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Chapter 60 - Farce
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  Everything Zhen Tingan did today, from blocking the door, threatening to kick down the door, and kicking a sword over in a challenge, made him appear arrogant.

  Yet all this was ordinary in Changling. Zhen Tingan was the epitome of countless Changling youths. Everything was undeserved reputation, and everyone only respected true power.

  After the swordsmen of the Qin defeated the Han, Zhao, and Wei dynasties, Changling showed hints of a trend with the sword being at the top. In the minds of the powerful, the reason that Emperor Yuanwu’s reformation succeeded and he managed to keep the entire Qin Dynasty in his hand was because of the undefeatable swords of him and some people around him.

  So cultivators in Changling respected Xue Wangxu not because of his age, but because of the level he reached.

  Zhang Yi turned to the side, reached out with a hand, and grabbed the hilt of the blunted sword flying towards him. He was familiar with the personalities of these young geniuses so he was not angered. He only looked at Ding Ning and said with a frown, "I really have to fight?"

  Ding Ning looked at him and said softly, "Have a spectacular fight. I’m not the one who wants to watch."

  Zhang Yi heard the meaning in Ding Ning’s words. His conflicted expression finally disappeared and he nodded solemnly.

  "You make even a fight so troublesome. No wonder White Goat Cave had to join Green Vine Sword School!" Zhen Tingan had lost his patience a long time ago and said rudely. Then he walked towards the middle of the street and held up the blunted metal sword in his hand. He pointed at Zhen Tingan’s chest with the blunted tip. The sword started to tremble gently and gave off the sound of waves hitting the shore.

  Zhang Yi walked forward over cautiously and tried to be as far away from Xue Wangxu as possible. At the same time, he gave a look to Shen Yi, indicating for him to take good care of Xue Wangxu.

  If this was any ordinary time, Zhen Tingan would raise his sword horizontally across his chest before attacking. But Zhang Yi was not the opponent he wanted to face, especially when Ding Ning and Zhang Yi appeared to be trying to delay.

  So he attacked immediately.

  The seal scripts on the blunted metal sword were filled quickly by the bright vital energy and primal energies of the universe. An indigo sword energy moved forward alongside Zhen Tingan’s steps and charged out.

  This sword energy did not strike straight at Zhang Yi’s chest, but fell to the ground in a stream and spread into small indigo sword energies that looked like bamboo leaves.

  Zhen Tingan was a member of the Clear Stream Sword School so his sword form was the famed sword form of Clear Stream Sword School, "Clear Stream, Bamboo Shadow."

  Zhang Yi hurriedly swung his blunted sword downwards. A slightly curved white sword light, like a curved white goat horn, blocked the leaf-like indigo sword energies.

  But at this time, Zhen Tingan had already charged in front of him.

  A tearing sound obscured the sound of sword energies that were in conflict. A terrifying power suddenly flooded out from the sword tip of Zhen Tingan’s blunted sword and stabbed towards Zhang Yi’s chest.

  This was "Clear Stream, Surging Spring."

  Zhang Yi could sense the terrifying momentum of this attack. His expression changed slightly. His sword flicked upwards. With no time to delay, his blunted sword tip accurately stabbed at the tip of Zhen Tingan’s sword. The power of this blow passed over his head.

  A hint of disdain appeared on Zhen Tingan’s face.

  While Zhang Yi had deflected his blow with finesse, in the moment the swords came into contact, he could sense that Zhang Yi’s vital energy cultivation was lesser than him.

  Without any hesitation, his vital energy surged out of his body into the sword. He swung down.

  Zhang Yi’s body buckled and he took three steps back. The sword light coming from above split into two and advanced in front of him. Two distinct and deep sword marks appeared on the stone path in front of him. Dust sprayed out with a buzz.

  Crack.

  A tear appeared on Zhang Yi’s right sleeve.

  Zhen Tingan had finished his sword move, but his disdain grew. He quickly drew back his sword before a vast surge of vital energy slammed out of his body and collided with the vital energy remaining on his sword and the primal energies of the universe.

  This collision was like the blooming of a flower, and caused countless indigo threads to appear in the air.

  Zhang Yi’s expression grew even grimmer. He firmed his stance and swung his sword upwards.

  With another explosion, a slightly curved white sword energy rose up. This was the "White Goat Hanging Horn" of the White Goat Sword Manual.

  In this moment, the numerous indigo threads pulled out numerous indigo blades of water that shot forward.

  The thickest part of the white goat horn blocked the indigo blades like a shield. Zhang Yi did not move his feet but his body trembled slightly. Tears appeared on the shoulders of his robes, and fine beads of blood formed.

  With a boom, the white goat horn disappeared, and Zhang Yi took another three steps back.

  "You say you can win against me like this?" Zhen Tingan, who took a step back to avoid the remains of the White Goat Hanging Horn, pointed his sword towards the ground. He looked relaxed and casual, his face filled with scorn.

  Ding Ning frowned slightly. He looked at the shallow bloodied wounds on Zhang Yi’s shoulders and said, "Senior Sect Brother, are you a masochist or a nudist that you are only willing to attack when your clothing is destroyed?"

  Looking over his clothing out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Yi said, embarrassed, "I am afraid that Cave Master will say it is not spectacular enough if it is too short …… I wanted to see if I can win with just the White Goat Sword Manual. I hadn’t expected my opponent to be so strong."

  Hearing the conversation between the two that clearly did not admit defeat, Zhen Tingan’s expression grew darker. He took a deep breath. He no longer wanted to speak, he only wanted to defeat Zhang Yi with his next blow.

  He swung his sword once again. This time, he channeled even more vital energy as though he wanted to expend all the vital energy in his energy sea at once. This furious stream of vital energy had a unique rhythm.

  Waves of vital energy being expended at different rates collided and piled up in his sword.

  The pure black blunted sword in his hand started to shine with indigo light until it became completely indigo. An indigo flame sprayed out of his sword in a wave. His sword cut an exquisite path in the air with this sword move. Small whirlpools formed in the layers of indigo waves and tightened until they were shaped like oval rocks.

  Zhang Yi’s expression grew serious again.

  The Clear Stream Sword School had a secret art called the "Stream Stone Sword." The flow of the stream would carry along thousands of stones that would grind like millstones. Even if one was able to initially withstand the blow, they then would be worn down to death. He thought that Zhen Tingan must be using the "Stream Stone Sword."

  Feeling the heavy energies inside each of the rolling stones, Zhang Yi knew he had no other choice.

  He stabbed with the black sword in his hand. But he did not stab forward, but towards the sky.

  At the same time, many of the lines he had comprehended in Ink Garden appeared in his mind.

  Waves of energy charged out of his sword tip.

  When intangible energy had charged into the sky previously in Ink Garden, it had caused wetness and a burst of rain.

  When he stabbed the sword with its burning and murderous presence into the sky, what kind of change would occur?

  Nothing seemed to change. The indigo sword light had risen and was flying over Zhang Yi as his eyes shone with unusual light. At the same time, he had a hesitant expression.

  Ding Ning looked at him and said calmly, "Do not be so sentimental. Do you want to see the Cave Master angry?"

  The moment Ding Ning spoke, Zhang Yi knew he had been wrong. The sword he held towards the sky cut forward.

  In this moment, the energies of the entire alley changed abruptly.

  Shen Yi, who had reached the peak of his anticipation, gave an involuntary exclamation.

  Zhen Tingan’s breathing stopped.

  He could feel countless sharp presences falling rapidly from the sky. He instinctively raised his head and saw glowing lines of rain suddenly appeared in the clear sky.

  This was not ordinary rain.

  The droplets of rain were connected like countless little hammers hitting each other to send the moisture to the ground as fast as possible.

  Feeling the sharpness in the lines of rain, Zhen Tingan paled rapidly. He gave a shout and swung his sword up. The stream, carrying countless indigo stones, curved up towards those lines of rain.

  It wasn’t that he wanted to block, but he could not dodge. Zhang Yi’s sword essence had filled the alley around him. He could not reach Zhang Yi.

  The millions of rain lines landed in the alley.

  Magically, the rain that landed on the eaves, the trees, and the other parts of the alley only created splashes of water when they landed. However, where Zhang Yi was pointing with his sword, the rain lines gave off terrifying energy, and became sharp and unstoppable small swords.

  The dense rain lines stabbed through the stream of water and created ruler-straight white lines. The sharp sword essences collided with the small stones in the river, creating even smaller white blooms. Each small stone appeared to be steady and firm like the stones at the bottom of a stream, but these lines of rain were longer and had more momentum.

  In the span of a few moments, the water wore through the stone.

  Countless indigo stones exploded. The stream that was curving upwards collapsed and scattered.

  Zhen Tingan was still powerlessly swinging his blunted sword as numerous drops of rain landed on his sword and his body.

  Zhang Yi lowered his sword and pulled in his presence.

  But these rain drops did not lose their momentum and clanged when they hit the blunted sword.

  Countless pops sounded on Zhen Tingan’s body. The barrage of attacks pushed him to fall to the ground. Countless holes appeared in his clothing, and his skin showed numerous small bloody marks.

  The rainwater flowed along his skin. His tattered clothing was soaked and his loose hair was dripping water as his body trembled uncontrollably in cold and terror.

  "How is this possible? What sword move is this?" he looked up powerlessly at Zhang Yi as he asked with bloodless lips.

  Volume 2 60 - Sword Rain

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

  The five-colored light was the light of the physical energies in the body.

  The physical energy was so dense it seemed to burn as his five organs seemed to explode.

  There was bound to be immense pain when the body was enduring beyond its limits. His body immediately reacted.

  His heart beat violently, the blood in his veins spurting quickly. He was rapidly sweating but then the sweat quickly evaporated due to the heat of his body. His body wreathed in pain, but his brows were relaxed.

  Something like personality was innate, but it could be influenced in various aspects. Having been around Zhangsun Qianxue for so long, while he could be as calm as usual, his likes and dislikes became more distinct. Dislike would become the simpler and purer hate. Like white snow and black tile, the borders were clear and not mixed with any other emotions. There was no conflict. Love and hate were simple and clean. While his body was in pain, his mind was happy.

  That palace attendant’s surname was Rong. She had followed Zheng Xiu since childhood. She knew Zheng Xiu the best. Thus, she was like one of Zheng Xiu’s other brains. Everything she did was according to Zheng Xiu’s intentions.

  The premature Min Mountain Sword Trials was because they did not want him to win. Yet, what he had obtained in White Goat Cave was not the Explanation of the Spirit Source Way, but the violent Three Corpses Nonself Consciousness Sutra.

  Using this method to ignite the physical energies in his organs would weaken his already over-stretched body, like an already burning candle being burned among the coals. But this could be a perfect camouflage for the Nine Death Silkworm. At least, this could act as plausible excuse for the great advancement in his cultivation in such a short time.

  This painful matter became adorable when it would displease Zheng Xiu.

  Looking silently at the valley where the spirit vein was, and the location of Ding Ning’s grass hut was Zhang Yi.

  Since last winter up until now, he had been cultivating in Falling Parasol. While he had been serving Xue Wangxu and spent most of his time on some minor matters that were insignificant to ordinary cultivators, the comprehensions he had obtained through the ordinary was very remarkable. Used to calling Ding Ning "Little Sect Brother" mentally, he had never thought of what he would accomplish at the Min Mountain Sword Trials, and put all his energy on Ding Ning.

  He was using the excuse of reading in the library cave, but was in reality protecting Ding Ning who was cultivating at the White Goat Cave Spirit Valley, and making sure that he would not be disturbed.

  Thinking of Xue Wangxu’s increasingly fragile body, and the great importance of the Min Mountain Sword Trials held for Ding Ning, he couldn’t help but thinking, ……

  In the quiet mountains, time passed as usual.

  Ding Ning’s overly strong organs burned violently, the abundant physical energies gathering with the spirit energy flowing into his body sank into his energy sea turning into vital energy.

  Life was being burned.

  Blood cruised faster through his veins, but the blood thinned, and the marrow river in his bones dried up slightly.

  Specks of white frost slowly appeared amidst his black hair. His organs seemed to have shrunk somewhat.

  All of this reminded him that his body had undergone a bad change. This kind of change would be the greatest fear of ordinary cultivators, but his expression was still calm and pleased.

  As time passed, the vital energy in his body increased and grew stronger.

  Finally ……

  Two soft sounds came from the other two grass huts.

  Those two unoccupied meditation mats exploded in unison. Yet, the pieces of grass did not erupt out, and were sucked in by the spirit veins that had been flowing with spirit energy. Then the two spirit veins became two powerful whirlpools that sucked inwards.

  The spirit energy of these three spirit veins were attracted to the numerous little silkworms in Ding Ning’s body and furiously flooded into his body.

  An eerie wind formed among the valley. Many chaotic bursts of wind that came out of nowhere burrowed through the cracks in the grass huts. The three grass huts could not endure and imploded at the same time.

  Countless figures appeared on the mountain path, wanting to sprint into that mountain valley.

  Yet, Zhang Yi, who was standing outside the library cave, bowed towards the numerous figures. He shook his head and said, "Do not."……

  The thatch, fallen leaves, and dried leaves covered Ding Ning’s body in layers. His body seemed to form an enormous yellow cocoon. There was so much spirit energy they could not merge immediately. They formed a chaotic flow in his body. His body gave off cracking sounds as though his veins, and even his sinews and bones could not endure and were snapping.

  Ding Ning’s body looked like it would shatter into countless pieces at any moment. But the invisible little silkworms would always resurface at the perfect time and start to gulp down the spirit energy heading towards the cracks.

  In the end, these spirit energy flows charging in his body became powerful whirlpools.

  The spirit vein under him was the first to give off a crisp tearing sound. The spirit energy in this vein was the first to dry up and stop.

  Then the second and the third.

  All three spirit veins of White Goat Cave had dried up.

  More invisible little silkworms appeared in his body. The little silkworms all did the same thing of madly swallowing the spirit energy in his body. The terrifying attraction his body produced started to disappear. More and more vital energy battered against some meridian points in his body as though they were going to open doors to the surrounding world.

  Those represented another realm.

  He could try for another realm, but he knew this was enough.

  He opened his eyes and tried to have his vital energy spread evenly into every corner of his body. All of the withered leaves pressing tightly on his body fell down and spread outwards like a tide.

  On the path outside the library cave, Zhang Yi shut his eyes tightly, his eyelashes trembling, face as pale as snow.

  He was very nervous.

  The changes in the wind among the mountains, and the advent of the day they had to leave White Goat Cave for Min Mountain Sword Sect meant that he was sure he was about to see Ding Ning.

  His back was soaked.

  A small breeze came.

  A familiar figure appeared in his sight.

  While he was prepared, the moment he saw Ding Ning, he was still stunned, and forgot to breathe.

  "Little Sect Brother ……"

  His eyes were filled with strong amazement.

  The breeze blew at Ding Ning’s hair. There were dots of white all over his black strands of hair.

  Ding Ning’s age seemed to have increased but his body had not grown, and shrunk instead.

  What shocked him the most was that rainbows seemed to move under Ding Ning’s pale skin. There seemed to be rainbow light that would cut through his skin at any moment.

  "Little Sect Brother…… you ……"

  He finally sensed what had happened to Ding Ning’s vital energy and the price Ding Ning had paid for this. Shock, once again, suffused his eyes.

  "Eldest Sect Brother, do not speak confusedly."

  Ding Ning nodded at him and said calmly, "Little Sect Brother Shen Yi should be in Ink Garden right now. We are going to depart now to get Little Sect Brother and Cave Master."……

  The spring had faded, summer had arrived. The air grew drier.

  After many days without rain, the carriage created billows of dust as it moved across the road.

  In a pavilion by a hill in the outskirts of Changling, the black robed man who had a calm presence that felt dangerous, was boiling tea with a metal pot, gazing at the galloping carriages in silence.

  The man in plain clothes who had watched Ink Garden along with him was washing cups. Seeing a black carriage pass, he turned to look at the man in black robes and said, "What are you thinking now?"

  People’s thoughts would frequently change. While this had just been a few days, he had to confirm the man in black robe’s thoughts.

  "The Min Mountain Sword Trials are about to start. What thoughts would I have?"

  In the face of his seriousness, the man in black robes smiled with slight mockery. "I only hope that wineshop youth will not change his mind, and fear to even attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials."

  The middle-aged man in plain robes gazed at a carriage where the palace attendant with the surname Rong was sitting in.

  People of her status could naturally enter immediately when the Min Mountain Sword Sect opened the gates. She did not have to wait outside like ordinary officials and the students of cultivation places attending the Min Mountain Sword Trials.

  Yet, for some reason, she did not want to reach Min Mountain before most people. She abruptly reached out to knock gently on the carriage cabin so the driver would slow down.

  Two carriages filled with cushions had been waiting long ago at the gates of Ink Garden. When Zhang Yi drove the carriage to the gates, Wang Taixu and Shen Yi were helping Xue Wangxu walk out of the gates of Ink Garden.

  "Too risky." Xue Wangxu immediately saw Ding Ning who had jumped out after Zhang Yi and said, shaking his head.

  "Fight to live when in mortal danger."

  Ding Ning bowed solemnly to him and said, "This way, I no longer have to consider other possibilities and can focus more."

  Wang Taixu took a deep breath, a complicated expression in his gaze.

  "A wavering attitude is frequently the most dangerous attitude," Ding Ning seemed to have read his thoughts and said to him.

  At this point, even Wang Taixu was speechless.

  So, they departed.

  The two comfortable carriages left Ink Garden for Min Mountain.

  Translator Ramblings: My editor has told me about the ending of the Sword Dynasty TV series …… I won’t spoil anything but the ending for the story is definitely different from that.