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Chapter Thirty Eight: The Fastest In The World
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  The Donghu monk could only sigh. He knew that Ding Ning would become the greatest existence of the cultivation world, but the premise was that he survived this trap of a thousand mountains.

  “In reality, it is good to make a clean break.”


  Tantai Guanjian, who had been silent for a long time, listened to the Donghu monk’s and Ding Ning’s conversation, not daring to interrupt. Now, he no longer asked Ding Ning any questions, and sat down next to him like a junior. He said, “At least, you will learn who is the enemy, and who are true friends.”


  “Do not care too much about the life and deaths of other people.” Looking at Ding Ning who had fallen silent, Tantai Guanjian said seriously, “Regardless of life and death, it all started because of fate, but in the end, it is due to one’s choices. Sometimes, what is most terrifying is not even being able to choose.”


  After a pause, Tantai Guanjian looked at Ding Ning and added, “Just barely living may not be happier than death.”


  Ding Ning forced a smile. He knew what Tantai Guanjian meant, but he could not relax.

  Many years ago when he stepped into Changling, he wanted to become the center of the storm, and have the world be influenced by him. When everything major was happening around him, maybe he would feel great excitement and vanity. But after experiencing so much life and death, after carrying so much weight, many of his thoughts had changed.

  For Ye Xiao who had created this trap, Ding Ning did not feel any hatred. Even though some things were only accidents and came from good intentions, war and reformation had created misfortune for many people.

  “You taught many people how to use the sword. Back then, Changling’s opinion of your sword was just perfect.”


  Tantai Guanjian looked at Ding Ning whose smile was fading. He hesitated and then said, “Maybe, you can make me stronger.”


  Everyone present knew his meaning. In a trap like this, if there was a way to increase his strength quickly, the chance that everyone would survive would increase.

  One person’s vital energy cultivation and their perception of the primal energies of the universe could not be increased quickly in a short time, unless one was on the verge of a breakthrough like the Donghu monk.

  The only chance to quickly increase a person’s combat strength was their understanding of their sword manual and sword essence. If one could maximize their sword move’s power, then their combat strength may increase greatly in the short term. This was impossible for other people, but this was coincidentally something that Ding Ning could do.

  Tantai Guanjian was speaking of a recognized truth in the cultivation world. Back then, that person had never openly taken in students, but during his many cultivation stages, he had instructed several people in the world. Those people had all become famed grand masters in the future, the most well-known being Ye Celeng, Bureau Chief Ye.

  But upon Tantai Guanjian’s words, Ding Ning shook his head. “In reality, there is no perfect sword essence, but no one can be truly and absolutely perfect in any matter. Flaws will always exist, but when one reaches the limit in a certain area, the flaws will be covered up.”


  Tantai Guanjian could hear that this was Ding Ning’s sentiment, but he could not understand, and frowned.

  “Sword essence, sword essence, the essence is the important part. The essence comes from one’s own heart, so the key is that one has to believe.” Ding Ning looked at his confused eyes and said softly, “In the records of cultivators, there is usually a story, an old woman recited an energy refinement method like it is a scripture. She was not very literate and even said many characters wrong, she did not understand much of the meaning at all. But she kept on reciting for decades, and in the end, she formed vital energy. One day, a cultivator passed by. Hearing that she was reciting wrong, they patiently explained to her out of pity and corrected her mistakes. They thought that the old woman would get stronger, but in the end, the old woman regressed.”


  Pausing for a few breaths, Ding Ning looked at Tantai Guanjian whose eyes were lighting up. He said, “There are many versions of this story, but the meaning expressed is the same. Your sword essence is for extreme speed. It is already very perfect. If there is anything lacking, I fear it is the last bit of confidence. You do not need my instruction, you just need someone like me to give you affirmation so you will trust yourself more, and erase the last bit of doubt from your heart.”


  “You are already at the extreme. If your heart believes that this is the extreme as well, your sword will be a bit faster.” Ding Ning smiled faintly and looked at Tantai Guanjian whose expression was changing. He said, “If this is said to be instructing, does this count as instruction?”


  Tantai Guanjian’s mind was greatly affected. The air around him rippled, but in the next moment, his expression grew absolutely calm. Then he stood up, and bowed deeply to Ding Ning who was still seated. He said softly, “This is the most useful instruction.”


  The Donghu monk sighed with emotion.

  At this time, the sky was growing pale. The pale white color was not because it was close to morning, but a light created by powerful energy disturbances.

  Other than the unconscious Fu Su, Ding Ning and the others looked up. This meant that people were coming. To be able to create such a scene and enter at this time would be a realm seven grandmaster.

  Was this a strong aid, or the start of a new battle?

  Ding Ning took a deep breath and waited calmly.

  Tantai Guanjian’s eyes grew calm, just as humble as before, but in the eyes of the Donghu monk, he had a completely different presence than before.

  The white light grew brighter. When it formed into a white cloud that glowed by absorbing the night lights, a figure appeared in the gap of the thousand mountains above their heads.

  This was a middle aged man dressed in blue robes. He did not carry any sword, but his skin seemed to be like the moon, giving off a clean and glowing light.

  This middle aged man’s features were very gentle. What was most eye-catching was that there was a silver line between his eyes, like a horizontal eye.

  This middle aged man floated down. He examined Ding Ning and Zhangsun Qianxue, the respect in his eyes growing. He became more and more excited, and it seemed that he would bow before he even landed.

  But at this time, Ding Ning’s eyebrows rose slightly. A muffled sound came from the ground deep down, and then there was a string of sounds from branches breaking like something was being torn up in pieces. The ground bulged up, like something enormous was attempting to burrow out from the ground.

  The Donghu monk was slightly surprised. Tantai Guanjian’s eyebrows rose, and now, he sensed a dark presence he was very displeased by.

  The middle aged man who had not yet landed had not expected such a change, and his expression froze.

  Volume 4 38 - He Watches The Scenery From The Tower

  The Imperial Guard Army continued to march, but as the war situation suddenly changed, their path also changed as they headed for Guyu Pass.

  “In reality, even Guo Feng himself feels that the three hundred Imperial Guard Army soldiers are just going to be buried as well.”


  As Ding Ning returned to his place next to Zhangsun Qianxue’s carriage, her cool voice reached his ears. “In reality, he wants to hear you refuse, after all, your orders are to head to the Donghu borders.”


  Ding Ning had a rare seriousness on his face. “If we cannot delay and hold Yin Mountain until the reinforcements arrive, we will not just lose control of Yin Mountain’s surroundings. Even if we reach the Donghu on time, we will encounter worse than these defeated remnant armies.”


  Zhangsun Qianxue spoke coldly from inside the cabin so even the soldier driving her carriage could not hear but her voice clearly reached Ding Ning’s ears. “I always did not like to understand things like war. I just want to know what you want to do. Pretend to be dead? Use the war to erase our tracks so Zheng Xiu thinks we are dead, and then return to Changling when you are realm seven?”


  “You do not need to understand or have to understand war.” Ding Ning whispered. “I have something Zheng Xiu wants, so before we finally flee her grasp, our hopes of escaping her sight using the war is minute.”


  Zhangsun Qianxue said, “Heaven Replenishing Divine Art?”


  Ding Ning said after a moment, “Heaven Replenishing Divine Art.”


  Zhangsun Qianxue was also silent for a moment. Her voice started to carry cold fury, “Then are we not being used by her now?”


  “If Yin Mountain is lost, this may cause more changes, and even cause the Qin Dynasty to lose their strategic advantage against the three dynasties.” Ding Ning looked up and said, “Scheming in an unchanged Changling is much simpler than in a changed Changling.”


  “What if our revenge is unsuccessful?” Zhangsun Qianxue said. “What if we gift an unprecedented world of peace and prosperity to her?’


  Ding Ning looked towards the miserable yellowed grass. “If we cannot succeed in the end, a peaceful world is also good. We can think of it as paying many people’s debts. No one in the world can be immortal. Even the greatest ambition will turn to mud and grass.”


  Zhangsun Qianxue did not say anything again.

  **

  The light on the steppes grew dimmer. Dusk was approaching.

  Hundreds of Wuzhi cavalry appeared at the meadow hundreds of feet from Li Xixing and Hu Jingjing. Unlike the formations the Qin military liked to use, the hundred cavalry formed a straight line, even though they were scouts, and they appeared almost at the same moment. These tall horses and riders obscured what was behind them. This would make people feel that they did not know how many more cavalry behind them, and created a sense of pressure.

  Unlike the Qin military who liked to use the sword, these Wuzhi soldiers liked to use blades, and many of them dual blades. These soldiers were used to a frightening method of fighting over the long years of fighting against the Qin army — when the enemy sword was stabbing towards them, they would use their other blade to cut the enemy blade.

  Since their swordsmanship and nimbleness, including military equipment could not compare to the Qin military, these people of the steppes spent more time on their brute strength and that decisive swing of their blade.

  Li Xixing was lying in the grass, slowly lifted his head without moving his body at all.

  He had said what was needed so he did not even look at Hu Jingjing and moved through the grass like a wolf. He followed a path that had been opened before. His body was concealed within the grass and even as he disappeared from Hu Jingjing’s sight, he did not make a sound.

  She carefully counted in her mind. When she counted to fifty, Hu Jingjing started to retreat in the grass. At the same time, she blew a bone whistle Li Xixing had given her.

  A howl similar to a wolf suddenly sounded on the plains. The line of cavalry moved in unison.

  The hooves hit the soft ground and gave off palpitating sounds. Three horses quickly dashed out of the formation and formed three straight waves in the sea of grass. The remaining cavalry slowly trotted in unison.

  Pew! Pew! Pew!

  Three arrows broke through the air accurately in the direction Hu Jingjing had retreated.

  Hu Jingjing stopped. The closest of the three arrows was just a few feet away. But at this moment, there was a heavy sound.

  A horse suddenly fell heavily to the grass among the hundred cavalry. The horse kicked up a burst of yellowed grass and dust as it whinnied, unable to get up.

  More heavy sounds and angry roars sounded in its wake. The nearest dozen steeds also fell miserably to the ground like the first horse.

  Hu Jingjing’s pupils contracted and she saw a scene that stopped her breath. In the short dozen days previously, she had experienced many terrible battles. Most of her senior sect brothers had died on the wasteland here. But she had never seen such quick speed, or rather, speed at which the cavalry lost their horses.

  When the first horse fell, Li Xixing’s figure was already underneath the third falling horse. He used his cloth-wrapped sword to stab upwards into the horse’s abdomen. As he killed the rider, he pulled hard on the copper wires buried in the soil. As his body moved rapidly, these copper wires quickly cut through the feet of the horses along the way.

  The riders on the horses shouted in shock. After two breaths, these Wuzhi riders reacted, pulled out the long blades at the two sides of the horses and stabbed hard into the soil below.

  Even though they did not know the layout of the copper wires buried below, even if their horses had their feet severed, their long blades could tangle with the wires in the soil and stop the wires from moving.

  At this moment, Li Xixing gave a harsh low bellow. He used all his strength to throw something in his hand ahead and to the side of him. He threw out a copper metal ring wrapped with resilient copper wire.

  Yet as he threw with full power, this ordinary metal ring had astounding power. It immediately pulled at the blades of many riders on their horses and unbalanced them.

  Then Li Xixing started to kill people. He killed at a terrifying rate.

  The cloth wrapped around his longsword was torn apart to reveal the pale white blade.

  In Changling, including when he was choosing the sword in Min Mountain Sword Sect, he had not used this sword.

  When his vital energy furiously poured into the script in this sword, the pale white blade gave off a light like a long fang.

  “Fang ……!”


  Seeing the light in the dusk, this Wuzhi scout shouted in shock. Yet immediately after, he died.

  A slightly curved sword light erupted out of the blade, and made a strange curve in the air to stab the underside of the rider’s chin and penetrate his head.

  Li Xixing’s movements were extremely precise. As he swung his sword to kill for the first time, he jumped upwards. He kicked at two long blades with his feet, sending them spinning and cutting through two riders who could not dodge in time. At the same time, he threw out five crimson copper beads with his left hand. The copper beads exploded as they accelerated through the air, and turned into small copper pieces as they split along seal scripts.

  The spray of copper pieces stabbed into the flesh of these people. They were not fatal, but many people’s faces now seemed to be stung by mosquitos and many people’s eyes were pierced.

  The scout army, which had been so intimidating a few moments ago, was in chaos. Li Xixing’s body moved through these people like a facing wolf. Hu Jingjing’s scalp prickled but he was extremely calm. The long blades he threw with his left hand or kicked out by his feet accurately flew towards the horses or the unharmed riders.

  With a hiss, Hu Jingjing finally breathed again.

  In this brief time, all the riders, except for the three lone riders ahead, had all fallen off their horses. If they had not been killed, their horses were on the ground and unable to get up.

  Hu Jingjing’s shock turned into admiration. She knew that these Wuzhi soldiers could not pose a true threat to Li Xixing anymore because he had killed the only cultivator among them with one blow.

  Volume 2 38 - Cultivators of the Qi

  This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.

  The blooms of golden flames spread on the cliff. The scorched rock started to turn red, and slowly melted.

  All of this displayed the great power of the Chu Dynasty’s standardized seal weapon.

  As he coughed, the emperor of Qi’s face turned ugly.

  Even in the most elite armies of the dynasty that were completely composed of cultivators, the cultivators were primarily realm three and four. Realm five cultivators were few.

  When the ground of the entire battlefield turned to burning lava, most cultivators could not survive. Even more so when a dominant and

  type primal energy of the universe like the sun truefire could create the greatest damage towards those who cultivated

  methods.

  In other words, this kind of standardized seal weapon was a greater threat to the Qi armies.

  Watching as a spectator …… It was difficult to do so.

  "Is this worth three years?"

  The emperor of Chu’s white hair was dyed golden yellow by the falling golden flames. He bathed in the golden color as he asked Emperor Yuanwu.

  Everybody present understood the meaning in his words.

  While Emperor Yuanwu had sent an army to take over Yangshan Commandery the night before the Deer Mountain Conference formally started, the Qin army could naturally retreat just as they had advanced.

  The emperor of Chu wanted Emperor Yuanwu to cede Yangshan Commandery for three years.

  Almost all the people who were looking at the thin metal pieces covered in golden threads felt that this wasn’t an outrageous demand.

  In the view of many, the emperor of Chu was too old, too conservative and lacking spirit.

  Yet, unexpectedly, Emperor Yuanwu shook his head briskly when he heard the emperor of Chu’s question. "It is not worth it."

  "The Starfire Sword cannot defeat this!"

  A rebellious voice came from behind the king of Chu.

  The speaker was an old official from the Chu Dynasty dressed in purple official robes.

  In this kind of situation, him speaking up was extremely disrespectful; he was overstepping a monarch’s power. But there were always officials in history who did not fear punishment or death. Due to his words, almost everybody present was certain that he was the one responsible for producing this kind of seal weapon which was why he was so unstable at this time.

  The words Starfire Sword reminded everyone on the peak of Deer Mountain — the Qin Dynasty also had an existence of an empress like Zheng Xiu.

  If the seal weapon could not be defeated by starfire, this meant that the seal weapon likely could absorb starfire.

  Yet, Emperor Yuanwu looked dismissively at this old official of the Chu Dynasty and said, "There is no need for the Starfire Sword."

  As he spoke, the blades of green grass on Deer Mountain rippled slightly.

  A strange ripple of energy spread from the Qin army campsite at the base of Deer Mountain.

  Many black rays of light surged up and gathered upwards.

  All of the rays of light gathered into one.

  If it were an ordinary light, it would reflect outwards. But this ray of black light was so condensed that, in everybody’s sight, it appeared to be a black pillar of ice stretching upwards into the sky.

  This pillar of black light swept towards the floating metal pieces high in the sky.

  "As expected." Fu Su looked at this and laughed in joy.

  "What is this?" Ding Ning asked, his eyes narrowed slightly.

  He faintly felt that this was related to the items that the Xie Family had transported. But he had never seen this kind of seal weapon before.

  "Shooting Sirius."

  Fu Su turned to look at Ding Ning. Since this important weapon had been revealed at Deer Mountain Conference, it was fated to be known throughout the world. There was no more need for secrecy.

  "Shooting Sirius."

  He repeated this name with some pride. Then he continued to explain to Ding Ning. "This is a kind of seal weapon that was being tested in the first year of Yuanwu. It is only complete now."

  "Shooting Sirius?"

  Ding Ning repeated the name, and felt a wave of coldness.

  Several others felt waves of cold as well.

  On the peak of Deer Mountain, many had completely stopped breathing, their bodies colder than if they were immersed in ice water.

  The golden flames grew scarce.

  When the ray of black light touched the floating metal pieces in the sky, the metal pieces started to fall.

  When the ray of black light touched all the floating metal pieces, they all fell.

  The golden flames completely disappeared.

  "Splash."

  The outspoken old Chu Dynasty official vomited a mouthful of blood, falling backwards and passing out.

  The emperor of Chu looked at this ray of black light, and many more wrinkles appeared on his face.

  Li Lingjun looked dazedly at the falling pieces of thin metal. More frost appeared at the root of his hair.

  The atmosphere at the top of Deer Mountain was extremely stifling.

  Someone helped the unconscious old Chu official up and started treatment. Suddenly, loud sobs filled the air.

  The ones crying were the craftsmen of the Chu Dynasty.

  Everybody could understand their emotions.

  No one knew how much effort they had spent on this "Heavenly Censure." This standardized seal weapon, that originally would be enough to write their names into the history books and change the future of the Chu Dynasty, had been defeated by a pillar of black light like this.

  This ray of black light was still in the air. From its density, it appeared it could exist for a long time.

  Just one ray of black light was enough to destroy as many "Heavenly Censure" as needed. Also, it appeared from Emperor Yuanwu that the Qin Dynasty had not just made one item that could produce a ray of black light like this.

  "Who!"

  Someone shouted madly among the sobbing. "Who is the criminal that should be cursed for thousands of years, who is the spy from the Qin. Come out!"

  Something like "Heavenly Censure" was a top secret in the Chu Dynasty. But the first time it appeared at Deer Mountain Conference, it was targeted and subdued by the Qin Dynasty. The most likely reason was that someone had leaked this secret to the Qin Dynasty long ago. Also, this person must be of considerable status. Otherwise, they would not have access to the true secret of this item.

  "Enough." The emperor of Chu said firmly.

  The air froze. All the voices behind him disappeared.

  "There is no meaning."

  Murderousness flashed across his face and returned to peacefulness as he slowly spoke.

  The crying and furious craftsmen and officials behind him knew that these words were their monarch comforting them, but they could not easily dissipate the sadness they felt. They no longer spoke, but their heads hung low and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

  "Long ago when Changling started the reformation, and the city of Changling started major reconstruction, those corner turrets were not used purely to observe and dispatch the army."

  The emperor of Chu spoke as though nothing had happened. He looked at Emperor Yuanwu and slowly narrated. "Long ago in the forecasts of the Ba Mountain Sword Field cultivators, they wanted to set up some seal weapons on those corner turrets that could reach every corner of Changling."

  "If I remember correctly, at the time, that idea was called the Falling Dark Moon."

  "Rays of light produced by sufficiently strong

  items condensed by seal crystals can shoot into any corner of Changling like powerful flying swords."

  "In reality, there is a sword hanging above every person walking in Changling that can appear at any time."

  "This is the true reason why Changling, at the beginning, was without city walls."

  "But this kind of seal weapon is too evil in itself. It needs countless corpses and bones, the majority of those cultivators and females. They have to be soaked in seal water before they can be used to make seal weapons …… the Ba Mountain Sword Field cultivators who had this idea died before your ascension, so the production of these seal weapons was delayed."

  "I had not expected you and Zheng Xiu found the method to make these seal weapons."

  As he slowly narrated, on the other mountain peak, Ding Ning finally remembered what kind of seal weapon this was.

  He thought coldly within.

  The emperors of Qi and Yan had ugly expressions.

  Regardless of what kind of seal weapon this was, they could sense the power of this ray of light surpassed the lifebond sword that most Qi cultivators nurtured their entire lives with

  energy.

  "You are correct."

  Emperor Yuanwu nodded directly, looking at the emperor of Chu, and saying, "So there is no need to speak of Yangshan Commandery."

  The emperor of Chu shook his head and said, "It is not so simple."

  When these simple words were said, everybody atop Deer Mountain shook again.

  There were at least a hundred thousand elite Chu Dynasty soldiers in Yangshan Commandery, and many of the Chu Dynasty’s famous generals. These people were likely dead now. Adding on that the standardized seal weapon they had placed such importance on was useless, the Chu Dynasty had suffered successive losses to the Qin Dynasty. If they paid another great price, it would not be as simple as returning Yangshan Commandery.

  Emperor Yuanwu’s brows furrowed. He slowly raised his head, but did not look at the emperor of Chu, rather to his rear.

  For the first time, the man in black robes next to the emperor of Qi showed shock.

  A barefoot man with messy hair slowly walked out of the slim Chu palace. This was a man whose age could not be judged by his appearance.

  He wore a long robe made from untanned sheepskin that had all kinds of chaotic totems painted on it with simple colored rock powders.

  He did not look like someone from the Chu Dynasty, but a shaman from the tribes on the desert border.

  Translator Ramblings: The Chinese have a very strong taboo against disturbing someone’s remains. So not letting someone’s remain "lie in peace" and be used as weapons is pretty taboo.

  Volume 5 38 - Sorrow