Chapter Forty-Three: Life
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无罪 update:2022-07-21 15:26
These gravestones, including the black mountain, were Yan Ying’s lifebond item. At this time, in the perception of the black-robed youth, countless gravestones appeared, and then a black mountain. There were many streams of lifebond energy spraying out from his body along the meridians.
A true black mountain, combined with the desolate soil underneath, rose up. With a loud boom, it pushed up against the savage sword river.
The cold star fire and the hot burning sun fire could harm his lifebond energy. At this moment, the black mountain made sounds like it was being melted by oil. Many of the incomplete gravestones were quickly corroded, holes forming on the surface then growing larger.
This was a true pain.
This black-robed youth immediately screamed, but the scream was not filled with terror, but fury.
He screamed in fury, his hands swinging. Pieces of gravestones stubbornly flew up, crashing against the sword lights, following his thoughts.
**
In the Yin Mountain, there was a crude grass hut.
In ordinary cloth robes, Yuanwu sat in the clearing in front of the grass hut.
This clearing was on a rising cliff, and ahead was a sea of clouds. The cloud seas of other mountains were usually dignified and beautiful, but Yin Mountain was called Yin Mountain because the mountain was high and cold, and between the clouds, everything was black.
At this time, there were those thousand dark dust mountains, and then there were black
energies bursting in the mountains like they were burning. As a result, the layers of cloud and mist in front of him were colored like lead.
His expression was very calm. But inside the meridians under his skin, it was like there were countless earthworms moving. Light shone out of some of the creases in his skin, and there was a feeling that his skin would split at any time.
While he was not among the thousand dust mountains, in reality, he was having the most dangerous fight with another realm eight. As to that black-robed youth, this was another old enemy for him, Yan Ying, who had seriously injured him during the Deer Mountain Conference.
There were countless difficult choices in one’s life. Compared to the danger of the battle right now, the battle in his mind was even harder. But many times, some choices could not be completely according to what he thought. Just like right now. He could sense better than anyone right now the steadiness of the star fire.
The cold and indifferent star fire was steadily descending as it merged with the lifebond energy that he released. There was no intention of urgency, but this kind of steadiness and indifference was the most powerful of urging.
Yuanwu gently shook his head and sighed.
**
The Donghu monk holding the staff up raised his eyebrows slightly. He looked down at his own body.
The wild sword river was still savagely moving through the space above, but the purest part of the power had passed into his energy and stabbed into his body.
This kind of power was a pure shock, just like someone was gripping the staff in his hand and furiously shaking it. After a moment of hesitation, the Donghu monk understood that this power came from the other realm eight in the world, Yuanwu.
He wanted to know what method the other was using to create true damage to him. This kind of lifebond energy entanglement was like Yuanwu holding his hand, and then Yuanwu causing his body to furiously shake, and causing his body to shake as well.
This was a move that harmed both sides. But there was one thing. Yuanwu had reached realm eight before him, and had gone further on the path, So his energy sea and some of his meridians were stabler.
This shock was targeted at his energy sea. It was undoubted that such means meant that Yuanwu would be seriously injured, and even his cultivation would fall, unable to recover for a long time. But his own cultivation would be crippled, and he would die. So Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu were joined together in this attack, wanting to reach the result that Yuanwu would be seriously injured, and he would die.
At this time, it was very clear in the Donghu monk’s mind. He knew that this was likely Zheng Xiu’s intentions. Yuanwu was forcing her to sacrifice her son as the cost, then she naturally wanted Yuanwu to pay a similar price. Then this would be fair to her and Yuanwu. Or rather, the relationship between her and Yuanwu needed to be like this to continue.
The Donghu monk’s expression turned bitter. He knew the goal of this combined attack. He had just reached realm eight and touched that wonderful world, but at this time, his energy sea was going to be destroyed and his life about to end. Naturally, he was very discontent inside.
But at this time, Qian Mu screamed with more fury.
He could sense where the killing intent was directed, and sensed that there was a power ignoring his thousand grave might, nimbly passing around his gravestones, and entering the body of the Donghu monk.
As he screamed, the hundreds of gravestones shrouded in black energy fell madly like shooting stars, charging into the old monk’s energy sea with ribbons of black energy. These gravestones appeared very large when in the air, but when they came to the old monk’s energy sea, they were as small as little stamps.
The old monk’s flushed face turned pitch black. In his senses, countless black stones filled his energy sea which was filled with turbulent power. These black stones caused the life in his organs to decline, but in this moment, as the black stones collided and brushed against each other, they eased the damaging power to his energy.
With a pop, he threw up a mouthful of black blood. The old monk’s body seemed to have aged many years at this instant. A presence of true decline came from his organs, but as the black flows of energy charged out of his energy sea, his energy sea was retained.
He had managed to survive.
In the sky above where Yuanwu was, a large rainstorm suddenly started. A few wrinkles appeared at the corners of Yuanwu’s eyes, but these wrinkles were cut deep into his flesh, and bled. Many glowing lights came out of his skin like star dust.
When this heavy rain came down, a cultivator holding a yellow umbrella walked behind him and blocked the rain for him.
**
Changling, deep within the terrifying imperial palace, Zheng Xiu stood with her arms hanging down.
Scattered star fire fell in the space in front of her like glowing gems, passing through her profound skylight where light rays shone through.
Her hands were trembling, and blood dripped from the tips of his fingers. There were many fine cracks on her jade like hands and arms.
She slowly looked up and thought in her mind.
She could not see the scene of the battle exactly, but she could sense where Yuanwu’s power had gone in the end. She was certain, even if the Donghu monk was not dead, then the Donghu monk’s cultivation was about crippled.
Volume 4 43 - He Is Lying
“So what if he was the winner of the Min Mountain Sword Trials! He is still an ignorant youth who has never fought. That Guo Feng is muddle-headed to let the Imperial Guard Army listen to his orders!”
“Internal conflict before the battle is a mistake even the stupidest commander will not make!”
Seeing the backs of Ding Ning, Guo Feng and the others as they left, the numerous border commanders had dark expressions.
Wu Qiwu’s expression was also extremely ugly. Sharp murderousness flashed deep in his eyes. If he had absolute confidence, in that moment just now, he would have killed Ding Ning immediately.
The three thousand Imperial Guard Army who just entered the city started to leave. They moved towards the higher part of the slope and started to camp. Reinforcements leaving after arrival due to a difference of opinion was a serious blow to the morale of the city soldiers. This was also the case for the Imperial Guard Army who were tired after travelling.
If Ding Ning had not evinced convincing abilities previously, these soldiers might have mutinied out of negative emotions when they were moving heavy ordnance up the mountain with difficulty.
Guo Feng was an experienced commander and he knew that morale was oftentimes more important than some powerful ordnance. Following Ding Ning up a tall rock and looking at the distant smoke, his expression was not much better than Wu Qiwu.
“Even now, I do not understand why you definitely abandoned the city,” he said to Ding Ning after taking a breath to make himself calmer.
“In reality, I do not really want to abandon the city.” Ding Ning did not look at him and whispered.
His expression stunned Guo Feng and Nangong Caishu who had followed him.
“What do you mean?” Nangong Caishu could not help but ask.
“Guyu Pass is very special.” Ding Ning said slowly and softly, “Not just because it is not as majestic as the other pass cities, but because, as you saw when you entered the city, many people in the city are from the Yuezhi and the Yin Mountain surroundings.”
Guo Feng’s brows suddenly lifted. He realized something but did not dare to be sure.
Ding Ning did not pause and continued. “Guyu Pass was built last, and when it was being built, much of the labour was conscripted from the surroundings, and in the end, many became soldiers. So the composition of people in this pass city is complicated.”
Nangong Caishu finally reacted and said, “You fear our actions in the city will be passed on by the spies?”
Ding Ning looked back from the distance and turned to look at Guo Feng and Nangong Caishu and nodded. “The Wuzhi had a great victory, yet rationally, they must know we have reinforcements. Yet this army cutting off the escape is coming here fearlessly so they must know the situation of the city. In war, nothing is too deceitful. Saying we are abandoning the city and coming here to the slope because of a disagreement is just acting out a play for them.”
Ding Ning looked seriously at Nangong Caishu and said, “The less people know about a play being carried out, when even those on your side are in the dark, the more realistic it is.”
Nangong Caishu looked at Ding Ning and felt more awe. “What should we do next?”
“We are going to continue acting and have that vanguard attack us.” Ding Ning looked at her and said, “I want you to deliver a letter to Wu Qiwu for him to act along with us in this play.”
The distant smoke had been extinguished, and as time passed, the ground started to tremble. Five thousand Wuzhi cavalry started to appear in sight of the Guyu border army before sunset. Donned in different clothing and armor, they did not ride in any predetermined formation. They looked like an ever-changing cloud on the plains. Yet all the weapons were hung from the sides of the saddles, and all the horses were in astounding unison. As the horses galloped, the weapons would collide with the saddle and give off rhythmic sounds.
This continual uniform sound contained a fatal magic, every one of the hearts around raced, breath stuttered.
Sitting on a protruding rock, Ding Ning silently gazed at the army arriving at dusk. He frowned, seemingly mulling over something.
On the wall tower of Guyu Pass, Wu Qiwu’s back started to sweat uncontrollably. As the thunderous hoofbeats drew close, his sight was engulfed by the cavalry. The trembling of the ground stirred up all of Guyu Pass, it shuddered; some of the dust accumulated over the years on the city walls crumbled down in the cold wind.
An hour ago, he learned of the youth’s plan against the cavalry. Even now, only he knew of this plan in Guyu Pass. So all of the pressure was on him. Even though he felt respect towards the youth and that the plan was feasible, this was still a grand gamble for him. If that cavalry did not attack the Imperial Guard Army on the slopes like he imagined, then Guyu Pass may be lost.
But when the lights from the soldiers on the saddles entered his eyes, he glanced at the Imperial Guard Army on the slope to his side and knew he had no room to choose. It could be said that youth was using the lives of three thousand Imperial Guard Army soldiers to force him to make this choice.
His expression grew ugly. But he squeezed some simple sounds from his throat and said a few words to a vice commander next to him.
The vice commander’s eyes filled with disbelief but he immediately regained his senses at his shout.
“How are you sure that the cavalry will first attack us?” Nangong Caishu appeared behind Ding Ning. She was not demanding, but sincerely seeking advice.
The cavalry in her sights was still moving directly and did not show any signs of diverging towards the slope But inexplicably, she had a strong feeling that it would first attack them like Ding Ning expected.
She, just like Jing Liuli back in the summer, started to treat Ding Ning naturally like a teacher and learn from him.
“Any fast moving army cannot be too large. Fourteen or fifteen thousand is about the limit. Otherwise, they cannot guarantee their speed. Their supply cannot keep up.” Ding Ning slowly and clearly answered her question. “The military intelligence said that the cavalry is about ten thousand. Based on my judgement, it may not be just this much, at most fourteen or fifteen thousand. But the retreating Qin remnants coming here are about twenty five thousand and more.”
“You have to know, our Qin armies are the strongest army in the world.” After a pause, Ding Ning turned to look at her. “Even our remnants will not be underestimated by others. So this cavalry will try to lessen their damage in their strategy to win and take over Guyu Pass. Otherwise, if they take Guyu Pass and only have a few thousand left, I fear even they would have no confidence in stopping twenty thousand Qin with their thousands, even for a short while.”
As Nangong Caishu grasped the gist, her eyes lit up. “So no matter if the Wuzhi cavalry appear wild and adventurous, they will be very careful here.”
Ding Ning looked at her and nodded.
Nangong Caishu took a deep breath and said, “Because of your deliberate arrangements, much of our military ordnance has not been set up and we are in slight chaos. So the cavalry will choose to attack us first. To them, two days of time is enough. They only have to defeat the Qin military here at the lowest price and are not in a hurry.”
Ding Ning’ concurred with his gaze and said, “Even more importantly, in a situation like this, when we make them suffer heavier losses and their initial plan fails …… they will panic.”
Nangong Caishu looked at his calm and confident countenance, her heart raced. “So from the start, you felt that we can win, even though they are three times our number.”
Ding Ning looked at her and said, “Whether we can win depends on if Wu Qiwu will completely obey the contents of my letter, and bring out all the cultivators and skilled swordsmen in the city.
Nangong Caishu looked up towards the incoming cavalry. She saw the last lights of sunset obscured by the dust. She knew that this was a difficult decision for that commander.
Ever since the Qin existed, cultivators and guards who worked with cultivators were the most important forces in the Qin army. Even though there were less than a hundred cultivators here in the city, including their own guards, if all these people left the city, the border city was akin to being empty.
But she had a feeling now that the vastly more experienced commander would make the correct choice.
Volume 5 43 - Fang
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 3 43 - Falling Dark Moon
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 yang type primal energy of the universe like the sun truefire could create the greatest damage towards those who cultivated yin 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 yin 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.
Falling Dark Moon. 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 yin 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 2 43 - Opportunity and Backup Plans
This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.
Emperor Chen of Han shouted. The pill fire sword turned into an extremely soft red chain that fell onto Emperor Yuanwu’s yellow sword.
The yellow sword sank slightly.
Yan Ying’s amputated fingers were just a dozen feet away from Emperor Yuanwu’s eyes. It was such, Emperor Yuanwu would not have the time to swing his sword to deflect the advancing pair of fingers in time. His eyes focused slightly, brightening into a yellow hue, just like his sword.
The two severed fingers stabbed into his eyes like flying swords, emitting two dull sounds.
Everybody was shocked speechless.
A small ripple formed on Emperor Yuanwu’s yellow eyes. The energy of the two cleaved fingers had penetrated his eyes, but had immediately disappeared.
The severed fingers, that lost all power, immediately turned into dust in front of his eyes and were blown away by the wild wind.
It felt as though the power of those two fingers had been instantly consumed by Emperor Yuanwu’s eyes.
"Universe Gold Body," said Emperor Yuanwu.
He had finally confirmed the kind of vital energy spell that Emperor Yuanwu primarily cultivated. At this time Emperor Yuanwu did not give off any piercing light, but in the eyes of emperor of Chu, it was an exceptionally painful sight…… he closed his eyes.
The emperor of Qi too closed his eyes in pain.
Soon after his ascension, Emperor Yuanwu had gone into seclusion, so everything about his cultivation had been a secret. The cultivators of the world had all kinds of speculations about whether he had truly reached realm eight. They all wanted to know secrets regarding Emperor Yuanwu’s cultivation. Yet, as more and more secrets were revealed, the cultivators of the different dynasties present were increasingly unable to accept.
The strongest group of cultivators in Changling of the past had come from the Ba Mountain Sword Field. But the "Universe Gold Body" had not come from the Ba Mountain Sword Field, but one of the formerly strongest prestigious families of Changling, the Yuhua Family.
Supposedly, when the "Universe Gold Body" was cultivated to realm seven, one could contain astounding amounts of vital energy in one’s body, and also absorb powerful energy and power from enemies. However, after the Yuhua Family created this cultivation method, no one else after that ancestor had been able to reach realm seven with the "Universe Gold Body."
Yet, after the destruction of Yuhua Family many years ago during the reformation, Emperor Yuanwu, who had destroyed the Yuhua Family, had managed to successfully cultivate this secret method. The members of the Yuhua Family may have known the secrets of this method, but the Yuhua Family had been wiped out without any survivors. The cultivators of the present could only speculate through Emperor Yuanwu’s performance in this battle what kind of monster, a realm eight cultivator who cultivated this method, would become.
An astounding wave seemed to surge from the yellow sword.
The pill fire chains wrapped around the blade powerlessly scattered like a python without its skeleton.
Emperor Chen of Han’s abdomen spurted out several dozen waves of energy. Dozens of wounds split apart the flesh of his abdomen. It seemed like his energy sea had exploded completely and he was alive only due to the Heaven Stealing Pill.
The power contained in the attacking pill fire was stronger than blows from regular realm sevens. One streak even landed on Yan Ying’s body and left behind a deep mark.
When Yan Ying looked at Emperor Yuanwu who appeared more powerful and invincible as his cultivation and his methods were revealed, he was still extremely calm and determined.
Victory and defeat was not determined here.
He and Emperor Chen of Han did not have to kill Emperor Yuanwu. They just had to use up Emperor Yuanwu’s strength and inflict enough damage.
Thick smoke appeared on his face, as though the face of a black infant was taking form on his face.
"You are a very interesting cultivator."
Emperor Yuanwu, who had broken free of Emperor Chen of Han’s pill fire sword, did not immediately attack. He swung his sword forward.
The yellow sword light left only a faint mark on the ground in front of him. But this mark seemed to become a symbol which contained a kind of mysterious power. Countless bright lines of light from the sky fell onto this mark, forming a bright barrier of light that temporarily separated him from Emperor Chen of Han and Yan Ying.
His eyebrows raised, and looking with some bewilderment at Yan Ying said, "You are clearly realm seven and are able to fight a realm eight. There have never been many cultivators like you in the past, and nor many in the future. But this Lonely One does not understand. This Lonely One should not have many gurdges with the Qi cultivators. Why do you dislike this Lonely One so?"
A dislike that made one able to abandon life would be an exceptionally strong emotion. Emperor Yuanwu did not think that someone like Yan Ying would decide to fight to the death in order to gain some benefit for the Qi Dynasty at Deer Mountain Conference.
"Even if someone like you is going to die, you will only die for your own love and hate, not for an ephemeral city or several miles of land." Emperor Yuanwu looked at Yan Ying and added, "You should tell this Lonely One. Why?"
The cultivators who stood at the top were already inhuman. From a certain perspective, they had extremely eccentric quirks. This kind of matter was meaningless to most people, but very meaningful to them. So, at Emperor Yuanwu’s words, Yan Ying’s gaze suffused with disdain.
"You ask me something like this? I hear you do not like people with the surname Wang. Almost all the people with the Wang surname in Changling are not used. Could you tell me why?"
Emperor Yuanwu’s eyes narrowed slightly. The air above Deer Mountain was temporarily expelled out as though a vacuum would form.
"Is it not because of Wang Jingmeng, because you fear that person?"
Yan Ying looked at the silent Emperor Yuanwu and spoke ruthlessly without hesitation. "It’s laughable that you erased all the history books regarding him because you fear him. It is amusing that the people of Changling do not dare to mention his name for the fear of being killed. But don’t they still use "that person" to refer to him? "That person" has almost become his own unique pronoun."
Yan Ying’s voice echoed among the peaks. Thunder roared high in the sky as enormous things were passing through the firmament and about to fall in fury.
"In reality, most people here know well that the glory the Qin Dynasty has right now is mostly due to him and the people of Ba Mountain Sword Field that followed him. You and Zheng Xiu are just shameful thieves that stole his credit."
The disdain in Yan Ying’s eyes grew, he continued without disguise. "You yourself also know that he was the strongest of Changling from start to end. Back then, you were lesser than him. If he were able to live until now, you would still not be a match to him. So, to cultivators of other dynasties like me, he was the number one enemy."
"Three years before your ascension, who among the grandmasters did not view him as their top enemy?"
"He is the goal I have pursued for my lifetime. Defeating an enemy like this could be said to be my only goal in my many years of cultivation."
"Yet, he died due to shameless betrayal and conspiracy. Even more hatefully, I feel I look down on you and Zheng Xiu."
"With the sudden disappearance of my opponent, my many years of cultivation suddenly became meaningless. Even more importantly, I even look down upon you. You replace him and appear in front of me, but I feel no respect …… this is a dull thing."
Yan Ying looked at Emperor Yuanwu and continued talking.
His reason was something most could not accept, and would feel ridiculous. But everybody could hear the gravity in his tone. Everybody could hear that this was his true thoughts.
"Before his death, I only felt hostility towards him. But after his death, I have found many of his traits worthy of respect. There are many reasons in order to like someone. I do not like him very much. But it really does not take much reason to dislike someone."
Yan Ying looked at Emperor Yuanwu’s increasingly emotionless eyes. He said seriously, "So starting from your ascension, I decided to kill you."
Because Emperor Yuanwu had been the one to ask, he waited for Yan Ying to finish talking.
Then he said expressionlessly, "Only paranoid people can walk the furthest on this path. But regardless of how many surprises you have given this Lonely One, you are still stupid. A person like you with a high possibility of reaching realm eight, choosing death for a momentary dislike, is stupid. You do not even understand how to understand the situation."
"Who in the world is not stupid? Does not all the struggle turn to dust in the end?" Yan Ying laughed. "You do not understand what happiness is. A person that doesn’t even understand happiness will not be happy even if you get the world."
Emperor Yuanwu took a deep breath. He said slowly with an indescribably strong presence, "When this Lonely One obtains the world, this Lonely One will be happy."
Yan Ying glanced at him and said, "I fear that when you obtain the world, when you are about to die, you will not be happy even then."
His gaze was vicious and his tone too.
So the words sounded like a curse.
Translator Ramblings: In terms of ridiculous reasons to want someone dead, this probably ranks. You killed my enemy so I want to kill you.
Volume 7 43 - **Chapter Forty-Three: Instruct **
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.
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