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Chapter Forty-Eight: Sustain
writer: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 5 48 - A Play

  “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 3 48 - Curse

  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.

  Pew! Pew!

  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.

  Boom!

  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 2 48 - Mountains and Rivers As A Painting

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

  The chaotic primal energies of the universe were scattered around the peak of Deer Mountain, ringing like giant bells that seemed to resound through the world.

  A pale faced Yuanwu stood with his hands behind his back. Those hands were trembling uncontrollably as blood dripped from his fingers.

  After doing his best to fight these great grandmasters of the world, he was extremely exhausted. But he felt that each of his breaths was unusually sweet. An unprecedented feeling of power surged his body.

  He raised his head proudly and thought as he looked at the distant mountains and rivers.

  Almost all of the flora on Deer Mountain was destroyed. Gullies had been made on the faces of the mountain due to the rain and primal energies of the universe. The water flowed with threads of blood.

  The Qin Dynasty troops stationed on the mountain watched as the chaotic primal energies disappeared and the bright sun appeared. Then they looked at the bright yellow figure standing upright. Even though their surroundings were filled with damaged armaments, blood and corpses, they couldn’t help but start cheering.

  "Long Live the emperor!"

  "Long Live the emperor! Long live the emperor!"

  Amidst the cheers, the emperor of Yan wore an ugly expression. He turned and left without looking back.

  The emperor of Qi was stunned for a long time. Then he sighed. He felt very sad inside, but he also found he admired Yuanwu greatly.

  Emperor Chen of Han had fled in an excrement cart, and hid for more than a decade from the cultivators of the Qin Dynasty outside the forts ……

  Yan Ying had been halfway into realm eight, but had sacrificed to start the last trap ……

  Song Chaosheng had lost his family due to the Qin people’s scheme before the destruction of the Wei Dynasty. He had helplessly watched the destruction of his country, his tears had been a tide ……

  Guo Dongjiang had desired to avenge his friend. Though mad, he had endured for more than a decade ……

  These great grandmasters had wanted to kill Emperor Yuanwu all this time, waiting and scheming for more than a decade. They had finally obtained a possible chance to kill Emperor Yuanwu, yet suffered defeat at his hands.

  Taking into account Li Caitian and Fang Xiang, almost all the great grandmasters that could equal Emperor Yuanwu were gone after Deer Mountain.

  Was Emperor Yuanwu only strong in his cultivation?

  "So Ye Xinhe …… is one of the Holy One’s pawns."

  Huang Zhenwei was fighting the strong drowsiness engulfing him. He tried to keep his eyes open, looking with shock and true respect at Emperor Yuanwu who was bathed in the light.

  Ye Xinhe had been the most important piece to set up this situation. He had been a lure for all those involved. Yuanwu had even moved this piece and hid it for so many years before ascending the throne…… Even Huang Zhenwei had not known that Ye Xinhe’s loyalty had been for Emperor Yuanwu.

  Li Lingjun’s body could not stop trembling.

  The king of Chu’s health was extremely bad. Coughing blood when his emotions were stirred was enough for anyone to know he did not have many days left. Li Lingjun would quickly become the new monarch of the Chu Dynasty.

  But Emperor Yuanwu had taken back Yangshan Commandery, pushed the border a hundred miles forward, and set up such a great trap to kill all the great grandmasters that could threaten him. Even if the people of the Chu Dynasty did not doubt him and Consort Zhao Xiang, and supported him, he still felt terror and a lack of confidence.

  Beside him, the emperor of Chu gazed at Emperor Yuanwu’s figure. For some inexplicable reason, his expression grew calm and then thoughtful.

  His calmness attracted Emperor Yuanwu’s attention. His gaze moved towards this old man who was about to die.

  Looking at the expression of power and contentment in Emperor Yuanwu’s eyes, this old person gave a small smile.

  Emperor Yuanwu was even more puzzled. In his view, the Chu Dynasty had suffered the greatest loss in this event, so he could not understand the emperor of Chu’s emotions.

  "Congratulations, Imperial Son." Hearing the cheers coming from Deer Mountain, Mo Shoucheng turned and sincerely expressed his wishes to Fu Su.

  Fu Su was still in a daze due to the great shock and could not immediately understand the meaning of Mo Shoucheng’s words.

  But Ding Ning, his heart cold, knew very well.

  After the Deer Mountain Conference, the Qin Dynasty would ascend to become the strongest dynasty in the world. Fu Su would naturally become the crown prince of the strongest dynasty in the world. Everything seemed to advance under the control of Zheng Xiu and Emperor Yuanwu.

  Ding Ning, as though he feared facing the peerless authority on Deer Mountain, slowly turned around. His gaze landed on the peak that had produced that exceptionally long sword light that seemed able to circle Deer Mountain.

  That was the Yearning Sword.

  There was no emotion like yearning that was as lingering and incomprehensible, as hard to stop and cut through as yearning.

  Prime Minister Li, one of Emperor Yuanwu’s two prime ministers, had comprehended the other ultimate sword manual of the Ba Mountain Sword Field. Unimportant Marquis Li and that nameless Daoist had been strong, but slightly weaker than this Minister Li. If they hadn’t left when they did, the two may have not been able to ever leave.

  Ding Ning’s gaze fell upon the mountain valley that Ye Xinhe had fallen into.

  At this moment, the valley was filled with smoke. The collision of primal energies of the universe summoned by these great grandmasters had caused the valley floor to sink multiple feet. But Ding Ning was certain that Ye Xinhe, based on the wounds he had received, would not have died due to his fall.

  Ding Ning closed his eyes, mentally shouting with all his might.

  The wall in the Falling Parasol wine shop appeared in his mind.

  An enormous flower was eerily blooming on an empty spot on the wall.

  As Ding Ning was thinking of the painting on Falling Parasol wine shop’s wall with his eyes closed, many were quietly waiting in Changling.

  In the small courtyard, Zhangsun Qianxue was cooking glutinous rice. Her fingers seemed to be whiter than the rice.

  The spring wind was like scissors. They cut the green leaves of Changling’s trees, gently filling the courtyard and occasionally lifting the door curtain.

  Looking at the painted wall occasionally peeking out behind the curtain and thinking of the meanings contained within, Zhangsun Qianxue’s cool countenance suddenly betrayed some restlessness.

  She stopped watching the fire and in irritation let the flames die out.

  She was certain, even if Ding Ning were to have a mishap on Deer Mountain or Wu Mountain, she would still remain in Changling and await the day she could kill Zheng Xiu and Yuanwu. However, she was almost sure that she would be unaccustomed to his absence.

  As she thought of that person, hatred and anger mixed in her eyes, her eyelashes fluttered.

  In a small courtyard not far from her, Zhang Yi was boiling water. He was focused on the dry wood in the stove. Each time he shoved multiple pieces of wood in, threads of primal energy would fly from him into the red coals under the dry wood.

  The dry wood burned unusual ferocity. In a few moments, the water seethed, steam ascended.

  He pointed with his fingers. The boiling water in the pot flew out like a snake and landed in the large wooden bathtub next to him. He added some cold water, tested the temperature and added extra water to the pot before shouting towards the courtyard. "Little Sect Brother, you can come with Cave Master to wash."

  Shen Yi helped Xue Wangxu slowly appear in his sight.

  Watching as Shen Yi helped Xue Wangxu into the bathtub and use an old loofah to wash his back, Zhang Yi was reassured. He started to soak the clothes Xue Wangxu had taken off with hot water and started to wash them.

  As he did these things, Zhang Yi seemed like an ordinary youth that had lived in Falling Parasol for many years. He had completely forgotten how restrained he was when he first came here when he didn’t even dare to shout.

  But when he had shouted "Little Sect Brother," he couldn’t help but think of Ding Ning.

  Before Shen Yi had joined the sect, Ding Ning had been the little sect brother of White Goat Cave. Xue Wangxu lived in this Falling Parasol and seemed to enjoy each day. But he knew that the cave master’s health was on a decline.

  "I wonder where Junior Sect Brother Ding Ning is. Is he safe?" He looked at the steam and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Although he knew, he still couldn’t help asking Shen Yi and Xue Wangxu. "The Deer Mountain Conference is concluding today?"

  "Today is the main day for the Deer Mountain Conference." Shen Yi looked at Zhang Yi through the white steam and said seriously, "Senior Brother Ding Ning is able to grasp a situation better than anyone. He is just watching from a distance and will not be in danger. After today, he will be returning and preparing to attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials."

  While he said so, Shen Yi himself lacked confidence.

  Zhang Yi made a sound of acknowledgement as though he agreed with Shen Yi’s words, but he was also anxious.

  Xue Wangxu knew better than his young disciples how capricious life was. He smiled faintly and said, "Silly Ones. There is no use in worrying. I can wait, how come you cannot?"

  Zhang Yi and Shen Yi stopped speaking.

  In this spring of Yuanwu Year Twelve, the news that the Qin army had reclaimed Yangshan Commandery and Emperor Yuanwu had razed a mountain with a sword had not had the time to travel back to Changling.

  Changling was waiting with exceptional weight, slightly restless and anxious.