowing Sword.” Crouching Tiger looked at the white jade longsword in Nangong Xi’er’s hands, his expression carrying a trace of nostalgia, “To see it again today is indeed a great fortune.” Nangong Xier raised her sword, her expression unchanged, and did not reply. But Su Baiyi knew that her strength was far from recovered; she was merely sustaining herself on a single breath of true qi, and could collapse at any moment. Crouching Tiger also readied his cleaver, not daring to make a move against Nangong Xi’er. The Everlasting Flowing Sword technique he had once witnessed was the most terrifying swordsmanship he had ever seen in this world, without equal. Even at his peak, he would not dare to fight it lightly, let alone now when he too had sustained considerable injuries. “She is seriously injured.” The masked man said suddenly. Crouching Tiger frowned slightly. "Oh?" “Our Courtyard of Thousand Inventions possesses a martial skill that allows one to observe qi and discern realms. That disciple of Xie Kanhua, at first glance, appeared to be at the Ascending realm, but after that one sword strike, his realm plummeted. Now, he hasn’t even reached the Autumn Water realm. As for this woman…” the man in the mask spoke solemnly, “Her entire being is like a room with shattered doors and windows, her qi chaotically rushing about everywhere. It’s clear she has suffered severe internal injuries. Vice-chair, they are not to be feared.” As soon as the…
Though the sword has not yet left its sheath, the intent of the blade already surges forth mightily from within. Mu Nianhua swiftly moved to the side of Nangong Xi’er and said softly, “It seems I’ve heard the rumbling of thunder.” “The softest whispers of thunder.” “Emanating from the space within the sheath.” The Crouching Tiger narrowed his eyes slightly; in the world, there exists a sword technique, singular in its form, known as the Sword Drawing Technique. It is said that swordsmen who practice this art do so beneath cliffside waterfalls, tirelessly honing this technique for decades. Only when the day comes that their sword can cleave the cascading waters, is it time for them to descend the mountain and wander the earth. “Your sword-drawing technique…” As the Crouching Tiger’s cleaver fell, shattering Mu Nianhua’s previous strike, a moment’s breath was typically needed before he could deliver an even finer blow. Yet, intuition screamed within him, he must not allow Su Baiyi to unsheathe his sword. “Is it merely sword-drawing technique?” Su Baiyi leapt up, dodging the blade from the Crouching Tiger, his sword drawn halfway, “Think bolder!” “Be bolder!” “For instance, like Seeing Flowers in the Mist.” “What a joke,” scoffed the Crouching Tiger with a cold laugh, as he swung his cleaver eleven times in succession at Su Baiyi, who was in mid-air. The blade energy was so vast that it caused the river water around the Golden Wind to surge and swell. Huge waves rose up, one after another. A cold light flashed. The Junyu sword…
